MR. HANDS

After the previous experiments with soul and disco, Hancock returned to more traditional jazz-funk playing. A relief for many listeners, but at the same time the music presented here is so tame and safe that it is totally off-putting. On the bright side it's a very diverse album with good musicianship.

The opener is one of the better pieces. A repetitive bass pulse that somehow reminds me of Tangerine Dream's Invisible Limits from Stratosfear provides a dreamy background for soft synth, piano and sax noodling. The sound is still very similar to Hancock's earlier 'Head Hunter's' albums and agreeably natural.

Calypso is a very traditional jazz piece with Latin flavors. The cocktail party breeze that blows through it doesn't please me at all, but it's not bad as such. The disco-funk pop of Just Around the Corner comes closest to Hancock's previous two albums and is totally forgettable. Fans of the style might enjoy Hancock's piano solo in the middle.

4 AM and the closing Textures is shameless jazz-muzak. Harmless easy listening pleasure for airports and elevators. Not for my living room thanks. Inbetween sits a bit of syncopated funk called Shiftless Shuffle that mixes the virtuoso funk of Hancock's Thurst with rather standard jazz piano soloing.

Two good tracks amidst a whole lot of very innocent wallpaper jazz. I can't read more then 2 stars into it but then I have a big bias towards unsafe music of course. Anyways, approach with care if you hope to find the quality of the Mwandishi or Headhunters period.