Main menu
Fretplay home Submit tabs

Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock tabs Herbie Hancock discography

Channels
Guitar channel Bass channel Guitar videos Reviews

Message Forum
Guitar forum Bass forum Bands and artists Promote your band Recent discussions All categories

Fretplay.com

Herbie Hancock guitar tabs

CD reviews

Takin' Off

Herbie Hancock - Takin' Off Audio CD

A fair review of the Herbie Hancock "Takin' Off" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Herbie Hancock reviews here, or go back to the Herbie Hancock tabs.

Band: Herbie Hancock
Title: Takin' Off
Rating:

Release Date: 1996-05-28
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Watermelon Man 2: Three Bags Full 3: Empty Pockets 4: Maze 5: Driftin' 6: Alone and I 7: Watermelon Man [Alternate Take][*] 8: Three Bags Full [Alternate Take][*] 9: Empty Pockets [Alternate Take][*]

Well, um, it's got "Watermelon Man" on it...
Hey guys, these are your debuts! Try to be a bit less assuming! Anyway, this is actually a fine album once you get down to it. What is with jazz musicians naming their debuts egotistically anyway? Mingus' first major label album gets pegged as Pithecanthropus Erectus, which just screams "I am artist, hear me roar!" Miles does Birth of the Cool (that's right, this is the birth of cool jazz! Right here, baby!), Ornette refers to his debut as Something Else!!!, the ever-pretentious (but still good) Mahavishnu Orchestra have the Inner Mounting Flame, Monk's got Brilliant Corners (well it was for all intents and purposes his first LP, since it was preceded by a covers album and a collection of 45s), and Hancock's is Takin' Off, which implies he's launching himself into the atmosphere or something. At least if you're listening to the right stuff. "Watermelon Man" is a good example - his first release, and he's already experimenting with a rhythm that's sure not traditional jazz. Of course he later had a hit with the remade Headhutners version, but let me tell you, this one's better. Song rules either way, of course. Now the problem with Takin' Off is that Hancock spends most of it milking the "Watermelon Man" groove for all it's worth, which is why I only give Takin' Off two stars, instead of the five it could've gotten if everything was as good as "Watermelon Man". He does make it work on "Empty Pockets", but "The Maze" and "Driftin'" just left me wondering whether or not he planned to expand. And is the ballad "Alone and I" a good one? If you answered "No", you just won today's prize. So like all the stereotypical debuts built around a well-known song, it shows promise, but doesn't achieve that promise. That would come later.

Pure Gold
Dexter Gordon and Freddie Hubbard take some of the most melodic and beautiful solos in the history of recorded jazz- not to mention Herbie's solos, where he introduces the left hand as a significant tool for improvisation (with the exception of a few, i. This album is pure gold. e. Art Tatum, Bud Powell, the left hand served more of a straight comping role, where as herbie develops his rhythmic technique to bring jazz piano to a whole new level). Listen to the solos on Driftin and Maze. Sheer genius. If you haven't heard this album, purchase it immediately. It is a must-hear for anyone even remotely interested in jazz.

Why isn't this more popular?
During that time, I've also come to appreciate early acoustic Herbie Hancock. In the last year or so, I've truly come to appreciate the second great miles davis quintet: Miles, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams. If it were not for records like TAKIN OFF and MAIDEN VOYAGE, I sincerely believe there never would have been great albums like E. S. P. , MILES SMILES, or NEFERTITI. TAKIN OFF really cooks.

TAKIN OFF is Hancock's first solo effort, and a strong one at that. The lineup is pretty impressive with Dexter Gordon (tenor sax), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Butch Warren (bass), and Billy Higgins (drums). I always thought Gordon was a much better sax player than George Coleman, who appears on MAIDEN VOYAGE, and would have liked to have seen him fill that role.

This record opens up with the popular 'Watermelon Man' which would appear again many years later on HEADHUNTERS, sounding completely different. I actually consider this to be one of the weaker tracks. Next is 'Three Bags Full' which has a beautifully phrased trumpet solo from Hubbard. The interplay between Herbie and the Gordon/Hubbard combination reminds me at times of hearing Coltrane playing with Thelonius Monk. Gordon also shines on this track, sounding comfortable in the setting, with a wonderful solo leading up to Herbie's moment in the sun.

My favorite track is 'Empty Pockets' which open up with Herbie playing the main theme followed by Gordon and Hubbard joining in a few measures later. Every few measures or so, the time doubles and swings for a few moments. The first soloist to follow is Hubbard over the main theme, with Gordon later on. This tracks swings hard at times, and is one of my favorite acoustic Herbie moments. 'The Maze' is another exceptional track - Hubbard really shines here. I have friends who criticize Hubbard as boring, and while he doesn't match up to Miles Davis or Don Cherry, he is overlooked just as much as this fine record is.

The music settles down a bit with 'Driftin,' a catchy tune similar to later Hancock, like 'Cantaloupe Island' off the EMPYREAN ISLES album. This track also has one of my favorite Dexter Gordon solos - you can hear that he listened to a lot of Trane in those days, but then again, who didn't? The album closes out with the soothing '3am afterhours' sound of 'Alone and I. '

Altogether, TAKIN OFF is a much overlooked gem. In addition to this album, I also recommend MAIDEN VOYAGE which was from a couple years later and we can hear a constantly maturing Hancock. After hearing much of his music from this era, we begin to realize how important of an element Herbie Hancock was to the second great Miles Davis quintet. I'll take Herbie anyday over Red Garland or Wynton Kelly! .

Underrated
To me Takin' Off by Herbie Hancock is one of the best examples of early 1960's music. Jazz can be a very personal or subjective form of music. Other jazz classics of this time period are generally driven by the trumpet and alto sax. Takin' Off features no less than Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon, Butch Warren, and Billy Higgins. But it is Hancock who is in charge of tempo and mood.

The result is an album of grace, character and soul. Watermelon Man, Empty Pockets and Driftin' are Hancock classics but all six original songs and the three alternate takes are first rate.

All of this was done by Hancock at age 22. No wonder he was able to easily move on to other, more understated forms of Jazz so easily (Maiden Voyage).

Takin' Off is very underrated and a worthy addition to any collection.

All-Star Lineup Makes this a Sure Thing

"Takin' Off" makes a big addition to a well-seasoned jazz collection or a great starting-point for those just starting off. With the personnel on this recording I can't imagine it not satisfying the needs of any jazz listener.

The natural sound of the horns and the rhythm section together makes this one of my favorite acoustic jazz albums of all time. Freddie Hubbard is nothing short of perfect. His clean sound and virtuosity blend perfectly with Dexter Gordon, Herbie, and the rest of the gang.

I highly recommend "Takin' Off" for anyone. It is accessible to those who may have limited interest in jazz yet complex enough to keep jazz enthusiasts engaged.

You can see a complete list of all Herbie Hancock discography, or go back to the Herbie Hancock tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.