Herbie Hancock Album-By-Album Thread

If you're up for it, Bob Gluck's book "You'll Know When You Get There," offers a lot of information on the Mwandishi years. He can get down in the weeds on theory, though.

 

I missed this thread in December, but I'll throw in now since several of Herbie's Blue Notes are some of my most cherished albums ever. Coincidentally, I also recently finished reading Possibilities, and the chapters on the Blue Note/Miles years are very engaging and full of what feel like honest details about Herbie's learning process in his early career.

I've always been of two minds about Takin' Off. Obviously, the most striking thing about the album is the six compositions, most of which are memorable. You could argue that this is his most impressive set of tunes ever, with the possible exception of Maiden Voyage. But the way they are realized is often a bit slick and rote; with the exception of a couple of tunes, the group works in the stereotypical Blue Note hard bop vein, and what I mean by that is that there is a kind of "packaged" quality to the solos, like they aren't listening to one another but sort of each filling in a demarcated space and keeping time until the theme comes back around. Billy Higgins has to do a lot of heavy lifting to keep the group together IMO, especially since Herbie seems unwilling to (perhaps intimidated by the company he was keeping).

There are, however, some great solos by Freddie Hubbard and Dexter Gordon -- who could ever forget the way Dex locks into the drums on "Watermelon Man?" -- but they sort of happen in isolation from one another, as if in soundproof booths. It may be my imagination, but it sounds like Dexter is not as comfortable with the modal material as he is on the blues. Herbie himself plays circumspectly, sticking to familiar territory. Although the distinctive harmonic qualities of his early style are already in place, you don't get much of a hint of the breathtaking, effortless inventiveness of his playing during the '63-'67 period.

I've always had a hard time figuring out why I don't play Takin' Off more often, considering how great "Watermelon Man" and "Alone and I" are, with "The Maze" and "Three Bags Full" close behind. But I do sometimes find my attention driftin' (as it were) elsewhere.

 

Great points. I think your assessment is spot on and, IMO, this also holds true for the follow up, "My Point of View." I don't think Herbie's solo albums hit full stride until "Inventions and Dimensions." Some of this might be because Herbie wasn't sure he was ready to lead a session and make a record. Donald Byrd really pushed him to do so, encouraging him and insisting he was ready but, compared with his other projects, these first two do seem a bit tentative.

 

A bit harsh IMO, but it was Herbie's first leader date, it wasn't a working band, and Dexter Gordon was an older fashioned player, so it is not quite like what he did later. Still a fine record, I think.

 

No SACD, but there is this: Herbie Hancock - Empyrean Isles And Maiden Voyage [Blu-ray Audio] - Amazon.com Music

My favorite on Empyrean may be Cantaloupe Island. A bit related to Watermelon Man...that blues/gospel flavor elevated as only Herbie can is just so juicy.

I think we skipped over a couple of his records, though, if we're really needing to go album by album.

 

I'll be reading along. I like Herbie Hancock a lot, but I'm not extensively into his Blue Note years. I bought the compilation to have a nice overview.

Personally I like the Takin' Off era Watermelon Man much better than the reworked version on Headhunters. Maybe it was groundbreaking, but I think it's kind of gimmicky. Driftin' is a nice track too (just mentioning the tracks on my Blue Note Years compilation).

I will comment further on the albums that I have when we get there, starting with Thrust.

 

Will definitely revisit tonight keeping your observations in mind; I never saw the songs that way. Pretty cool. And I also agree about Herbie's ability to listen to his fellow band mates. He has very strong instincts and always reacts to the music in the most supportive way.

 

It is. I got that a few months ago and was blown out of the water. I think of that and the live album "Flood" as a double album of sorts.

 

Please keep this thread going, huge Herbie fan and would will be to join in.

Love the tracks The Maze and Empty Pockets.

Dexter is so damn cool on Watermelon Man. What a band to have for your debut record. Herbie was more than up to the task.

 

I'm the opposite. I love his Blue Note years and those same years of course coincide with his association with Miles' second quintet and this is really my peak window of interest. I love Headhunters as much as the next guy but his Blue Note albums, especially starting with Empyrean, are really something incredible and an order of magnitude beyond what came before or after I think.

Darn it, you guys. I just ordered Thrust as a result of this. It's all your fault.

