Herbie Hancock: Monster (1980)

Despite the PR hype about this being Herbie Hancock's first "rock" album, Monster is really another disco album, though more varied in texture, somewhat more subtle in execution, and blessedly rid of those vocoder vocals, though not of the real ones. "Saturday Night," despite the distinctive presence of Carlos Santana, sets the album's dancefloor tone. The rock element is supposedly supplied by Hancock on the newly-developed Clavitar, where, try as he might to articulate like a guitarist, the sound is still that of a mutated synthesizer. Alphonze Mouzon is wasted on drums, and guitarist Wah Wah Watson has a field day on his eponymous specialty. Most annoying (and defining) track -- "Go for It." ~ Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide

Tracklist:
01 - Saturday Night
02 - Stars In Your Eyes
03 - Go For It
04 - Don't Hold It In
05 - Making Love
06 - It All Comes Round
Personnel:
Melvin "Wah Wah" Ragin - Guitar
Julia Tillman Waters - Vocals
Fred Washington - Bass
Maxine Willard Waters - Vocals
Luther Waters - Vocals
Oren Waters - Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Wah Wah Watson - Guitar
Carlos Santana - Guitar
Freddie "Ready Freddie" Washington - Bass (Electric)
Julia - Vocals (Background)
Greg Walker - Vocals
Bill Champlin - Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Randy Hansen - Guitar
Gavin Christopher - Vocals
Sheila Escovedo - Percussion
Herbie Hancock - Synthesizer, Piano, Keyboards, Vocals, Clavinet, Producer, Oberheim, Mini Moog, Oberheim 8 Voice, Prophet 5, Clavitar
Alphonse Mouzon - Synthesizer, Drums, Keyboards
Ray Parker, Jr.- Bass
Monster
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Herbie Hancock: Secrets (1976)

Having long since established his funk credentials, Herbie Hancock continues the direction of Head Hunters and its U.S. successors here, welding himself to the groove on electric keyboards while Bennie Maupin again shines sardonic beams of light on a variety of reeds. In "Doin' It," the most successful track, Hancock makes a more overt bid for the dancefloor, for the tune is basically one long irresistible groove with a very commercial-sounding bridge.

Again Hancock chooses to recompose one of his standards; "Cantelope [sic] Island" is almost unrecognizable converted into a sauntering, swaggering thing. A streamlining process has set in -- the drumming has been simplified, some of the old high-voltage drive has been muted -- yet there are still enough enjoyable, intelligently musical things happening here to hold a Hancock admirer's attention.

Tracklist:
1. Doin' It
2. People Music
3. Cantaloupe Island
4. Spider
5. Gentle Thoughts
6. Swamp Rat
7. Sansho Shima
Secrets
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Herbie Hancock: The Prisoner (1969)

"The Prisoner" has got to be the most overlooked recording in Herbie Hancock's catalog. This gem is blessed with great music and some intense solos - especially from saxophonist Joe Henderson and trombonist Garnett Brown. I love the way the bass clarinets and trombones make this music float and swing without getting too heavy. Buster Williams (Bass) and Albert Heath (Drums) provide the perfect rhythm section for Herbie to dance and dazzle while Hubert laws and Jerome Richardson provide some colorful Flute to give these compositions added beauty. As a group, this band is tight and on the mark. Beautiful compositions plus intense group chemistry equals five stars for this well polished recording. Check it out!!! ~ A. Davis

The opening "I Have a Dream" from this, Hancock's final (1969) session for the Blue Note label, is arguably his finest piece of ensemble writing on record. Although the remaining tracks don't quite reach the same peak of creativity and musicianship, the album remains one of Hancock's most essential.

The setting is a nonet and is pretty much a direct extension of the concept explored in Hancock's previous Blue Note album Speak Like a Child. Where that session found him experimenting with the timbral possibilities of the unusual front line of flugelhorn, alto flute and bass trombone, here he expands the instrumentation by adding the three further winds of flute, bass clarinet and trombone. The resulting texture is rich and full and with Hancock's unique writing the overall effect is quite unlike anything heard elsewhere.

Besides the expanded instrumentation, another important aspect is the soloists. On Speak Like a Child Hancock was the only soloist, with the wind players performing composed charts, whereas on The Prisoner, besides their role within the complex wind writing, Joe Henderson , Johnny Coles  and Garnett Brown all receive solo space.

