SEXTANT

Man, this album is just stellar. Musically, it's Herbie's best, but it's not my favorite (that goes to 'Headhunters'). This is in my opinion the best jazz fusion record out there. There's a wonderful, perfected blend of funk and experimental music for every jazz lover to enjoy. I picked this album up on cassette in a bookstore (of all places) for fifty cents. I was mesmerized. In 'Rain Dance' you see the Mwandishi sextet seamlessly blend acoustic, electric, and electronic elements to create a complicated funky beat that is built on throughout the song. Innovative and enlightening. 'Hidden Shadows' is so funky and groovy. This track, like the one before, uses electronics to synthesize funk beats. It is not all artificial, though. Live brass, piano, and bass accompany the keyboards beautifully. This track encapsulates the cover art (or vice versa?) wonderfully. The song sounds very tribal with its use of bongos, conga, and other lesser-known percussion instruments. About seven minutes in is an insane avant-garde piano solo where Herbie just drops his marbles and explodes on his instrument. One of the best parts of this entire album. 'Hornets' covers the entirety of side two. It sounds even more tribal than 'Hidden Shadows'. What is genius about this song is its use of personifying the brass instruments to sound like angry (guess what?) hornets. This goes on for twenty minutes in classic Herbie fashion: groovy, flowing, funky, crazy, etc. I highly recommend this album. 'Sextant' is a keeper.

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