 

Herbie Hancock
Takin' Off is the debut album of jazz pianist Herbie Hancock originally released in 1962 for the Blue Note label as BST 84109.[6] The recording session included Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and veteran Dexter Gordon on tenor saxophone. The album was a typical hard bop LP, with its characteristic two horns and a rhythm section.[7] The bluesy single "Watermelon Man" made it to the Top 100 of the pop charts,[7] and went on to become a jazz standard. The album has been called "one of the most accomplished and stunning debuts in the annals of jazz

 

Let us know what you think!

 

I liked the book by David Byrne (from Talking Heads) a lot while I don't like much of his music. I was really amazed by how he conceptualises every album before making it. And his explanations of the inner workings of the record industry – and how to stay sane in it – were very interesting. One thing I learned was that he earned more money after he became less known, just because he chose to finance his albums independently.

 

My Point of View is the second album by pianist Herbie Hancock. It was released in 1963 on Blue Note Records as BLP 4126 and BST 84126.
Hancock has changed personnel for this album and expanded beyond Hard Bop's traditional quintet. Notably, the album is one of the first released to feature drummer Tony Williams who replaces Billy Higgins. Tony Williams, only 17 at the time, would join Hancock just a couple of months later in Miles Davis's second great Quintet on two of the tunes from Seven Steps to Heaven. Dexter Gordon has been replaced by Hank Mobley and Hancock utilizes Grant Green on guitar on the songs "Blind Man Blind Man" and "And What If I Don't". Donald Byrd—Hancock's mentor, whose 1961 album Royal Flush was Hancock's Blue Note debut—is also in the line-up.

"Blind Man, Blind Man" was written by Hancock trying to evoke "something that reflected my Negro background". The blind man standing in the corner playing his guitar was in fact one of the things Hancock experienced in his neighbourhood in Chicago. The piece is reminiscent of "Watermelon Man", one of his greatest hits. According to Hancock, "King Cobra" was an attempt to "expand the flow [of jazz tunes and chords] so that it would go in directions beyond the usual".[5]

 

How Music Works? That's next on my list--will probably get into it after the Miles autobiography. Thanks for the tip!

 

I don't have a lot of HH records but I like Takin' Off just fine. A friend gave me his used DMM copy this past winter and I play it quite a bit. I also got the MM 33 of Maiden Voyage ...my favorite HH by far so far... and Headhunters which I can take or leave...not my cup of Jazz tea era. I think I'll concentrate on his Blue Notes after Takin' Off. I'll be following this thread for info and opinions. Thanks for starting it.

 

Don't have this one. Will have to pick up a copy soon.

 

Talking about Empyrean Isles, I'm not a big fan of One Finger Snap. It's one of those fast pace jazz pieces that are just not my cup of tea. But Cantaloupe Island is one of his best tracks ever. I hunted it down after I heard Cantaloop Island from US3. I still have to adjust myself to the speed every time I listen to Herbie's version, but it's such a great track.

PS. Only the 2 tracks mentioned are on the Blue Note Years compilation I have.

PPS. If interested in this compilation, please be sure to buy the early (1988) release. I heard many 90's Blue Note compilations that are more compressed than needed, and Herbie's is probably too.

 

I will. I'm sure the SACD and multichannel engineering will let me enjoy it in a way I have not before. But honestly I'd much rather have the complete Blue Note recordings of Herbie on SACD!

 

Great to hear you got the SACD version. It's a trip! Agree about Blue Note on SACD. Was really surprised looking around online that there weren't any. But there was a listing in Discogs for an SACD of Maiden Voyage? Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage

 

Yes, the Maiden Voyage is one of Analogue Productions' 50 Blue Note titles they put out on SACD a long time ago. I think if a bunch of us go to Chad Kassem at Acoustic Sounds and plead our case for more BN titles, that's our best chance. No one else seems willing or able to do this. At one point I asked Chad for more and he said it's possible.

 

We did, but we'll get there. This thread might work best if we allow a bit of improv.

 

Yes, How Music Works - Wikipedia .

 

My favourite Hancock albums are "Maiden Voyage" and "Thrust". I know I'm supposed to like "Headhunters" better, but for reason to my ears "Thrust" is his most daring creation, and it still sounds futuristic, almost 45 years later!

 

"Actual Proof" from Thrust is one of the few Hancock funk tracks I like much.