In every respect "I Have a Dream" is the standout track. Hancock's tribute to Martin Luther King is compositionally utterly beautiful, with Henderson's alto flute floating in and out of the shimmering layers of winds in the head sections. The solos by Hancock, Coles on flugelhorn and Henderson on tenor saxophone both contrast and compliment each other perfectly. Henderson in particular is in his element here putting in one of his finest recorded solos. The way the head then gradually rebuilds from a single sustained trombone note, thickening in texture with the introduction of the other winds, is masterful.

Special attention must also be paid to the rhythm section pairing of bassist Buster Williams  and drummer Tootie Heath. Williams' full bass tone and solid lines provide a firm grounding for the group. Heath is on inspired form. His rim-shots and tom accents, combining elements of Latin rhythm with free, expressive playing, as well as his attention to dynamics all contribute strongly to the success of "I Have a Dream."

The recording quality of this session is another factor that must be pointed out. Rudy Van Gelder  creates a perfect balance between the winds and the rhythm section, as well as really bringing out the soloists with clarity. Quite unusual for a Blue Note session of this period is the use of reverb, most notably on Coles' flugelhorn and Henderson's tenor sax.

Overall, a thoroughly recommended record, marking the end of an era in Hancock's discography but at the same time showing hints of some of the harmonic and instrumental concepts that he was soon to explore with the Mwandishi group.

Personnel:
Herbie Hancock - Piano, Electric Piano;
Johnny Coles - Flugelhorn;
Garnett Brown - Trombone;
Joe Henderson - Tenor Saxophone, Alto Flute;
Buster Williams - Double Bass;
Albert "Tootie" Heath - Drums;
Hubert Laws - Flute (tracks 1,2,4,6);
Jerome Richardson - Bass Clarinet (tracks 1,2,4,6), Flute (tracks 3,5,7);
Romeo Penque - Bass Clarinet (tracks 3,5,7);
Tony Studd - Bass Trombone (tracks 1,2,4,6);
Jack Jeffers - Bass Trombone (tracks 3,5,7)
Tracklist:
01  I Have a Dream
02  The Prisoner
03  Firewater
04  He Who Lives in Fear
05  Promise of the Sun
06  The Prisoner (alternate take)
07  Firewater (alternate take)
The Prisoner
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Miles Davis: Miles in Berlin (2005)

Recorded in mono, on September 25th, 1964, Miles's Quintet graces the stage of the Berlin Philharmonie, only a year after its opening. The previous CD incarnation of this date was virtually unlistenable, so the 2005 remaster is a revelation - the glare and fuzz is gone, and (despite the mono) each instrument is discretely defined and palpable; there is a minimum of background hiss - the sound is great, as it is on all the recent Sony/Columbia Miles remasters, and allows the performance to shine through - there is no question that if you own the late 80's/early 90's CDs you should acquire these new versions, not least for their generous extra tracks - here it's thirteen minutes of the unreleased "Stella by Starlight". ”

Personnel: Miles Davis (trumpet); Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone); Herbie Hancock (piano); Ron Carter (bass instrument); Tony Williams (drums).

Tracklist:
01. Milestones
02. Autumn Leaves
03. So What
04. Stella by Starlight (bonus track)
05. Walkin'
06. Go-Go (Theme and Announcement)
Miles in Berlin
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Michal Urbaniak: Urbanator (1994)

Michal Urbaniak (born January 22, 1943) is a Polish jazz musician and composer born in Warsaw, playing mainly the violin, lyricon and saxophone during concerts and recordings. He played a central role in the development of jazz fusion in the 1970s and 1980s, and has introduced elements of folk, R&B, hip hop, and symphonic music to jazz.

Tracklist:
1. Chameleon (Hancock, Jackson, Mason ...) - 5:23
2. Hopscotch (Getter, White) - 5:05
3. Cats (Komeda) - 4:58
4. Hot Jazz Biscuits (White) - 4:40
5. Watermelon Man (Hancock) - 6:22
6. First Flight (Flythe, Wright) - 4:16
7. Here I Go Again (Groce, Urbanator, Urbaniak ...) - 4:32
8. Sack O' Woe (Adderley) - 6:54
9. For My Mother (Urbanator, Urbaniak) - 4:52
10. Square Park Sunday (Groce, MacDowell, Urbanator ...) - 4:25
Personnel:Michal Urbaniak : violin, talking violin,
tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
Lenny White : drums, percussion
Al MacDowell : bass, piccolo bass
Jon Dryden : piano, keyboards
Аdditional musicians:
Herbie Hancock : piano on 1
Marcus Miller : bass on 6
Tom Browne : trumpet, flugelhorn on 4,5,6,7,8
Kenny Garrett : alto saxophone on 8
Michael Brecker : tenor saxophone on 3,9
Randy Brecker : trumpet, flugelhorn on 3,9
Bernard Wright : keyboards, programming on 6
Fred Welsh : rhythm guitar on 5
Jane Getter : guitar on 2
Pawel MacIwoda : extra bass on 2
Rich Keller : rhythm guitar on 3
Spaceman : guitar on 1
Muckhead : rap on 3,7,10
Solid : rap on 4
Dziko : vocal on 7
Buy at Amazon
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Miles Davis: E.S.P. (1965) [2006 DSD Japan Mini LP Edition]

