Playlist: The Very Best of Herbie Hancock

Review

Composer and pianist Herbie Hancock enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with Columbia Records as a leader. His volume in Sony's super budget Playlist series (these are all signified by possibly the worst design job in recorded music history) contains a decent, well considered representation of his time at the label. His work with the stellar V.S.O.P. band kicks things off with a reading of his own "Maiden Voyage" and is followed by "Song," with saxophonist Dexter Gordon from the soundtrack of Bertrand Tavernier's brilliant film #'Round Midnight. It then moves into electric territory documenting albums such as Mr. Hands, the monumentally influential Head Hunters (two cuts), Thrust, Man-Child, and his later smash title track from the funkfied post-disco hip-hop of Rockit. The only complaint is that there isn't a cut from Sextant here with the Mwandishi band (which morphed into the Headhunters band) as a replacement for either "Butterfly" or "Hang Up Your Hang Ups." It would have showcased all of Hancock's phases with the label. That caveat aside, this is a solid intro to one big slice of his career after Blue Note and Warner Brothers and before the really uneven Verve years, but this set is strictly for the novice. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Track Listing

Details of This Recording