Herbie
Hancock's three albums for Warner Bros have been compiled before, most notably
in Mwandishi: The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings in 1994. The individual
titles have been reissued in various editions and formats since that time.
There are several things that separate this volume (issued by Rhino) from its
predecessor. The first is the package. The clamshell case contains each disc in
its own cardboard sleeve with original artwork. It also contains a lengthy
essay by Bob Gluck, author of You'll Know When You Get There: Herbie Hancock
& the Mwandishi Band.
This set compiles not only the recordings proper, but
also alternate takes, promo edits -- both Mwandishi and Crossings contained
three long tracks each -- and a bonus track. Fat Albert Rotunda -- developed
from a handful of tracks cut for Bill Cosby's Fat Albert cartoon show --
contains alternates of "Wiggle Waggle" and "Fat Mama."
Issued in 1969, this funky soul-jazz session featured saxophonist Joe
Henderson, trumpeter Johnny Coles, trombonist Garnett Brown, bassist Buster
Williams, and Albert "Tootie" Heath on drums in the main group, with
trumpeter Joe Newman, saxophonist Joe Farrell, guitarist Eric Gale, and drummer
Bernard Purdie guesting on several cuts.
Disc two is the Mwandishi Band proper
on its self-titled debut from 1970: only Williams and Hancock return from the
previous date, joined by Bennie Maupin on reeds and winds, trumpeter Eddie
Henderson, trombonist Julian Priester, and drummer Billy Hart. Various
guitarists -- including Ronnie Montrose and Leon "Ndugu" Chancler --
also guest. This disc includes promo edits for "Ostinato (Suite for
Angela)" and "You'll Know When You Get There" as bonus cuts.
Crossings, issued in 1972, added a further bandmember in synth player Dr.
Patrick Gleeson -- originally intended as a sideman, Hancock was so impressed
with his contributions he asked him to join, though he only remained for this
recording.
The bonus material features the heavily edited (though no less hip)
single version of "Water Torture" and the set's treasure piece: the
rare, non-album promo single "Crossings," a spacy, funky groover that
revealed the future direction of the band which would record Sextant for
Columbia a year later. This is the first time the bonus material from Mwandishi
and Crossings has been made available. While Fat Albert Rotunda is a blast in
terms of its groove quotient, the final two recordings, with their more
complex, dissonant, and open explorations, are essential not only for any
Hancock fan, but for lovers of '70s electric jazz. The recordings are still the
most under-celebrated classics in the artist's catalog. ~ Thom Jurek.
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