Herbie Hancock - Mr. Hands

Anyone who has heard Headhunters, Thrust, Man-Child, and Secrets knows that Herbie Hancock is one of the most gifted and talented keyboardist that has ever lived. Then he goes further into his creativeness and adds vocoder stylings to his keyboard playing and gives us Sunlight. Here on Mr. Hands Herbie smooths out his funky playing on uptempo tracks like the Latin-Tinged Calypso, the Disco groove Just Around the Corner, the Jazz-Funk 4AM, and the Swing-Jazz Shiftless Shuffle. Then he shows us his softer side on Spiraling Prism and Textures. I'd just like to say that Textures is one of the most beautiful songs that Mr. Hancock has ever written. I'd put it on the same level as Vein Melter, Butterfly, Bubbles, Sun Touch, People Music, Come Running to Me, and No Means Yes. So having said that get Mr. Hands and you will not be disappointed!




Hancock's lackluster string of electric albums around this period was enhanced by this one shining exception: an incorrigibly eclectic record that flits freely all over the spectrum. Using several different rhythm sections, Herbie Hancock is much more the imaginative hands-on player than at any time since the prime Headhunters period, overdubbing lots of parts from his ever-growing collection of keyboards. He has regained a good deal of his ability to ride in the groove. "Calypso" finds him playing synthesized steel drums and interacting with customary complexity and ebullience with V.S.O.P. mates Tony Williams and Ron Carter. Disco rears its head, but inventively this time on "Just Around the Corner," and in league with Jaco Pastorius' vibrating, interlacing bass, Hancock gets off some good, updated jazz-funk on "Spiraling Prism" and "4 AM." There is even a reunion of the original Headhunters on a rhythmically tangled remake of "Shiftless Shuffle"; drummer Harvey Mason sounds like a rhythm machine gone bonkers. Easily the outstanding track – and one of Hancock's most haunting meditations – is "Textures," where he plays all of the instruments himself. This would be the last outcropping of electronic delicacy from Hancock for some time, and it was mostly – and unjustly – overlooked when it came out. ~ Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide





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