Customer Reviews

Fingerpainting: The Music of Herbie Hancock

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Never have I heard such original versions of Hancock's music. This album is all worth the insane version of Chameleon. Also, being a drummer myself, I'd heavily recomend this album for a "music-drums" tape. It allows a lot of space for a drumer to fit in, and you can't NOT have fun with the song "Sly" after, god willing, you figure it out. (9/8, 7/16, 3/4.)

Wow! I wasn't sure what to expect with such a strange combination
as bass, guitar, and trumpet, but after one listen I was floored!
What an incredible interpretation of Hancock's work! It's one thing to have three of the top jazz musicians in the world playing together, but then to also have them playing with such inspiration, mastery, and cohesion (in a rather unorthodox setting)...what more can a listenter ask for? Drums? Piano? Not needed. Whitfield, McBride, and Payton have all the rhythms and melodies taken care of in a unique and fresh way. Normally I wait 1 year to review a cd, but this was like discovering gold that had already been excavated and polished.

I bought this CD for two reasons, Herbie Hanock and Nicholas Payton. Hancock's music has been done a zillion different ways by a zillion diffrent people but Peyton, McBride and Whitfield do Herbie's music proud. Imagine some of Herbie's best compositions unplugged with just a bass, guitar and trumpet. It's like hearing the music again for the first time. Their version of the classic 'Chameleon' is brilliant and is darn near better than the original.

The music of herbie hancock is performed by a trio which does not include a piano, and it turns out great! Everyone who loves Nicholas Payton must buy this CD, and anyone who doesn't will like him after hearing this CD. Mcbride is great and also Whitfield.

This is an inspired work of a masters music performed by young masters of our time. A must have.

These young musicians seem to be popping up all over the place these days. All you have to do to understand why is get this CD, pop it in your player, go right to track 3, "Chameleon," and I think you'll be impressed by the musicianship and enthusiasm of these three virtuosos. It is a revelation to hear them bring to life these melodies and changes by Herbie Hancock, especially when you think about how Herbie's music is usually identified with keyboards and then realize that there is not a keyboard to be found on this recording--just trumpet (Payton), guitar (Whitfield), and bass (McBride). This is music you can listen to over and over again, and it just keeps growing on you.

If you do a tribute album to a pianist without using piano, you're truly putting the songs to the test. Christian McBride on bass, Nicholas Payton on trumpet, and Mark Whitfield on guitar run through 11 Herbie Hancock songs as a trio and 3 as a rotating duo. The songs certainly pass the test. The CD starts with the title track. It's a good song, and the strengths and weakneses of the CD are shown. Christian McBride and Nicholas Payton are both very highly regarded musicians, and this CD shows why. Mark Whitfield isn't nearly as prominent in the jazz world, but he's a very good guitar player. The Hancock compositions are another strength. Most of them are classics. The main weakness, for me, is that the bass is very low in the mix. The three instruments occupy different frequencies, they should all be audible, but the bass is hard to hear. Though this CD is very good without drums, some songs would benefit from them. The title track sounds slightly lounge-y, and "Chameleon", while funky, could use drums. To go back to the strengths, listen to the way Nicholas Payton plays the theme to "Driftin'". This CD is recommended to anyone who wants a very good mainstream jazz CD, especially since it has a unique sound.

This album is a big part of what turned me on to jazz. If you haven't given jazz a serious chance yet, or if your a big fan already... you owe it to yourself to BUY THIS ALBUM!

all I have to say is that this Set truly pays Herbie Hancock a Huge amount of Respect&doesn't let up from start to finish."Chamelon" alone will knock your socks off Here at how it's covered.