🎷 AotW: Jazz Herbie Hancock - HEAD HUNTERS

[Captain Bacardi]

Herbie Hancock
HEAD HUNTERS
Columbia Records

Released 1973

Peaked at #1 on the Jazz Albums chart, #2 on the R&B Albums chart and #13 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (1974).

Produced by David Rubinson & Herbie Hancock for David Rubinson And Friends, Inc.


Songs:

1. Chameleon (P. Jackson/H. Mason/B. Maupin/H. Hancock) - 15:41​

2. Watermelon Man (H. Hancock/Arranged by H. Mason) - 6:29​

3. Sly (H. Hancock) - 10:15​

4. Vein Melter (H. Hancock) - 9:09​

​

​

Musicians:
Herbie Hancock - Fender Rhodes Electric Piano, Hohner D6 Clavinet, ARP Odyssey Synthesizer, ARP Soloist Synthesizer, Pipes
Bennie Maupin - Soprano and Tenor Saxophone, Saxello, Bass Clarinet, Alto Flute
Paul Jackson - Electric Bass, Marimbula
Harvey Mason - Yamaha Drums
Bill Summers - Percussion

Recorded at Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco and Different Fur Trading Co., San Francisco in the Fall, 1973
Engineered by Fred Catero
Photos: Waldo Bascom
Cover Design: Victor Moscoso


Available at Amazon.com (with song samples): http://www.amazon.com/Head-Hunters-...00&sr=1-1&keywords=herbie+hancock+headhunters



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I think this album was my first introduction to fusion. I remember how my band buddies in high school were intrigued with all of the synthesizer stuff that Hancock was using. "Chameleon" became a very popular tune for us band geeks, especially after Maynard Ferguson recorded his version. We even had a stage band chart of the tune. But my favorite track is "Sly". After Bennie Maupin's frenzied soprano solo, Hancock's Rhodes solo was outstanding. The entire band has this incredible groove going on behind Herbie's solo. This is an important album, but it's not quite as good as Thrust, which Herbie would record a couple of years later.


Capt. Bacardi