Herbie Hancock

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Features1 month ago

‘Empyrean Isles’: How Herbie Hancock Charted New Territory In Jazz

From soul-jazz cuts to avant-garde explorations, ‘Empyrean Isles’ revealed that Herbie Hancock was a jazz icon in the making.

Features2 months ago

‘Contours’: How Sam Rivers Hit New Heights Of Creativity

With ‘Contours,’ Sam Rivers proved that he was an innovator who could advance post-bop jazz when all norms were being challenged.

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Features2 months ago

Best Jazz Albums: Essential Albums You Need To Hear

Including career-defining sessions that continue to make their influence felt, the best jazz albums of all time offer a wealth of stunning, must-hear music.

Features2 months ago

‘It’s Time!’: Jackie McLean’s Return To Hard Bop

‘It’s Time!’ found Jackie McLean returning to the driving swing rhythms of hard bop, but it certainly wasn’t a conservative session.

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In-Depth3 months ago

The Great American Soulbook: An Awe-Inspiring Collection Of Songs

Motown’s great songwriters were the foundations of the Great American Soulbook, an imaginary, but nonetheless awe-inspiring collection of songs written in the name of soul. But it did not come easy.

Features3 months ago

The 1969 LP That Marked The ‘Shape Of Things To Come’ For George Benson

Produced by Creed Taylor, it featured guest appearances by Herbie Hancock, Hank Jones, Idris Muhammad, Ron Carter, and others.

Features3 months ago

‘The Prisoner’: How Herbie Hancock Found Musical Freedom

With his final release for Blue Note, ‘The Prisoner’, Herbie Hancock got “closer to the real me… than on any previous” album.

Features3 months ago

‘Chant’: Why Donald Byrd’s Overlooked Gem Deserves Wider Recognition

Left on the shelf for almost two decades, ‘Chant’ is a early 60s Donald Byrd classic that finds the trumpeter in exceptional form.

Herbie Hancock 2007 River The Joni Mitchell Letters press shot CREDIT Kwaku Alston

Features4 months ago

Best Herbie Hancock Albums: 20 Essentials From The Legendary Jazz Pianist

The best Herbie Hancock albums reveal the jazz pianist to be a musical pathfinder that broke down barriers at every opportunity.

Features5 months ago

The Best Grammy Performances Of All Time

From emerging artists making their big debut to legendary icons gracing the stage, here are some best Grammy performances of all time.

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In-Depth5 months ago

Blue Note Records: A Short History Of A Jazz Institution

Founded in 1939 by Alfred Lion, Blue Note is loved, respected, and revered as one of the most important record labels in the history of music.

Features5 months ago

‘Black Radio’: How Robert Glasper Captured The Black Creative Diaspora

The classically trained jazz pianist has always straddled the two worlds of jazz and hip-hop, most audibly on pathfinding albums the likes of ‘Black Radio.’

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In-Depth5 months ago

The History Of Recorded Jazz

The history of recorded jazz is hard to pin down. So many conflicting stories make up a rich patchwork that guides us towards the truth of how jazz began.