Prentis Hancock

The music of Herbie Hancock has affected the lives of generations of jazz performers. Like many of these musicians, it was the opportunity to play with the great pianist/composer that introduced the great drummer Mike Clark to the jazz world at large. To show his appreciation, Clark presents a selection of his favorite Hancock pieces performed with a trio on his new recording, Mike Clark Plays Herbie Hancock.

Given that Blue Note Records has issued a definitive 1960s box set of Hancock's earliest – and some consider his most seminal – work, and the literally dozens of best-ofs that have been issued, more by Columbia than by anybody else, this set with its spare futuristic design might at first glance seem like overkill, as in, "do we really need another Herbie Hancock collection, especially a damned box set?" In this case, it's very important to take a second and even third look. For starters, this set is housed in a see-though plastic box, all four CDs clearly visible on spare individual trays. On a fifth tray rests the CD booklet. On the bottom of the box is a sticker identifying the contents within. In the booklet are complete liners by Herbie himself (actually, excepts from an interview by Chuck Mitchell), and gorgeous reproductions of the album covers. It's a cool coffee table conversation piece for hep cats and kitties who are into jazz – or those who just like happening accoutrements in their living spaces.

Herbie Hancock - The Piano (1979) {2004 Columbia Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 186 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300dpi (jpg) -> 16 Mb
© 2004 Columbia / Legacy | CK 87083
Jazz / Hard Bop / Post Bop / Piano

Herbie Hancock never really focused on solo piano. However, this 1978 release, which was previously only available in Japan, is a rare gem in the Hancock discography. Thanks … Full Descriptionto this overdue 2004 reissue, the listener is invited to explore the musical mind of this pianist in an up-close and intimate setting. All 11 tracks on THE PIANO are quite reflective, with Hancock employing many rich chordal textures and winding melodic gestures throughout. On "My Funny Valentine," Hancock combines the harmonic palette of Bill Evans with his own distinctive phrasing and unexpected modal shifts. His own composition "Blue Otani" is the only bluesy piece on this disc, and here Hancock slyly suggests the stride piano tradition without ever really playing in this style.

Herbie Hancock - Future 2 Future (2001) [2 Editions + DVD] {Transparent Music}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 823 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 279 Mb
DVD9 -> 6.76 Gb | All Regions | NTSC 4:3 | English (Dolby AC3, 2 ch / Dolby AC3, 6 ch / DTS, 6 ch) | ~ 1h 44m | ISO Image
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 149 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2001, 2002 Transparent Music / MX / Columbia / JVC | 505211 / VICP 61354 / 201812
Jazz / Electronic / Fusion / Piano

One of Herbie Hancock's greatest attributes is his ability to take a contemporary form of music and add his own unique perspective through his recordings. Future 2 Future is no exception to the rule. Teaming with Bill Laswell, Hancock recruits some of the most forward-thinking musicians in music for Future 2 Future. The contributions of electronic music pioneer Carl Craig, vocal diva Chaka Khan, drum'n'bass producer A Guy Called Gerald, as well as jazz legends Jack DeJohnette and Wayne Shorter make the album feel like a cross between modern electronica and world music.