Search - Herbie Hancock :: The Imagine Project

Profound superstar meeting

Bodhi Heeren | Copenhagen | 06/22/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's not always projects studded with superstars are artistically frugal and satisfying. But here Herbie Hancock and producer/bassist Larry Klein have collected a host of renowned singers and musicians for a truly creative and impressive album. And a CD with an uplifting message of love, peace and understanding. In many ways refelecting Hancock's years long immersion in Buddhism.



In the vein of Joe Zawinul or Santana this is really a melting pot of world music influences, putting an African spin on the title track, while Dylan's "The Times They Are A changing" is presented as a fascinating mix of Irish - vocalist Lisa Hannigan and The Chieftains - with a surprise African finish by the intricate guitarist Lionel Loueke.



There is pure Brazilian jazz-pop with Céu, a surprisingly psychedelic "Tommorow Never Knows" with Dave Matthews. A grooving take on the old Joe Cocker hit "Space Captain" with Susan Tedeschi and her husband guitar star Derek Trucks . While the closing track "The Song Goes On", recorded in Mumbai, is in a beautiful Indian space, Hancock and old friend Wayne Shorter teaming up with sitar goddess Anoushka Shankar while Chaka Khan and K. S. Chitra shares the vocals.



Pink, Seal, Jeff Beck, Alex Acunã, India.Arie, Marcus Miller, Los Lobos and a host of others contribute to the fun. And lots of praise for Klein's once again superb production: multi layered and crystal clear and yet with a certain warmth and 'live feeling'. And ofc over and around it all the impressive piano and keyboard work of the man himself."

Some wild imagination...

Nse Ette | Lagos, Nigeria | 06/21/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Possibilities" and the Grammy winning "River: The Joni letters" found Herbie Hancock collaborating with artists as diverse as Joss Stone, Corinne Bailey Rae, Tina Turner, John Mayer, Angelique Kidjo, and Carlos Santana on songs that were mostly covers.



"The imagine project" continues that but with a concept of love and world unity, and different sounds from around the world. "Imagine" features India.Arie, Seal, Pink, Jeff Beck (on guitar) and some African chanting as well as Hancock's delicate tinkling of the ivories. The atmospheric "Don't give up" features John Legend and Pink.



"Tempo de amor" features Céu and has a Latin feel (of course) and some great guitar and bass. The Bluesey organ-driven "Space captain" has an anthemic Gospel-style chorus and features the soulful Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks. "The times, they are a' changing" features The Chieftains and Lisa Hannigan (who was on the absolutely gorgeous "Don't explain" on "Possibilities") and is a slow shuffle with sprinklings of horns and sitar.



"La tierra" features Juanes and is a beautiful Tango, "Tamitant Tilay/Exodus" is desert Blues with an Arabic touch featuring K'naan, Los Lobos and Tinariwen and sampling Bob Marley's "Exodus".



"Tomorrow never knows" has a psychedelic Middle Eastern feel and features The Dave Mathews Band, "A change is gonna come" is slowed down even more than the original and features James Morrison, and closing is the sitar-drenched "The song goes on" featuring Chaka Khan, Anoushka Shankar and Wayne Shorter giving an Indian sound."

Once again, thank you Mr. Hancock!

hihowrya | RI USA | 06/25/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What can I say here? Just when one feels in the middle of some sort of ugly, depressing void, when there is virtually nothing being currently produced worth listening to, Herbie comes along with something to knock us O-U-T!!! And for his 70th birthday no less. Who else but Herbie could bring together these incredibly talented and diverse musicians and make one cohesive whole? Once again, thank you Mr. Hancock! Looking forward to the concert in Lowell!"