ROUND MIDNIGHT (OST)

Compared to the avant-garde tour-de-force soundtracks that Herbie Hancock produced in the 70s, Round Midnight is a bit of a disappointment, but it is still worth a listen if you want to hear traditional jazz modernized just a bit by the top jazz and fusion players of the mid-80s.

At least five of the songs on this album feature Herbie in a variety of settings playing his distinct brand of sensitive quasi-abstract piano that sounds more like French neo-classical chamber music than traditional jazz. His duet with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson is particularly nice. Two other tunes on this album veer into more aggressive free-for-alls as Freddie Hubbard leads with his blasting trumpet on Rhythm-a-ning, and Dexter Gordon battles Wayne Shorter on Una Noche con Francis.

The rest of the album includes an OK jazz vocal ballad sung by Lonette McKee and two numbers featuring bizarro vocalist Bobby McFerrin imitating a mute trumpet. Mostly the music on this album is designed to provide a somber and slightly sentimental setting for the bitter sweet tale of a pro jazz musician and his melancholic life style.

Story of Jazz musician unfolded in Paris of 1959. Story said that one Jazz musician degenerated by alcohol will have them come back with one man's fan. Movie "Round Midnight" was a movie with which a true taste to which the actor formation to which no artificial world it that had been indeed made had performed was being done by the Jazz musician overflowed.

To actually materialize Jazz musician's story well, the supervisor of this movie had to enhance music very much. Scene of performance inserted in movie. And, all the recordings are done by the form by live as for this album. It was Herbie Hancock to take charge of production and the command for the music of this movie. Bertrand Tavernier of the supervisor of the movie actually proceeded Herbie Hancock and work in respect of music.

The project for the music of the movie has progressed well. Various musicians who were participating in the recording of this album were also indeed gorgeous. The posture of the movie to which the compromise was not permitted in consideration of the movie for Jazz at all might have been transmitted enough to Herbie Hancock. It is said that Herbie had the conviction in this project.

This album might not have been approved if of course, there was no power of the musician who was related to the recording of this album. Having darned not to intend the idea that simply performs old music will succeeded as music.

Splendid song by "Round Midnight". Bobby McFerrin takes charge of the song. The scat completely expresses the opinion of the trumpet. Jazz always shows various faces. "Body And Soul" by Dexter Gordon that tries the hero of this movie has put out splendid atmosphere. The appointment of John McLaughlin might succeed in this album, too.

The composition of "Berangere's Nightmare" in which the light of guitar and [**] that does the mute is shot is splendid. Indispensable existence is Billy Higgins and Bobby Hutcherson because it composes "Fair Weather" and this album that listens to the tune by a voluminous flow. And, it might be Wayne Shorter. The album doesn't end only in an effective role for the movie. "Una Noche Con Francis" is Bop where those musicians' Ensemble was splendidly expressed. Soprano Sax of Wayne Shorter that "The peacocks" is beautiful. The flow of other ballade and Bop is all good each other. "Chan's Song" that decorates the end of the album is said that it is related of Stevie Wonder. The active melody might indeed contribute to the composition of not simple Jazz but the album.

The line on which the frame as the music for the movie was exceeded and it had worked might have exactly done one big work. It is a work of course, with vigor to show another respect of his music character in the history of the music of Herbie Hancock.