The Best Of Herbie Hancock: The Hits

Performer: Herbie Hancock
Artist: Carlos Santana; Ray Parker, Jr.; Bill Laswell; Sheila E.; Wah Wah Watson; Ray Obiedo; Alphonse Mouzon; Bill Summers
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Personnel includes: Herbie Hancock (vocals, electric piano, Clavinet, keyboards, synthesizer); Ray Parker Jr., Carlos Santana (vocals, guitar); Gavin Christopher, Greg Walker (vocals); Benny Maupin (soprano & tenor saxophones, flute, alto flute, bass clarinet); Michael Beinhorn (keyboards); Wah Wah Watson, Ray Obiedo (guitar); Paul Jackson, Byron Miller, Freddie Washington, Bill Laswell, Eddie Watkins (electric bass); Harvey Mason, Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, James Gadson, Alphonse Mouzon (drums); Bill Summers, Raul Rekow, Sheila Escovedo (percussion); Daniel Ponce (bata drum); Grand Mixer D.S.T. (turntables); John Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Oren Waters, Luther Waters (background vocals). Producers: David Rubinson, Herbie Hancock, Material. Compilation producer: Bob Belden. Recorded between 1973 and 1983. Includes liner notes by Tom Terrell. Digitally remastered using 20-bit technology by Mark Wilder (Sony Music Studios, New York, New York). Personnel: Herbie Hancock (vocals, electric piano, keyboards, synthesizer, claves); Carlos Santana (vocals, guitar); Luther Waters, Gavin Christopher, Greg Walker , Maxine Willard Waters, Oren Waters (vocals); Ray Obiedo (guitar); Bennie Maupin (flute, alto flute, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Eddie Watkins, Bill Laswell, Byron Miller (electric bass); Harvey Mason, Sr. , James Gadson, Alphonse Mouzon, Leon "Ndugu" Chancler (drums); Daniel Ponce (bata); Raul Rekow, Sheila Escovedo, Bill Summers (percussion). Liner Note Author: Tom Terrell. Recording information: 1973-1983. Photographer: Don Hunstein. Arrangers: Gavin Christopher; Harvey Mason, Sr. ; Herbie Hancock. This CD is a collection of Herbie Hancock's best-known work from his fusion years, beginning with two tracks from the seminal Head Hunters: the 15-minute psychedelic soul opus "Chameleon," and the African remake of "Watermelon Man." It then traces his explorations of funk with tracks like "You Better Bet Your Love" and "Ready or Not," and his early-'80s breakout from a growing commercial/funk rut with the explosive techno-pop hit "Rockit." The Best of Herbie Hancock: The Hits also presents a rather compelling look at one artist's explorations into fusion, a period of jazz often overlooked and denounced by purists. In doing this it showcases how Hancock's roots as a Blue Note musician were still present, even if the long solos were on a synthesizer instead of a piano. More importantly, it's a good example of just how much traditional jazz played a part in influencing funk, hip-hop, and even electronic music. While a retrospective is never quite as compelling as the original albums, it still serves as an exceptional introduction Hancock's work in the '70s and early '80s. ~ Curtis Zimmermann Long past the classicism of his acoustic Blue Note/Miles Davis Quintet period of the '60s, and just beyond his unique take on free improv, rhythmic exaltation and electric fusion with the Mwandishi band, keyboardist Herbie Hancock struck his most commercially potent moment with 1973's HEADHUNTERS. For the next decade, the period documented on THE HITS!, Hancock was the epitome of the crossover. Bookended by historic stylistic breakthroughs that helped redefine pop--HEADHUNTERS being massive, thinking-man's funk and '83's FUTURE SHOCK bringing early techno and hip-hop under the jazz umbrella--THE HITS! isn't above getting into smarmy R&B styles. It is indeed a long way from the electronic groove, freaky-stylee take on the timeless "Watermelon Man" and the great electro-pop abortion of "Rockit" to the smattering of disco-fied vocal tunes (augmented by such prime-time players as Carlos Santana, the pre-E Sheila Escovedo, and Ray Parker Jr.) that for a few years became Hancock's forte. But the groove never did escape him, THE HITS! is a testament to that.

One of the most open-eared and forward-thinking jazz musicians of his day, Hancock has, more than just about anyone else, consistently tried to broaden the music's horizons by mixing it with the most interesting elements of contemporary pop. Hancock has consistently pushed the envelope, from his earliest days with Miles Davis to his jazz-rock fusion of the early '70s and his early embrace of synthesizers and electronic instruments, his early-'80s experiments with hip-hop and sampling, or more recently, his acoustic piano reinterpretations of songs--the new standards, in his parlance--by everyone from Don Henley to Nirvana.

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