Herbie Hancock: The Complete Columbia Album Collection 1972-1988 brings together, for the first time, the master musician's complete Columbia Records and CBS/Sony Japan catalog. Hancock's catalog on Columbia and CBS/Sony Japan is a microcosm of musical development in the 1970s and ’80s, and an uncannily accurate forecast of many trends that would follow. Those developments played out over the course of 31 albums.The stunning box set structure is a chest with removable lid, housing 28 single albums and three double-CD albums (for a total of 34 discs). Each album will be packaged in a mini-LP CD cardboard replica of the original jacket with original artwork.Accompanying the discs will be a 200-page book, published exclusively for this collection. In addition to dozens of rare photographs, the book will contain several sections, starting with a comprehensive 5,500-word historical essay written by Bob Belden. The book will also contain individual commentaries on all 31 albums by Hancock discographer/historian Max Schlueter. The third major element of the book is one of the most detailed discographies ever included in a Legacy box set, assembled by box producer Richard Seidel. Included are full musician lineups and instrumentation, recording data (dates, producers, engineers, mixers, studios, etc.), exact original release dates in both the U.S. and Japan, cross references for additional appearances of various songs elsewhere in the box, Billboard chart information, R.I.A.A. certifications, and a short-form discography of Hancock's solo recording career before and after his Columbia years.Also included in the book will be sidebars on Hancock as pianist, composer and synthesist, written by Belden. Schlueter has written a sidebar on noted record producer David Rubinson, who produced all but six of the albums in the box set, and is also known for his productions of Santana, Taj Mahal, the Pointer Sisters and the Chambers Brothers. A special sidebar is devoted to Hancock's late sister Jean Hancock, who contributed lyrics to many of his songs. And another unique feature of the book is a glossary of the more than 60 different electronic instruments played by Hancock and the other musicians over the course of the recordings.In the stream of modern jazz during the last decades of the 20th century, the imprint left by pianist, keyboardist, synthesist, composer, arranger, producer, and bandleader Herbie Hancock on jazz, fusion, pop music, R&B, disco, hip-hop, electronica and more – including his beloved traditional post-bop – spans generations."Taken in its entirety," writes Belden, "The Complete Columbia Album Collection 1972-1988 gives the listener and reader a glimpse into the internal philosophy of life of Herbie Hancock contained in these CDs. Rarely does a collection of sound contain so much of a human being’s revelatory process. Within these CDs you can listen to a musician reinvent himself time and time again, all at his terms."
T**H
Extraordinary box-set set of the '72-'88 Columbia period of the jazz polymath.....
This set comprises 31 albums (!) over 34 CDs. The set is nicely packaged in a sturdy cardboard box with the CDs in vinyl replica sleeves made of thick cardboard (none of the cheapo packaging of the recent Warner/Rhino multi-album reissues). There is a comprehensive (and fascinating) 200 page book containing many pics and a superb set of liner notes and full album credits. All this for 98 quid in my case, that is under 3 quid an album - outrageous value for money.The most important thing of course is the music and whilst it is unlikely that one person will like everything on this set equally much there is such a staggering range of musical forms present here that it would take a complete philistine to not gain much enjoyment from what is on offer. The set starts in '72 at the end of Herbie's Mwandishi band with the visionary 'space jazz' "Sextant" LP. The set then proceeds into Herbie's most commercially (and artistically) successful Headhunters period with the seminal "Headhunters" LP and its almost as good follow-up "Thrust" - brilliantly imaginative jazz-funk with lashings of tasty Fender Rhodes piano playing. This period is capped by the superb Japan-only double LP live set; "Flood" with extended wilder versions of many of the tracks from "Headhunters" & "Thrust".The set also contains eleven largely acoustic LPs from the '75-'82 period, eight of which were only released in Japan at the time, since acoustic jazz was not commercially viable in the West in this period, including the ex-Miles players (Ron Carter, Tony Williams, Wayne Shorter, with Freddie Hubbard standing in for Miles) that comprised the V.S.O.P. band in various permutations (quintet and trio). Many of these albums were live but there were also a few illuminating studio sets with fresh material of which the two trio recordings are particularly fine. These LPs were particularly