Herbie Hancock...Is The Man!

[Jimmy-Michaels]

Just wondering if there are any Herbie Hancock fans out here. Me and K-Bee got into quite an indepth discussion on him and played some tunes on voice chat last night. I just got done after an hour of searching for the thing listning to my "Future Shock" LP which hasnt touched my turntable in god knows how long. Yes, the electronic breakdance meets jazz/funk LP but it was done damn good and still love the LP hearing it in its entirety for the first time in probably more than 10 years. Herbie had his share of disco too im well aware of. This man was just very diverce. Pure Jazz to disco to breakdance and I even heard he did electro rap too a few years back. Im trying to now find out and discover all his music from the early jazz days to the present that I dont know of. Anyone?

DJ Jimmy M

[Forrrce]

Herbie Hancock didn't make a duff LP for the first 20 years of his recording career, so getting his best stuff is easy!

I'd love to bore you with endless facts, figures and stats :-? but I'll keep it simple - you need:

Herbie Hancock: The Blue Note Years, 8 CD anthology of all his sessions for the label (as a leader), with bonus takes and 1(!) previously unissued track. Any track-skipping is strictly down to your mood...dig. Previously unreleased track's title? 'Don't Even Go There'. Can't argue with that.

Miles Davis: 'The Classic Quintet', Columbia CD box set. I'm biased because this is my favourite Miles period and the music of Mssrs. Davis, Hancock, Shorter, Carter and Williams is a truly unique experience and some of the finest moments in modern jazz. Herbie's command of the keyboard is unparalleled; and although he is one of the most recognisable players of the genre, he was always engaging, fascinating and cerebral. The other players ain't bad, either.

Herbie Hancock...2 CD set whose title escapes me :x - but it's a compilation of his Warner Bros sides: 'Mwandishi', 'Crossings' & 'Fat Albert Rotunda'. The former 2 are harder, experimental efforts (his first synth recordings) - not everybody's cup of tea. 'Fat Albert...' is where the funk begins.

You'll pretty much know the Columbia stuff, from 'Headhunters' onwards.

Herbie's also played on about 10 million sessions for others :D and there's slightly more left-field items is the Hancock catalogue, like his (originally) Japanese-only LP: 'Dedication', 'Direct Step', 'Flood', 'The Piano' (solo) and countless V.S.O.P. sets. And don't forget 'Death Wish', 'Blow Up', etc...

Herbie Hancock is truly one of the greatest musicians who has ever lived. This music testifies. Happy hunting.

[Jimmy-Michaels]

Woh! Thanks for all the info man! I'll defenatly have alot of hunting and learning to do here Im not totaly familiar with all the Columbia stuff, only the stuff from id say 78 - 84/85 in its entire album type thing. I had first discovered Herbie and heard of him back in late 83 when "Future Shock" came out and bought that then bought the follow up LP "Sound System" in its first week of release after finding an advanced release 12'' single of "Hardrock" from the LP about a month before it's release at this store I used to shop at in the 80s that got all upcoming singles ahead of LP releases. BTW, listining to "Sound System" right now as im typing this...havent heard this in ages either! I will say this LP is 100 xs better than "Future Shock"..said it back then and still think so now :lol: What stuff has he done after "Sound System"? After the mainstream failing of that LP not going anywhere, I never heard the name Herbie Hancock ever again till the early 90s when I started getting into the underground disco thing and BOOM! There this guy was again, this time doing disco! So, ever since then I been really intrigued with him and after last nights discussion and tunes...was just like..I gotta make this my next investigating.

Jimmy

[K-Bee]

Forrrce,
I couldn't have said it better myself....all of these you mention are ounstanding albums and belong in every collection (even Jimmy's :lol: ).

That said, I must warn you Jimmy. These are very far removed from anything disco but you should know that already by now

Lemme just add a few more acoustic sets to Forrce's brilliant list then:

An Evening With Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock (2LP piano duo album with some real chops on display) (Columbia 1978)

Quartet (Colmbia, 1980) (feat. a 19-year old Wynton Marsalis)

Tribute to Miles (Qwest, 1994) (A reunion of Miles' mid 60s quartet with Wallace Rooney taking the trumpet role - outstanding stuff).

[Keith RS]

Herbie Hancock has been a solid force for over forty years!!

