Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock is an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader renowned for his genre-spanning career. Born Herbert Jeffrey Hancock on April 12, 1940, in Chicago, he became a child prodigy, performing Mozart with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at age 11.
Hancock graduated from Grinnell College in 1960 and joined Donald Byrd's group, leading to his Blue Note debut album Takin' Off in 1963, featuring the hit "Watermelon Man". That year, Miles Davis invited him into the quintet with Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams, recording classics like ESP, Nefertiti, and Sorcerer during his five-year tenure.
His Blue Note solo albums, including Maiden Voyage (1964), Empyrean Isles (1964), and Speak Like a Child (1968), established him as a post-bop leader. He scored Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 film Blow-Up, launching a film music career.
In 1973, Hancock formed The Headhunters, releasing the platinum-selling Head Hunters with the hit "Chameleon," blending jazz, funk, and electronics. Hits like "Rockit" (1983) pioneered electro and hip-hop influences, while he won an Oscar for 'Round Midnight (1986), acting and scoring the film.
Hancock earned 14 Grammys, including Album of the Year for River: The Joni Letters (2007), and became a Kennedy Center honoree in 2013. He serves as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, continuing collaborations with artists like Wayne Shorter and Robert Glasper.
Head Hunters
Written-By – B. Maupin, H. Mason, H. Hancock, P. Jackson 15:41
A2 Watermelon Man
Arranged By – Harvey Mason
Written-By – H. Hancock 6:29
B1 Sly
Written-By – H. Hancock 10:18
B2 Vein Melter
Written-By – H. Hancock 9:10
Label: Columbia – KC 32731
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1973
Genre: R&B Jazz
Style: Jazz-Funk
Herbie Hancock's 1973 album Head Hunters is widely regarded as a classic and a landmark in the jazz-funk and jazz fusion genres. It was a massive commercial and artistic success, becoming one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time and greatly influencing funk, soul, and hip-hop music.
Critics widely praise the album for breaking new ground by merging jazz improvisation with the deep, infectious grooves of funk, inspired by artists like Sly Stone and James Brown. Its innovative use of synthesizers, particularly the iconic ARP bassline on "Chameleon," has made it a touchstone for future genres like electronic music and hip-hop.
Reviewers note that while the album is far more accessible and "danceable" than Hancock's previous avant-garde work (such as Sextant), it maintains a high level of musicianship and complex rhythmic interplay. This balance made it appealing to both jazz enthusiasts and mainstream audiences.
The band, known as The Headhunters (featuring Bennie Maupin, Paul Jackson, Bill Summers, and Harvey Mason), receives high marks for their chemistry and individual performances, particularly Paul Jackson's fat, groovy bass work and Harvey Mason's innovative drumming.
Some jazz purists at the time decried the shift as "selling out" due to its commercial appeal and simpler, groove-based structure compared to his more complex earlier works. However, many modern critics argue that Hancock managed to keep his musical dignity intact, creating a unique and compelling sound.
Key Tracks:
"Chameleon": The album opener is its most famous track, instantly recognizable by its distinctive, infectious synthesizer bassline. Reviewers highlight the track's engaging solo sections and how it builds from a simple groove into a full jam session.
"Watermelon Man": A complete re-imagining of Hancock's 1962 classic, this version features an African-influenced, tribal introduction using beer bottles and vocal bursts, evolving into a slow-burning funk track.
"Sly": A tribute to Sly Stone, this track is noted for its high energy, fast-paced drumming, and complex rhythmic interplay between clavinet, electric piano, and Bennie Maupin's soaring saxophone.
"Vein Melter": The album closer is a more laid-back, spacey, and atmospheric piece, described as a "futuristic loungey" track with a smooth, slow groove that effectively winds down the album.
The album reached platinum status and peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200 chart, a phenomenal success for a jazz album.
Head Hunters was added to the U.S. Library of Congress's National Recording Registry of "culturally, historically or aesthetically important" sound recordings and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009.
It was ranked number 254 in Rolling Stone magazine's 2020 revision of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.