The Piano

Performer: Herbie Hancock
Engineer: Fred Catero; David Rubinson; Tomoo Suzuki; Brian Bell
Producer: David Rubinson
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Previously available only as a limited edition, Japanese import. Personnel: Herbie Hancock (piano). Liner Note Authors: Herbie Hancock; David Rubinson; Bob Belden. Recording information: CBS Studios, Tokyo, Japan (10/25/1978 - 10/26/1978). Herbie Hancock never really focused on solo piano. However, this 1978 release, which was previously only available in Japan, is a rare gem in the Hancock discography. Thanks to this overdue 2004 reissue, the listener is invited to explore the musical mind of this pianist in an up-close and intimate setting. All 11 tracks on THE PIANO are quite reflective, with Hancock employing many rich chordal textures and winding melodic gestures throughout. On "My Funny Valentine," Hancock combines the harmonic palette of Bill Evans with his own distinctive phrasing and unexpected modal shifts. His own composition "Blue Otani" is the only bluesy piece on this disc, and here Hancock slyly suggests the stride piano tradition without ever really playing in this style. "Harvest Time" is the most atmospheric piece on the album. As Hancock's fingers glide over the keys, one can almost envision the first blush of daybreak on a farm. For anybody seeking to better understand the conceptual and technical wizardry of Hancock, THE PIANO is a priceless find.

JazzTimes (p.101) - "THE PIANO is a rich, vivid sonic documentation of an individual piano at a specific moment in a particular acoustic space in the hands of a special artist." Mojo (Publisher) (p.124) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[F]ull of riches..."

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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