THE HERBIE HANCOCK GROUP: HEAD HUNTERS

Oh, Herbie. To this day I have heard nothing like his magnum opus, 'Headhunters'. Combining many different musical elements to Herbie Hancock's composing, 'Headhunters', I find, is the divine culmination of all he can offer (while maybe not the most progressive). Using somewhat obscure instruments, Paul Jackson's insane electric bass skills, insane percussion, amazing horn solos, and perfect dabble of experimental, but extremely jammable and funky as hell composition really sells this album. And what is truly incredible about this record is that it never gets old. If I were to listen to this album every day of my life, I would maybe - just maybe - get tired after twenty years. And this may just be a bias based on the early love I had found for this album, but no album from Herbie Hancock has yet to come remotely close to topping it. But, oh boy that opening track? By the time I was four, I studied the song 'Chameleon' so avidly, I can scat it through (the whole approximate sixteen minutes). That is still my favorite Herbie Hancock track to date. Then is 'Watermelon Man', the shortest song on the album, clocking in at about six minutes, which has one of the best intros of any jazz song ever. Instruments slowly layer on top of each other beautifully. Drastically different from Herbie's original recording, which can be found on his first album, 'Taking Off'. 'Sly' is Herbie at his funkiest, to say the least. This has always been my least favorite song on this album, but far from bad. 'Vein Melter', the somber closing track, is a nine-minute masterpiece. Some complain that this track lags on for too long, but I entirely disagree. I was never bored every single time I listened to this album. For this album, Herbie Hancock will always hold a special place in my heart. And this is why, in my opinion, he is the best jazz composer to ever live. Keep funking.

Share this HERBIE HANCOCK review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to Boi_da_boi_124
• Report this review (#2901799)
• Buy HERBIE HANCOCK music online with PA partners
• Show all HERBIE HANCOCK MP3/Stream
• Go to HERBIE HANCOCK page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to The Herbie Hancock Group: Head Hunters page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for HERBIE HANCOCK related discussions