Herbie Hancock

Artist:  Herbie Hancock
Birth Name:  Herbert Jeffrey Hancock
Born:  April 2, 1940.  Chicago, Illinois, USA
Genre:  Jazz, Bebop, Post-Bop, Jazz Fusion, Jazz Funk, Hard Bop, Piano Jazz, Jazz Instrument, Electro, Classical
Occupation:  Musician, Composer, Producer
Instruments:  Piano, Electric Piano, Keyboard, Synthesizers, Organ, Clavinet, Keytar

Herbie Hancock is an American Pianist, Keyboardist and Composer.  He started his career with Donald Byrd, shortly joined the Miles Rhythm Quintet.  He was one of the first Jazz Musicians to embrace Synthesizers and Funk Music.  His music embraces elements from Jazz, , Blues, Modern Classical Music, Funk and Soul.  His best-known Solo works include "Cantaloupe Island", "Watermelon Man" (later performed by dozens of musicians including Mongo Santamaria), "Maiden Voyage", "I Thought It Was You".  In 2008, he won Grammy Award for Album Of The Year from Tribute album River:  The Joni Letters.

Title:  Takin' Off (Rudy Van Gelder Edition) (2007)
Genre:  Jazz, Bebop, Post-Bop, Jazz Fusion, Jazz Funk, Hard Bop, Piano Jazz, Jazz Instrument
Label:  Blue Note
Rating:   *****

Tracks:

 1.  Watermelon Man  (7:09)
 2.  Three Bags Full  (5:27)
 3.  Empty Pockets  (6:12)
 4.  The Maze  (6:48)
 5.  Driftin'  (6:58)
 6.  Alone And I  (6:30)
 7.  Watermelon Man (Alt. Take)  (6:35)
 8.  Three Bags Full  (Alt. Take)  (5:32)
 9.  Empty Pockets (Alt. Take)  (6:28)

Personnel:

Herbie Hancock:  Piano
Freddie Hubbard;  Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Dexter Gordon:  Tenor Sax
Butch Warren:  Bass
Billy Higgins:  Drums

Takin' Off  (Rudy Van Gelder Edition) is the debut album as a leader by Herbie Hancock, was released on September 10, 2007, by Blue Note.  This is Rudy Van Gelder Edition, remasters from his debut album as Bandleader, at the age of 22!.