Herbie Hancock - Empyrean Isles / Maiden Voyage (2015)

Jazz icon Herbie Hancock's solo career blossomed on Blue Note Records in the mid-to-late '60s with classic albums including Maiden Voyage and Empyrean Isles. Throughout his career, Hancock has always pushed musical boundaries, exploring a wide variety of jazz idioms while bringing his flair and innovation to every single setting. His Blue Note albums of the 1960’s ranged all the way from post bop to Latin jazz, to straight ahead and free form.

Empyrean Isles, recorded when Hancock was 24 and a new member of the Miles Davis Quintet, features the pianist pushing the envelope of hard bop, creating fresh, new music in the process. In a quartet setting with Freddie Hubbard, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, Hancock shows that he was familiar with both avant-garde jazz and groovin' R&B. His four compositions include the original and most exciting version of “Cantaloupe Island” and the swingingly unpredictable “One Finger Snap.” Empyrean Isles brims with the power and adventure of the best of '60s jazz while gracefully crossing over into uncharted territory in signature Hancock fashion.

However, 1965's Maiden Voyage is arguably the best in the bunch. Every single cut on the exquisite 5-track offering from the haunting title track to the gentle, swinging "Dolphin Dance" has found its way into the standard jazz repertoire. Hancock and company - Ron Carter (bass), George Coleman (tenor saxophone), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet) and Anthony Williams (drums) - fashioned a modern jazz milestone here with extraordinary compositions, interplay and solos and in 1999 Maiden Voyage was recognized as such when it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Tracklist:

Empyrean Isles

01. One Finger Snap
02. Oliloqui Valley
03. Cantaloupe Island
04. The Egg

Bonus Tracks:

05. One Finger Snap (Take 10)
06. One Finger Snap (Take 19)
07. Oliloqui Valley (Take 1)
08. Oliloqui Valley (Take 3)
09. Cantaloupe Island (Take 11)
10. Cantaloupe Island (Take 12)

Maiden Voyage

11. Maiden Voyage
12. The Eye Of The Hurricane
13. Little One
14. Survival Of The Fittest
15. Dolphin Dance

Empyrean Isles Musicians:
Herbie Hancock (piano)
Freddie Hubbard (cornet)
Ron Carter (bass)
Anthony Williams (drums)

Maiden Voyage Musicians:
Herbie Hancock (piano)
Ron Carter (bass)
George Coleman (tenor saxophone)
Freddie Hubbard (trumpet)
Anthony Williams (drums)