This CD gives you a taste of Herbie Hancock's arrangements of jazz standards and his own jazz standard compositions. Adding to the fact that he is a great versatile pianist and composer.
July 18, 2007 |  | BACK TO THE BEGINNINGS: THE HERBIE HANCOCK QUARTET |  |
If you are in the mood for a little jazz try out this Herbie Hancock Quartet CD re-issue. The original LP was produced by David Rubinson and Friends and Herbie Hancock and was recorded in 1982 by CBS Records. In this case CBS let Herbie and Friends loose when it was recorded. So often it feels so good to go back to the start of something old. In my case, I dredged this vinyl LP (the CD offered here will sound much better) and was transported back to another place, another time. This is a complete CD. No short little tiny tunes. These are jazz compositions. You'll want to start from the top and listen all the way through, as if you were in an intimate nightclub or sessions room. That this is material gathered back when Herbie Hancock (piano), Wynton Marsalis (trumpet), Tony Williams (drums), and Ron Carter (stand up bass) were all "young bloods" in the field of jazz only makes for nostolgic listening pleasure. On the other hand, for those new to the jazz scene I suggest you start here. This CD is based on the original Digital Recording Process (rather new at the time) and sounded great then. It translates even better now. Jazz affectionados will bend their ears with this on the player. It is pure jazz. Anything with the Herbie Hancock Quartet is worth exploring but this one is a "gas".
May 26, 2005| | | A quick re-invention of freebop... | |
This is a magnificent album with much variety in tunes played (Monk, some of the stuff played with Miles Davis Quintet, some of Ron Carter and Tony'stuff).
Like most of Herbie's albums with this rhythm section, expect it to be dense, intelligent music, but always keeping that characteristic freebop style.
It is now a common thing that any album I see with the Herbie-Ron-Tony rhythm section lineup will almost certainly find it's way into my collection. These guys together are like a three headed monster capable of eclipsing any other soloist or accompanying musician, save Miles or Wayne Shorter himself.
Buy it. January 23, 2001
A quickly recorded album, but you'd never know it. Taking two of his seasoned sidemen (Ron Carter and Tony Williams) and adding a very young Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, Herbie Hancock leads them through a number of jazz standards (and a few that may as well be). Sound quality is extremely high. The only quibble I can find is me wishing for some more instrumental diversity. Folks who are new to jazz, methinks, may find this album a great place to begin...
July 12, 2000Herbie Hancock became popular for his contribution to electronic music and funk, but this recording is completely different. There are neither electronic stuff nor funk/disco, is jazz, bop, back to his roots as a jazz pianist. It also showcases the talents of jazz legends Ron Carter (bass) and the late Tony Williams (drums). This also was one of the introductory albums for virtuoso trumpetist Wynton Marsalis, showcasing the talent, technique and overall musicianship of the young trumpetist.
This is, by far, one of the best jazz albums of the 80's. Highly recommendable as an introduction of Herbie or Wynton. November 9, 1999
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