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 (Special Edition) (2026)

Genre:  Jazz, Bebop, Post-Bop, Jazz Fusion, Jazz Funk, Hard Bop, Piano Jazz, Jazz Instrument, Electro, Classical

Label:  Ermitage

Rating:   *****

Format:  LP

Tracks:

Side One:

 1.  Watermelon Man (7:11)

 2.  Three Bags Full (5:29)

 3.  Empty Pockets (6:09)

Side Two:

 1.  The Maze (6:49)

 2.  Driftin' (7:01)

 3.  Alone And I (6:29)

Personnel:

Herbie Hancock:  Piano

Freddie Hubbard:  Trumpet

Dexter Gordon:  Tenor Saxophone

Buch Warren:  Bass

Billy Higgins:  Drums

Takin' Off is the debut album by Herbie Hancock, originally released on October 1962 by Blue Note Records, remastered and reissued on January 16, 2026 by Ermitage.  Special Edition Yellow Vinyl.