Interestingly, the extended post-bop VSOP are doing here is the stylistic exact opposite of what most of its members were pursuing in their day jobs. The Headhunters (Hancock) and Weather Report (Shorter) were exploring space, extended funk jams and newfangled electronics, and Williams was recording noisy jazz-punk with Ronnie Montrose. By way of contrast, VSOP relied on the tried and true devices of acoustic instruments and bop harmonies. Live Under The Sky comes on like a Cassius Clay uppercut. A thrilling, breathtaking, incredible live set from five players in perfect tune.
Herbie Hancock's recorded output is both extensive and spotty, and it can be difficult for someone just getting acquainted with his work to know quite where to begin. Both VSOP: Live Under The Sky and its Columbia/Legacy partner release The Piano deserve a place on every jazz fan's shelf as major contributions not only to the work of one the greatest living keyboardists but to the state of the art of jazz.
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www.herbiehancock.com
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Article comments
1 - JR
Actually, I believe it's Ron Carter on bass.
2 - Johno
AUGH! What a mistake to make... and all the way through! You're right, duly noted, duly changed.
Ron Carter: chewy tone, deep pocket, bop lord supreme
Stanley Clarke: electric bass, always tasteful, a little cheesy
Yeesh, Johno.
3 - godoggo
Oh, well, what the hell...at the risk of piling on, I guess I'll point out that Freddy was of the same generation as the others, and played with them in other contexts (e.g. under Wayne's leadership) while they were with Miles. I'm pretty sure Tony was the youngest in the band.
4 - godoggo
p.s. this was a very good review otherwise, and I enjoyed and agreed with it (based on other VSOP stuff that I've heard, unlike this).
5 - Johno
While it's true that Freddie H did play with members of VSOP seperately, I think in the context of this group, he is definitely the newcomer, and it sounds it. You might be right that Tony was the youngest of the group, I honestly don't know, but I would reply that FH's career wasn't quite at the same level as the other four at this time.
Anyway, who cares what I think? I only know jazz because I played it... I never put much effort into being a scholar of jazz, and it shows. Thanks to both of you for the corrections and caveats. Stanley Clarke... what the hell was I thinking...
6 - Temple Stark
johno,
There were a couple of Herbie Hancock VSOP posts up in a short span. This was the better one.
I moved this up and over to Advance.net, which includes these places.
Potentially read by hundreds of thousands of visitors.
Thank you for the post. - Temple Stark