Listening Room – “Inventions & Dimensions”

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Jazz Sermon

From “Inventions & Dimensions” : 1963 : BLP 4147

After debuting on Blue Note with two very successful albums (“Takin’ Off” & “My Point of View”), Herbie Hancock quickly showed off the adventurous spirit that would go on to make him one of the most important purveyors of jazz over the next 4 decades (and still today!). Rather than continue with his previous winning formula, Hancock changed gears and put together a quartet that focused almost entirely on rhythm. Even though Willie Bobo and Chihuaha Martinez are providing the percussion, this album is not Latin jazz in the least, but rather is a classic hard bop session. The overall feel of the album is a very spacious one, as if there is larger group playing than the one assembled. Because this album preceded two stone cold jazz classics from Hancock (“Empyrean Isles” and “Maiden Voyage”) it is often overlooked in his vast discography, but it certainly should not be. In the hands of a lesser talent this recording could easily fall flat, but as he has done so many times over Hancock finds a way to take the expected and make it unexpectedly amazing.

Players:
Herbie Hancock (p)
Paul Chambers (b)
Willie Bobo (d, tim)
Osvaldo “Chihuahau” Martinez (cga, bgo, finger cymb, guiro)

Listening Room – “Life Time”

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Jazz Sermon

Tony Williams – “Two Pieces Of One: Red”

Tony Williams – “Two Pieces Of One: Green”

Tony Williams – “Memory”

From “Life Time” : 1964 : Blue Note BLP 4180

Tony Williams debut album as a leader (he was still going by Anthony Williams when it was issued) is a great example of some classic Blue Note post bop. The lineup features a strong group of label regulars at the time, including the under appreciated Sam Rivers on tenor saxophone. The tracks Two Pieces of One: Red and Two Pieces of One: Green took up all of side one of the original LP and feature all the players except Hutcherson. Williams wrote all of the compositions on the album and the open feel to much of the music shows that even as a young eighteen year old he had many of the chops in place that would make him one of the all time great jazz drummers.

Players:
Sam Rivers – Tenor Sax
Gary Peacock – Bass
Richard Davis – Bass
Ron Carter – Bass
Bobby Hutcherson – Vibes
Herbie Hancock – Piano
Tony Williams – Drums & Percussion

Listening Room – “Sunflower”

Posted on March 7, 2010 by Jazz Sermon

Milt Jackson – Sunflower

Milt Jackson – What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life?

From “Sunflower” : 1972 : CTI 6024

Another CTI classic from the early 70′s and although this one has a larger ensemble it still stays away from the over-produced commercialized sound the label would soon be putting out. Freddie Hubbard and Herbie Hancock are simply spectacular throughout, especially on the title track. Billy Cobham’s drumming stays in the groove and the interplay between him and Milt Jackson is really happening. What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life is a ballad shows off the skills that made Jackson a legend on the vibes and the string arrangements are for the most part tasteful and not over the top.

Players:
Milt Jackson – Vibes
Freddie Hubbard – Flugelhorn
George Marge – Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, English Horn
Phil Bodner – Flute, Piccolo, English Horn
Romeo Penque – Oboe, English Horn
Herbie Hancock – Piano, Electric Piano
Jay Berliner – Guitar
Ron Carter – Bass
Billy Cobham – Drums
Ralph MacDonald – Percussion
Max Ellen, Paul Gershman, Emanuel Green,
Charles Libove, Joe Malin, David Nadien,
Gene Orloff & Elliot Rosoff – Violins
Charles McCracken, George Ricci
& Alan Shulman – Cellos
Margaret Ross – Harp
Don Sebesky – Arranger, Conductor

Miles Davis Quintet – “So What”

Posted on February 23, 2010 by Jazz Sermon

Live on the Steve Allen Show, 1964. Miles, Herbie, Wayne, Ron and Tony. Nuff said !!

Listening Room – “Schizophrenia”

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

Wayne Shorter – Kryptonite

Wayne Shorter – Tom Thumb

From “Schizophrenia” : 1967 : Blue Note BST 84297

Players:
Wayne Shorter – Tenor Sax
James Spaulding – Alto Sax, Flute
Curtis Fuller – Trombone
Herbie Hancock – Piano
Ron Carter – Bass
Joe Chambers – Drums

“Herbie Hancock Named L.A. Philharmonic’s Next Creative Chair for Jazz”

Posted on August 7, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

Jazz Times
August 5th, 2009
By Evan Haga

Add another line to his resume, right underneath “Grammy Award for Album of the Year.”

Herbie Hancock has been named the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s next creative chair for jazz, and will inherit the two-year residency from bassist Christian McBride next year. Always interested in making the music more culturally and commercially accessible, Hancock told the Associated Press: “I’m interested in [the] cross-pollination of music of various cultures. … And I would like to see more interaction between visuals and music. Ballet or some sort of pop-oriented kind of dance interacting with jazz, visuals done with computer graphics or film segments with jazz, or a mixture of jazz and other genres.”

Hancock’s duties will include directing jazz programming at the architecturally out-there Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl.

Hancock also told the AP about a forthcoming album, which sounds a bit like a transcultural recast of 2005’s celeb-heavy Possibilities. Scheduled for a 2010 release, the record is reported to feature Chaka Khan, Dave Matthews and Tracy Chapman.

“Bobby Hutcherson – 1989″

Posted on July 22, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

Bobby Hutcherson (vibes), Herbie Hancock (piano), Ron Carter (bass) and Tony Williams (drums) performing Hutcherson’s classic Little B’s Poem live in 1989.

Listening Room – “Happenings”

Posted on June 18, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

This 1966 Blue Note album was actually Bobby Hutcherson’s first quartet recording. Joined once again by label-mate Herbie Hancock, Hutcherson wrote six of the seven tracks (the only exception is a nice take of Hancock’s Maiden Voyage) on this nice low-key lyrical hard bop outing that showcases the talents of all involved.

Buy at Amazon

Released 1966 : Blue Note Records : Catalog # BLP 4231

Players:
Bobby Hutcherson – Vibes, Marimba
Herbie Hancock – Piano
Bob Cranshaw – Bass
Joe Chambers – Drums

Bobby Hutcherson – Bouquet from “Happenings”

Bobby Hutcherson – The Omen from “Happenings”

“Herbie Hancock – Live 1975″

Posted on May 10, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

Never Enough Rhodes has a great post of Herbie Hancock and Mwandishi recorded live in 1970 at NDR Studios in Hamburg, Germany. It is almost 3 hours long and is one continuous take of three classic tracks. Full post here…

Players:
Herbie Hancock – Fender Rhodes, Acoustic Piano
Bennie Maupis – Tenor Sax, Flute, Bass Clarinet
Eddie Henderson – Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Julian Priester – Trombone
Buster Williams – Bass
Billy Hart – Drums

Herbie Hancock – Speak Like a Child from “Live at NDR Studios”

“Cantaloupe Island – 1985″

Posted on May 3, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

This is a performance of “Cantaloupe Island” from the “One Night with Blue Note” film celebrating the historic concert in 1985 that brought together Blue Note Records legends to celebrate the revival of the label by Bruce Lundvall and Michael Cuscuna. This performance certainly features legendary players: Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Ron Carter and Tony Williams!