1. Watermelon Man
2. Three Bags Full
3. Empty Pockets
4. The Maze
5. Driftin’
6. Alone and I
7. Watermelon Man (alternate take)
8. Three Bags Full (alternate take)
9. Empty Pockets (alternate take)
Herbie Hancock – Piano
Freddie Hubbard – Trumpet, flugelhorn
Dexter Gordon – Tenor sax
Butch Warren – Bass
Billy Higgins – Drums
Herbie
Hancock is a musical chameleon – continually
changing his style and approach. In an interview
he stated: "I have played in so many
different styles that I could not categorise
myself." Jazz fans have watched him pass
through innumerable stages in his career as
a pianist, composer and arranger: from his
impressive debut album when he was only 22,
including the early maturity of his work with
Miles Davis, then Maiden Voyage, the
Mwandishi and Head Hunters eras, the electronica
of Rockit, and the forays back into
the world of straightforward jazz. To get
things into perspective, it is useful to go
back to this, his very first album under his
own name, now reissued in Blue Note’s RVG
Edition, remastered by Rudy Van Gelder. It
was originally recorded in 1962, when he was
already becoming known from his playing and
recording with Donald Byrd, and his work with
the likes of Phil Woods and Oliver Nelson.
This album immediately established his reputation
with its opening track – Watermelon Man
– which became a jazz standard. The fact that
this was a new departure is suggested by the
fact that drummer Billy Higgins loses his
step in the restatement of the theme towards
the end of the track. But the tune’s popularity
is readily explained by its catchy melody
and infectious rhythm, which anticipates the
jazz-rock that became so prevalent later on.
Herbie
Hancock’s range is shown by Three Bags
Full, another funky piece but in jazz-waltz
time, with a dislocated rhythmic feel and
weird, unexpected chords. In both these opening
numbers, Freddie Hubbard and Dexter Gordon
supply solos which build on what Herbie has
given them. And Hancock’s own solos are lucid
and interesting, developing the themes with
mature initiative while maintaining a gospelly
feeling. The alternate takes of both tunes
provide fascinating comparisons, with Watermelon
Man given a reading that somehow lacks
impetus, while Three Bags Full fails
to hang together as the originally released
version does.
The
other tracks also exhibit Herbie Hancock’s
versatility, pointing forward to the diversity
of his later work. Empty Pockets is
a four-four swinger; The Maze, as its
title suggests, moves around disconcertingly
before settling into a groove which enables
Dexter Gordon to growl forcefully; and Driftin’
is a loping slow-burner, again with that funky
atmosphere that made Herbie’s compositions
so infectious. Alone and I changes
the mood completely, with a pensive ballad
lit up by thoughtful playing from Gordon,
Hubbard and Hancock.
The
album title was well chosen, as it really
did show Herbie Hancock takin’ off into a
bright future.
Tony
Augarde
CD Reviews
Blue
Note 0946 3 92757 2 4
