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Herbie Hancock Empyrean Isles
Price: $49.95

Throughout his career, Herbie Hancock has always pushed the boundaries, exploring a wide variety of music while bringing his flair to every setting. His Blue Note albums of the 1960’s ranged from post bop to Latin jazz (he penned “Watermelon Man”), straight ahead to free form. Empyrean Isles, recorded when Hancock was 24 and a new member of the Miles Davis Quintet, features the pianist pushing at the boundaries of hard bop, creating fresh, new music. In a quartet with Freddie Hubbard, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, Hancock shows that he was familiar with both avant-garde jazz and groovin' R&B. His four compositions include the original and most exciting version of “Cantaloupe Island” and the swingingly unpredictable “One Finger Snap.” Empyrean Isles brims with the power and adventure of the best 1960s Jazz, pushing ahead into uncharted territory.
Herbie Hancock - Speak Like A Child
Price: $49.95

While Herbie Hancock had been recording brilliant albums for Blue Note since 1961, Speak Like A Child was made right after he left the Miles Davis Quintet and became a very powerful musical force as a bandleader. Speak Like A Child was Hancock’s musical vision, the music that he had dreamed of for years. The tonalities and harmonies were achieved by voicing together the unique frontline of flugelhorn, bass trombone and alto flute, and the results are quite dreamlike. Speak Like A Child welcomes listeners to the magical musical world of Herbie Hancock, a place where catchy melodies co-exist with his adventurous and utterly unpredictable solos, where his pent-up musical desires were finally being let loose, and where the haunting atmosphere is both calming and inwardly passionate. Nothing like this had ever been heard before, in jazz or in music.
Herbie Hancock - Takin' Off
Price: $49.95

Has any other jazz musician had as stunning a recording debut as Herbie Hancock? 22 at the time of Takin’ Off when he was working regularly as the pianist with the Donald Byrd-Pepper Adams Quintet, Hancock caused many waves in the jazz world with his first Blue Note album. Not only did he introduce his hit “Watermelon Man” (which Mongo Santamaria would soon rocket to international fame) and not only did he hold his own with such giants as Dexter Gordon and Freddie Hubbard, but Hancock was already displaying a strikingly original piano style. While inspired by Bill Evans and Chicagoan Chris Anderson, Hancock was employing his own adventurous harmonies and chord voicings. He hints at free improvisation on “The Maze,” displays his own brand of funky soul on “Empty Pockets,” and is impressionistic on the ballad “Alone And I.” It was obvious to all of those who heard Takin’ Off in 1962 that this relatively unknown pianist was already a long way towards becoming one of jazz’s greats. Takin’ Off, which could be subtitled “Birth of A Legend,” is now available the way it should be, in pristine sound.
Herbie Hancock - Inventions And Dimensions
Price: $49.99

PREORDER - his third Blue Note album. While Hancock had already recorded Takin’ Off and My Point Of View, he had quickly developed his own innovative style, and was about to become a member of the Miles Davis Quintet. Inventions and Dimensions is unlike anything he had previously created. Hancock manages the impossible feat of performing music that is both free form and very accessible. In teaming up with bassist Paul Chambers, drummer Willie Bobo and percussionist Osvaldo “Chihuahua” Martinez, Hancock might have been expected to play Latin jazz, but in reality this innovative album has Hancock freely improvising all of the pieces. He creates music that has melodies, drama, development, exciting moments and logical if unexpected conclusions. His performances may sound arranged and worked out in advance but Hancock made it all up on the spot, quite an accomplishment. Very few other pianists in the history of jazz could do this, but Herbie Hancock made it all seem effortless, creating a timeless gem as easily as most people breathe.