My favs by him are:

"My Point Of View" 1963
"Maiden Voyage" 1965
"Sextant" 1972
"Headhunters" 1973
"Thrust" 1974
"Man-Child" 1975
"Secrets" 1976
"VSOP, The Quintet" 1977
"Round Midnight, Movie Sountrack" 1986

[Stillwatch]

I love Herbie Hancock's work!!! My favorite is still,
"I Thought it Was You". I know opinions are mixed on that song, but it is absolutely beautiful!! The version of the song on his "Direct Step" album is quite a treat for those of you who haven't heard it!!!

[Jimmy-Michaels]

I absolutly love that track! What is this other version your speaking of? The only one I know is the one on "Sunlight" and theres an edit version on "The Bitch" soundtrack..let me know cause id like to hear it :D

[Stillwatch]

In 1979, Herbie went to Japan and performed 3 songs for the
"Direct Step" album. It was a direct-to-disc performance, so it was all performed in one take. He does, "Butterfly", "I Thought it Was You", and "Shiftless Shuffle" on this album. I will put a clip on the following website if you want to hear it. I got this CD on ebay. The "I Thought it Was You" track is 15:33 long!!!


http://home.comcast.net/~lpmartin/ws...ome.html-.html

[markydefad]

Shallow vapid pop fluff lover that I am :oops:

I like "Gettin" To The Good Part" from 1982's "Lite Me Up"-- co-written by Rod Temperton....

AMG says:

"The biggest hit here, the sleek "Getting' to the Good Part" adheres to the Steely Dan's Gaucho style, has a gorgeous bridge, and has Hancock doing his loved or hated vocoder lead vocals."

and the TROC classic --"Stars In Your Eyes" from "Monster" featuring Gavin Christopher on vocals. Bobby V. played the hell out of this one--the 12" is like 11 minutes in length. :D

The critics would call this stuff his nadir--but I like it. Too much Jazz makes me NERVOUS.

To quote Chuck Berry...sometimes Jazz "takes the beauty of the melody until it sounds just like a symphony--that's why I go for that Rock & Roll Music" ...OR, to be precise, shallow vapid pop fluff-stuff. :P

Anyone for ABBA?

[Stillwatch]

Have you heard the Sex-O-Sonique version of , "I Thought it Was You"? They sample the original!!! Awesome.......

[Forrrce]

In 1979, Herbie went to Japan and performed 3 songs for the
"Direct Step" album. It was a direct-to-disc performance, so it was all performed in one take. He does, "Butterfly", "I Thought it Was You", and "Shiftless Shuffle" on this album.
It was released on CD for a short while in the early eighties, was one of the 1st commercial CD releases, and is now long out of print. I will put a clip on the following website if you want to hear it. I got this CD on ebay. The "I Thought it Was You" track is 15:33 long!!!


http://home.comcast.net/~lpmartin/ws...ome.html-.html

'Direct Step' was issued on CD in the early '90s, not the '80s. It was actually recorded digitally at the same time as it was being laquered, which enabled this decent CD issue, many years later.

This - and the other Japanese LPs I mentioned earlier in this thread, were strictly 'territorial' - they were commissioned for the Japanese market only. The head of Sony Jazz in the UK had actually been trying to get Sony Japan to relax the reins for years - and they relented recently by allowing 'Direct Step', 'Flood' and 'Dedication' to be released as a 3 disc, budget box set in the UK.

Up until that point, however, all 3 titles had remained on Sony Japan's presses for years - I bought them all when they came out first time around ('91/'92); and you could always find the Japanese issues in places like Tower, until its collapse...10 years later. They were never out of print.

[Stillwatch]

Hey Forrrce,

Thanks for the additional info!! I will have to hurt the person who provided me with some incorrect info....
:)
I agree, the sound quality is pretty good even though it is an older recording...
I wonder how many albums exist that were recorded direct-to-disc? Any ideas?

[Jimmy-Michaels]

WOW! From that sample you put up that's a way more discofied version..love it! Almost in a way sounds like a 1979 disco remix or somethin like that..cant really tell its live. Is this a Herbie LP? Or is this just a various artists thing? And no, I never heard the remake with samples..i'll have to check it out!

[Stillwatch]

Yes, it is a Herbie Hancock LP release, not from a various artists collection.
:D
You occasionally can find the Direct Step LP and CD on ebay.
Many times they list it as Directstep instead of Direct Step.
I almost missed getting my copy because of that!!!
The Sex-O-Sonique version was available on CD single and record. It also appears on some various artist compilation CD's.
The CD single is the best because of the different versions...

