Retro Reviews: Herbie Hancock: Headhunters

 

    I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. 

Herbie Hancock: Headhunters (1973)

****1/2

Producers; Herbie Hancock, David Robinson

Musicians: Herbie Hancock, Bennie Maupin, Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason, Bill Summers

Music:  Chameleon, Watermelon Man, Sly, Vein Melter

Reviewed by Matthew Anthony Allair

    Herbie Hancock has been a seminal jazz and keyboard player since the early 60s, for anyone who doesn’t know, after getting his start on smaller jazz labels, he was hand picked by Miles Davis to be a part of Davis’s second great quartet, and Hancock helped Miles usher in his jazz fusion period. Recently Herbie had fronted a set of albums that were more experimental, with Mwandishi, Crossings and the Sextant albums and now he’s decided to go in a completely new direction that I have little doubt will appeal to fans of dance and the Parliament mode of music. There were hints of the change with the electronica on  ‘Rain Dance’ from Sextant, or the African rhythms of ‘Sleeping Giant’ from Crossings.  One track is a reimaging of an early 60s composition, and the rest is all new material.

    Herbie is using electric piano, various clavinet’s and APR synthesizers to get a range of sounds and soloing. The first track “Chameleon” sets up the grove with a synth bass line, and claves to approximate guitars, there’s a playfulness between the drummer and percussionist, Jackson and Maupin step in to elaborate the theme. Herbie’s electric piano solos shine through. Herbie’s use of the ARP brings up the orchestral tone. ‘Watermelon Man” opens with various African flutes and light percussion before it shifts into the main piece two minutes in. He had recorded the track in 1962 and this update is a refreshing change, probably the likely single for the album.

    “Sly” is an obvious nod to Sly Stone, the musical complexity and shifting signatures make this compelling material, when it doubles up in tempo, Maupin’s soloing is wonderous. As a keyboardist Herbie has never wavered in his inventiveness as a soloist as illustrated in the track. “Vein Melter”, the closing track features an irregular march from Mason that sets the tone. Hancock’s playing at moments features the kind of abstract chording he was using with Miles Davis in 1969, Maupin’s support playing is quite good. While relying on Electric Piano, Herbie uses APR synths to overwhelm the track with sting ensembles, flutes and horns that wave into the arrangement, leaving the listening with euphoria and doubt, before the track ends as the album began – with a funk groove. Miles Davis always had high praise for Herbie, there were few players as adaptable to changing styles, Herbie has an instinct and touch few players can match and the team assembled are wonderful players. Recommended if you want something to dance to and make you think at the same moment.