Herbie Hancock - New Standard +Album Reviews

Fresh and funky

Lars Tackmann | 09/23/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can't understand why everyone doesn't buy this CD. The band is great (Scofield, Alias, Dejohnette, Brecker, Holland), the tunes are great (Norwegian Wood, Thieves In The Temple, Scarborough Fair, etc.), what else is there? Some jazz purists would say that it is not really jazz, but what is jazz? Does jazz always have to be AABA or 12-bar blues, quarter=200, key of B-flat, with swung eighth notes? If so, then no, this album is not jazz. Personally, my definition of jazz is anything that grooves and has lots of space for improvisation. This record more than fits both those qualifications. Buy this record if you like fresh music that feels good and has some substance."

Overlooked Jazz Masterpiece

Lars Tackmann | Copenhagen, Denmark | 02/22/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is by far one of Hancock's best recordings (at least since the Headhunters, Thrust, Manchild days). He captures a strange haunting sound in the twilight between Jazz, Pop and Rock. When I come home from a long day there is nothing better than mixing a gin and tonic and putting on Herbie's fantastic version of "Norwegian Wood". The musicians seams to be completely in tune on this record, not just showing off talent but really putting there soul into it.

If you dig Miles Davis on "In a Silent Way" or Coltrane in "My Favorite Things" then you are going to love this fantastic record. Tracks like "Mercy Street", "When Can I See You", "Manhattan" and "Love is Stronger Than Pride" are made of the good stuff, they are played with depth and skill in that rare way that makes a classic. In short this record can be put next to any great Jazz masterpiece."

Interesting, unpredictable and almost unrecognizable

Stephen Cabral | New England | 08/31/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Very interesting concept...Hancock covers rock songs by Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, Sade, Paul Simon, Prince, The Beatles, Kurt Cobain and more. At first glance, you might think that this is going to be schlock, but by rearranging the structure and dropping most of the melodies he makes the songs interesting, unpredictable and almost unrecognizable. Having an all-star band with Michael Brecker, John Scofield, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette and Don Alias doesn't hurt either. It's all excellent but my favorite track is Don Henley's "New York Minute". I bet even Henley wouldn't even recognize it (but still more than happy to get a royalty check for it)."

Excellent Jazz

Lars Tackmann | 08/23/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD has rapidly become one of my favorites. Herbie and company succeed masterfully at fulfilling the "standard" potential of these popular tunes. Very well arranged and performed, and the solos are outstanding!"

Herbie shows how it should be done

Olukayode Balogun | Leeds, England | 11/26/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Herbie Hancock's body of excellent work is vast but this 1996 CD is one of his more interesting latter day recordings. It's also one of my favourites. On it, he is joined by some of my most favourite players; Michael Brecker on tenor and soprano saxophones, John Scofield on guitar, Dave Holland on acoustic bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums and electric percussion and Don Alias on percussion.

The idea is a great one - take current popular songs and make new jazz standards out of them. The idea of making jazz versions of pop tunes is not new of course but while other so-called jazz musicians have just remade the originals of their choice, lazily replacing the vocal phrases with their instruments, Hancock has done the job the way it's supposed to be done. He's considered the tunes very carefully and then, together with Bob Belden, given them new and exciting arrangements. Produced by Hancock and Guy Eckstine, the album tackles tunes from Don Henley, Peter Gabriel, The Beatles, Babyface, Sade, Simon & Garfunkel, Prince, Nirvana and Steely Dan.

It's great stuff. I particularly love the way Hancock would phrase the end of a solo, only to have that phrase echoed by Scofield at the beginning of his. They do that on two of my favourite songs - the opening "New York Minute" and "Love Is Stronger Than Pride". The ballad "Norwegian Wood" is pure magic. The way John Scofield plays on it blows my mind every time I listen. "Thieves In The Temple" and "When Can I See You" (where Don Alias really shines) are also particularly interesting.

But I love all the songs really. Just as you think the album is about to end on a quiet note via "All Apologies" and the Herbie Hancock and Jean Hancock original "Manhattan", in comes the stomper "Your Gold Teeth II" to pick things up again.

I had quite a few of the original songs before I heard this album and those I didn't have I went and searched out after I'd heard it. I feel Herbie Hancock has managed, (with the exception, maybe, of the Nirvana tune - nobody and nothing, in my view, can beat the haunted and haunting sound of Kurt Cobain's voice), that very rare feat of making covers of songs sound much more interesting than the originals. Some of his more recent outings have been a bit ropey in my view (though, admittedly, very popular) but there's no doubt in my mind that he's one of the musical geniuses of this generation. If ever any proof was needed, this album with its all-star cast, is it.

"

Search - Herbie Hancock :: New Standard

CD Details

Synopsis

Similarly Requested CDs

CD Reviews

	Herbie Hancock New Standard Genres: Jazz, R&B Japanese only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD - playable on all CD players) pressing. Universal. 2008.
? Larger Image