ESP marks the beginning of a revitalization for Miles Davis, as his second classic quintet — saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams — gels, establishing what would become their signature adventurous hard bop. Miles had been moving toward this direction in the two years preceding the release of ESP and he had recorded with everyone outside of Shorter prior to this record, but his addition galvanizes the group, pushing them toward music that was recognizably bop but as adventurous as jazz's avant-garde....more .

Personnel: Miles Davis (trumpet); Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone); Herbie Hancock (piano); Ron Carter (acoustic bass); Tony Williams (drums)

Tracklist:

01. E.S.P.
02. Eighty-One
03. Little One
04. R.J.
05. Agitation (Shorter)
07. Mood
Esp (Reis)
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Peter Johannesson featuring Herbie Hancock: Sixtus (1995)

Peter Johannesson was born in 1962 and started to play the drums at age 12. Two years later, he met legendary jazz pianist Herbie Hancock after a concert in Stockholm. Herbie and his band took an immediate liking to Peter, and invited him to join them for the remainder of their Sweden tour. During the sound check before their concert at Geteborg's Concert Hall, Peter was invited to sit in on the drums, and that exhilarating experience sparked off his life-long urge to create high-energy, spontaneous music.

Tracklist:
1. Bleke (Peter Johannesson)
2. Cyberman (Magnus Lindgren)
3. Sixtus (Peter Johannesson)
4. Jojo (Max Schultz)
5. Tranespotting (Max Schultz)
6. The Garden (Max Schultz)
7. Slowfox for Loners (Max Schultz)
8. Sixtus (live trio version) (Peter Johannesson)
Personnel:
Peter Johannesson - drums
Herbie Hancock - piano, keyboards
Magnus Lindgren - tenor saxophone
Markus Wikstrom - bass
Max Schultz - guitar
Nils Landgren - trombone (1, 2, 3)
Johan Horlen - alto saxophone (2)
Peter Asplund - flugelhorn (2, 3)
Magnus Broo - trumpet (1)
Anders Kjellberg - french horn (1)
Tommy Knutsson - french horn (1)
Hakan Nyqvist - french horn (1)
Bertil Strandberg - euphonium (1)
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Herbie Hancock: Thrust (1974)

The follow-up to the breakthrough Headhunters album was virtually as good as its wildly successful predecessor: an earthy, funky, yet often harmonically and rhythmically sophisticated tour de force. There is only one change in the Headhunters lineup -- swapping drummer Harvey Mason for Mike Clark -- and the switch results in grooves that are even more complex. Hancock continues to reach into the rapidly changing high-tech world for new sounds, most notably the metallic sheen of the then-new ARP string synthesizer which was already becoming a staple item on pop and jazz-rock records.

Again, there are only four long tracks, three of which ("Palm Grease," "Actual Proof," "Spank-A-Lee") concentrate on the funk, with plenty of Hancock's wah-wah clavinet, synthesizer textures and effects, and electric piano ruminations that still venture beyond the outer limits of post-bop. The change-of-pace is one of Hancock's loveliest electric pieces, "Butterfly," a match for any tune he's written before or since, with shimmering synth textures and Bennie Maupin soaring on soprano (Hancock would re-record it 20 years later on Dis Is Da Drum, but this is the one to hear). This supertight jazz-funk quintet album still sounds invigorating a quarter of a century later.