[Jimmy-Michaels]

Well just got hold of the Direct Step version of "I Thought It Was You" from a sorce and..its damn great! Also, checked out the Sex-O-Sonique and didnt care for it at all. Thanks for informing me about Direct Step! This is great stuff :D

[Forrrce]

Stillwatch, you may want to look out for Kimiko Kasai's version of 'I Thought It Was You', also on Sony Japan from 1979 - and with Herbie and the same band (Webster Lewis, Alphonse Mouzon, etc.). The LP's called 'Butterfly' and was produced by Rubinson/Hancock.

Her voice is an acquired taste, though.

[K-Bee]

Guys, this is amazing info. This Direct Step album sounds like a monster of a record - one I will need to get my hands on. Any websites that you know have it for sale? ( I wont even bother to look in the stores over here :lol: )

[gvtaylor]

K-Bee don't panic too much, you should be able to find Direct Step on e-bay, or with good record dealers (jazz, soul & funk) for between $60-90 on vinyl.
Good luck with the hunt...

Mark

[Bernie]

Amazon US
Amazon UK
e-bay
GEMM

[Nano]

I would add "Feets don't fail me now" (1979) to your Herbie disco LP list. AllMusic.com puts it as a "sellout", but for me it's one of his best on the R&B side.

Recently I catched a recent performance of Herbie's band on TV. They seemed to be playing in a small club, Village Vanguard-style. The band included a DJ, which scratched endlessly all above the acid-like jazzy tunes (the interesting thing being that the camera followed him like with any other jazz player, thus getting to comprehend his technique). I think the DJ's name was DJ Roots.
Then, in mid-song, Herbie and the DJ do a small playing battle, with the DJ following Herbie's impromptus on his piano with some record scratching. Then -here comes the best part- Herbie produces a small box over the piano cover: it seems a small CD player without a cover. A CD is playing, Herbie listens with some headphones, then HE SCRATCHES THE CD with his own fingers!!! A scratching battle between vinyl and CD!!! Herbie smiles; this is fun, and the DJ guy is doing like a turntable-player Jimmy Page, at least. A few minutes later, the song is over.
I figure this performance was from the 90s. I would like to listen to this stuff again.

[Jimmy-Michaels]

That almost sounds like this 1984 concert of Herbie's I can vaugly remember from back then which kinda had the same thing goin on between Herbie and Grandmaster DST (the guy who did the "Rockit" 12'' megamix and scrached for Herbie in that era). Unfortunatly, that will most likley never be re-ran again. Hasnt been on since 84. But I woulda loved to have seen what you were just talkin bout.

[buckaroo]

Just wondering if there are any Herbie Hancock fans out here... This man was just very diverce. Pure Jazz to disco to breakdance and I even heard he did electro rap too a few years back. Im trying to now find out and discover all his music from the early jazz days to the present that I dont know of. Anyone?

DJ Jimmy M

8)
I...am a MASSIVE fan. I could bore everyone with my opinions on Herbie's fusion days.

During the mid and late '70s, a lot of jazz artist were at a loose end, as jazz went out of favour with the disco buying public. That's why you may notice certain jazz musicians appearing on your disco LPs. Among many other genres of music. Phyllis Hyman's 1978 LP "Somewhere In My Lifetime" features some fine Herbie synth playing, on a track called "Gonna Make Changes".

[SandraDee]

I missed this thread; I'm also a huge Herbie fan but like Marky I'm more into his disco-era stuff than his out & out jazz or hip-hop stuff; my personal fave tracks are 'Give It All Your Heart' from '82's 'Lite Me Up', 'Spiralling Prism' from '80's 'Mr.Hands' (very dreamy & classy fusion track) & 'Magic Number' from '81's 'Magic Windows' (featuring a non-falsetto Sylvester on lead vocals being quite funky!), & of course 'I Thought It Was you'- one of the best disco records ever made IMHO.

BTW, buckaroo, I didn't know it was Herbie playing on 'Gonna Make Changes'; that is my all-time favourite Phyllis Hyman track.

[buckaroo]

No probz.
"Mr. Hands" is an essential purchase if you are a Fusion fan, but some of Herbie's later LPs are a bit hit and miss in places.

I do like "Tonight's The Night" from his "Magic Number" album. How come it sounds like another track on the LP "Satisfied With Love"? Anyone know? :-?

[K-Bee]

You're right Buckeroo - the two tracks from "Magic Windows" are almost identical. Only real difference is one has a male lead (Gavin Christopher) and the other has a female lead (Vickie Randle).
For an album clocking at 42 min it really is taking the easy way out :x :lol: