Definitive Listening Desert Island Collection
Herbie Hancock had come a long way from his jazz and avant-garde roots to the funky fusionesque 1973 “Head Hunters” album. The beat is so solid and grooves wildly through several somewhat mesmerizing pieces. This album was a pivotal point in his career, pushing the boundaries of jazz with a deep devotion to funky gritty rhythms, drawing heavily from Sly Stone, James Brown, and Curtis Mayfield. Taking extended synthesizer solos, Hancock brought the instrument into the forefront in fusion jazz. With the improvisational sensibilities of jazz, the rhythms are firmly planted in soulful funky sounds of R&B, which give the album a mass appeal that made it the biggest-selling jazz album back in the day.
Of course, this is a required album for any collection, but certainly one to include in your Desert Island Treasure Chest; and for Hi-Res audio fans, surround versions are available on SACD plus one can find audiophile lossless download stereo versions too. Head Hunters still sounds amazingly fresh decades after its original release, and its genre-bending truly proved influential on many levels. The great sound quality and artistry are worthy of endless listens, and let’s just hope the Head Hunters leave you along to listen instead of acting out their given name!
Format Info
Available on CD and Hi-Res Download, plus with some searching in the secondary markets on SACD 5.1, Vinyl, and Cassette.
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About the Author
Wesley is a lifelong music enthusiast. He started his career in the recording industry in New York City as an audio engineer, producer, and studio manager. Subsequently he toured across America as a guitarist with the short-lived band Land's Crossing. After many years in the technology sector and amassing a substantial vinyl and CD collection, he delved into immersive audio and created Hi-Res Edition to share with other listeners about the sound quality and discrete mixes available on many formats. He recently upgraded his system to 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos and continues to seek out and share about the best sounding releases.
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