revelatory to me especially with the more powerful bass sound Ron Carter was able to achieve compared to his '60's work. In my opinion these are the real "lost treasures" that a comprehensive set like this should unearth and if you are a fan of modern acoustic jazz then these LPs are the source since V.S.O.P. were enormously influential on the acoustic jazz revival of the '80's and beyond.As the '70's continues the quality of Herbie's electric work slowly declined through the patchy "Sunlight" and "Man-Child" & "Secrets" LPs, not helped by his disbanding of the original Headhunters band after '76, ultimately reaching a nadir with the pure disco of the "Feets Don't Fail Me Now", "Monster", "Magic Windows" & "Lite Me Up" LPs - all of which had zero jazz content and were a pure bid for the charts. However in this period Herbie was still occasionally capable of producing interesting electric work including 1980's "Mr. Hands" which was a pleasing throwback to his Headhunters period (no vocals thank God!), some of '79's "Butterfly" a collaboration with the Japanese female vocalist Kimiko Kasai (nice version of the title track), and the live in the studio Japanese only set; "DirectStep" also from '79.It is ironic therefore that after the commercial excesses of the late '70's Herbie was able to score an unlikely genuine hit record with the electro of '83's "Rockit" and its accompanying album "Future Machine". He then followed this hit up with two more LPs in the same vein, "Sound-System" & "Perfect Machine" looking for another smash but to no avail due to diminishing returns. These three LPs sound terribly dated in the 21st century with extensive use of gated drums, programmed beats, scratching and harsh echoey keyboard textures (no Fender Rhodes here alas). Nevertheless they hold a degree of nostalgia value for me since it was through these that I was introduced to Herbie in the mid-80's.Herbie also scored the movie 'Round Midnight' in '86 with a classic set of vocal and instrumental acoustic late hours jazz (appropriately!) --- probably the best thing he was associated with in the '80's and ironically sounding much less dated today than his contemporaneous techno experiments.So in conclusion a lot of money yes but you really get some bang for your buck with excellent packaging, comprehensive liner notes (always underrated in the modern reissue industry) and fantastic remastered sound. As for the music --- Mwandishi, Headhunters superb as is a lot of the acoustic (and to date rare) V.S.O.P. associated material. Slowly diminishing returns on the electric side from '76 to '79 until you reach the nadir of the 3-4 "disco" albums of the late '70s to early '80s. Then you get the '83-'88 electro albums that sound horribly dated but still hold a degree of charm to those who remembered them 1st time round. The '70's live sets comprising electric and acoustic sides of Herbie's personality are mostly excellent bar some '70's indulgences (some unenlightening and long drum solos!) including a charming piano duo set by Herbie with Chick Corea, his old compadre from the Miles late '60's electric band. I'd therefore mark the set 8 out of 10 (with two marks docked for the disco stuff).
G**M
An Excellent Box Set
This is a really fantastic box set. The music is diverse and never predictable. From album to album Herbie Hancock never seems to come out of the same hole twice. OK with a set of this size you won't get on with everything. The box itself is sturdy and well designed. The cardboard cases are of a good quality and the book that comes with the set is very informative. I got this set for under £40. So if you ever see it for that kind of price jump at it. It might take a while to get through, but it is well worth the effort.
J**N
Excellent compilation from an influential musician, Herbie Hancock.
Excellent compilation from one of the greatest jazz artists ever to exist, Herbie Hancock, a creative, imaginative and original musician. If you like Jazz, Funk and Disco (to a lesser degree), you will love this.The package is nice (although mine came with a big blow on one of its corners) and the collection includes some of the best and most influential works of HH (Sextant, Head Hunters and Thrust among them). All in all a totally recommended purchase for anyone who loves HH and 70's jazz.Javi
A**R
Excellent
I gave 4 stars because not all the albums of this box set are to my taste. Anyway, it's a great value product.
M**T
Worth the purchasing
Got this for a great price. All of the albums have been remastered and the sound has been much improved.No complaints, highly recommend
A**N
Cost me £50
Seems somewhat overpriced
A**R
Superb box set
Bargain at the price I paid and great wuality
S**S
Great gift
Got this for a real herbie Hancock fan for Christmas. He loved it although it will take a long time to listen to as there is so much!
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