Tracklist:
01. Palm Grease
02. Actual Proof
03. Butterfly
04. Spank-A-Lee
Thrust
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Wes Montgomery - Bumpin' At Sunset (2007)

Superb and fine compilation of Wes Montgomery's tracks with wide range of guest artists as Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Paul Chambers and many others.
Tracklist
1. A Day In The Life (5:45)
2. The Shadow Of Your Smile (2:18)
3. Up And At It (4:15)
4. Bumpin' On Sunset (4:50)
5. The Joker (3:26)
6. Movin' Wes (pt. 1) (3:30)
7. Impressions (5:04)
8. Milestones (4:10)
9. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top (5:19)
10. Angel (2:48)
11. Sunny (4:04)
12. O.G.D. (Road Song) (6:06)
13. Tequila (3:21)
14. 13 (Death March) (5:21)
15. Caravan (2:38)
16. The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener (2:32)
17. What The World Needs Now (4:59)
Bumpin' At Sunset

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Terri Lyne Carrington: Jazz is a Spirit (2002)

In the male-dominated jazz genre, this veteran drummer has been happily accepted as one of the guys and has forged a strong touring career (Al Jarreau, David Sanborn) as she has, on her solo projects, pushed the improvisational and conceptual boundaries. This free-spirited recording emerges from the fun of bebop and traditional jazz balladry into the more challenging realm of tribal rhythms and global-mindedness a wacky journey to be sure, but true to her heart of wanderlust and her contention that, indeed, jazz can only be defined as a spirit. She opens with a weird, mystical ambience behind Cosby Show kid Malcolm Jamal Warner's spoken-word definition, then jams in a live setting with longtime associates like Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard, and Paul Bollenback (guitar) on tunes that range from the avant-garde ("Little Jump") to the smoky and romantic ("Samsara," a thoughtful tribute to Wayne Shorter). Throwing off the shackles, she does a long tribal drum roll piece and opens the door for a "Journey East From West" with Kevin Eubanks. "Journey of Now" combines the best of all worlds, with Wallace Roney's traditional trumpet, Jeff Richman's fusion guitar edges, and an irrepressible percussive tribalism. The remaining tracks are a balance between measured craziness and gentle tradition, with a bit of advice offered to Terri Lyne Carrington as she plays before the spoken words of Papa Jo Jones on "Mr. Jo Jones." Innovative yet sometimes maddening, this is above all else her truest heart.

Tracklist:
01. Jazz Is
02. Little Jump
03. The Corner
04. Lost Star
05. Samsara (for Wayne)
06. Journey Agent
07. Journey East from West
08. Journey of Now
09. Giggles
10. Middle Way
11. Princess
12. Witch Hunt
13. Mr. Jo Jones
14. Jazz is a Spirit
Personnel:
Terri Lyne Carrington - drums
Herbie Hancock - piano
Greg Kurstin - piano
Gary Thomas - saxophones
Wallace Roney - trumpet
Terence Blanchard - trumpet
Kevin Eubanks - guitar
Paul Bollenback - guitar
Jeff Richman - guitar
Danny Robinson - guitar
Bob Hurst - bass
Malcolm-Jamal Warner - bass & spoken word
Katisse Buckingham - soprano saxophone
Ed Barguiarena - percussion
Darryl “Munyungo” Jackson - percussion
Jazz Is a Spirit
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Miles Davis: Miles in Tokyo (1964)

Miles Davis's most successful groups--his first great quintet with John Coltrane, for example, and his mid-1960s outfit with saxophonist Wayne Shorter--are well known, but the ensembles in-between are also notable. On this 1964 concert, recorded in Tokyo, Japan, Miles was already working with the rhythm section he would maintain until 1970--drummer Tony Williams, bassist Ron Carter, and pianist Herbie Hancock. The saxophonist, remarkably enough, is subsequent avant-garde legend Sam Rivers.

Rivers is a unique and under-appreciated player not bound by stylistic constraints; he plays with great verve, humor, and invention. Though Rivers seems a bit out of place on this set of mostly standards (which includes "My Funny Valentine" and "All of You"), it is interesting to hear how his sound changes the group, pushing it toward more flexible rhythmic and harmonic structures. "So What," for example, grows to skittering near-cacophony, with a series of complex solos. Hancock's blinding right hand and the propulsive rhythms of Carter and Williams also drive Davis to some of the edgiest playing of his career at that point. MILES IN TOKYO is a fascinating document of Davis in transition, but is also worth picking up for the chance to hear Rivers in such unique company.

Personnel: Miles Davis (trumpet); Sam Rivers (tenor saxophone); Herbie Hancock (piano); Ron Carter (acoustic bass); Tony Williams (drums)

Tracklist:

1. Introduction by Teruo Isono

2. If I Were a Bell
3. My Funny Valentine
4. So What
5. Walkin'
6. All of You
7. Go-Go (Theme and Announcement)
Miles in Tokyo
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