Herbie Hancock - Takin' Off
Originally released in 1962, Takin’ Off introduced Herbie Hancock as a bandleader with a debut that feels both sharp and easy to sink into.
There’s a clear thread back to Horace Silver’s hard bop, but Hancock already sounds like his own player here: lighter on his feet, more probing in the harmony, and full of ideas that reach beyond the session.
The best-known moment is Watermelon Man, a tune that quickly took on a life of its own and became a jazz standard after Mongo Santamaria’s hit cover.
Elsewhere, Alone and I brings a more introspective mood, The Maze leans into a minor-key tension, and Empty Pockets delivers the blues.
With a lineup featuring Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon, Butch Warren, and Billy Higgins, Takin’ Off is a brilliant first statement from Herbie Hancock and the starting point for everything that followed in his remarkable run through jazz.
Description
Originally released in 1962, Takin’ Off introduced Herbie Hancock as a bandleader with a debut that feels both sharp and easy to sink into.
There’s a clear thread back to Horace Silver’s hard bop, but Hancock already sounds like his own player here: lighter on his feet, more probing in the harmony, and full of ideas that reach beyond the session.
The best-known moment is Watermelon Man, a tune that quickly took on a life of its own and became a jazz standard after Mongo Santamaria’s hit cover.
Elsewhere, Alone and I brings a more introspective mood, The Maze leans into a minor-key tension, and Empty Pockets delivers the blues.
With a lineup featuring Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon, Butch Warren, and Billy Higgins, Takin’ Off is a brilliant first statement from Herbie Hancock and the starting point for everything that followed in his remarkable run through jazz.
