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SMC: Herbie Hancock- New Standard (1995)

AndySlashAndySlash Posts: 3,246
edited April 2006 in Other Music
Hey folks.

This weeks selection is one of my favorite records, and the first jazz record that I purchased. A friend of mine, who, of all things, was big in to 'gangsta rap' at the time, recommended that I check this out. I did and immediately fell in love with it.

Now, as far as you folks in the SMC go, I'm not sure how you'll take to this. I think the big selling point for people unfamiliar with Hancock (or jazz in general) will be that 9 of the 10 songs on this record are covers, so in the very least you'll recognize the melodies, though each song is pretty much reworked to the point that they aren't instantly recognizable. This is a perfect record to have on as background music for studying, relaxing, that kind of thing. Hopefully a couple of you dig it.


The players:

Herbie Hancock- Piano, Producer
Michael Brecker- Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
John Scofield- Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Electric Sitar
Dave Holland- Acoustic Bass
Jack DeJohnette- Drums, Percussion
Don Alias- Percussion


The tracks (Original Artist):

1. New York Minute (Don Henley)
2. Mercy Street (Peter Gabriel)
3. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (The Beatles)
4. When Can I See You (Babyface)
5. You've Got It Bad Girl (Stevie Wonder)
6. Love Is Stronger Than Pride (Sade)
7. Scarborough Fair (Trad./Simon & Garfunkel)
8. Thieves In The Temple (Prince)
9. All Apologies (Nirvana)
10. Manhattan (Island Of Lights And Love) (Hancock)
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • HYLAHYLA Posts: 137
    Right on, about time we had some jazz.
  • burnin-candleburnin-candle Posts: 158
    Cool, I've had this since....well, 1995. :)

    Though I don't think this is Hancock's strongest efforts (there's too many good albums of his), the musicians on here are great, and they do some interesting takes on popular songs. All Apologies was nicely done, I think. But I have to say I actually enjoy Hancock's original here more than the covers.

    Well, it's been sometime since I've played this, so I'll post more when I pop it in the player and give it a few spins.

    Cheers.
    "If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done"

    If you can't get high on purely music and the sounds that you hear, you're missing out on something.
  • transplanttransplant Posts: 1,088
    cool. I have Maiden Voyage which is incredible. That is the only one I have from him so yeah, should be a fun pick.
  • AndySlashAndySlash Posts: 3,246
    burnin-candle wrote:
    Though I don't think this is Hancock's strongest efforts

    Agreed. However, for the sake of the SMC, where I don't believe we've had a jazz pick since I've been in, I wanted to pick something that could be identified with and I figured jazz covers of popular songs might do it. So... yeah. And while I agree it isn't his finest moment on record (That goes to Rockit), it is good, and I still have that connection to it that I had back when I first got it.



    I was just kidding about Rockit, btw. ;)
  • smartass1235smartass1235 Posts: 136
    LMAO! everytime i see or hear the name herbie hancock all i can think of is....Tommy Boy. Chris is missed
    4-30-03
    7-06-03
    7-11-03
    9-28-04
    9-29-04
    5-13-06
    6-03-06
    6-27-08
  • transplanttransplant Posts: 1,088
    AndySlash wrote:
    I was just kidding about Rockit, btw. ;)
    pretty sweet video though :)
  • AndySlashAndySlash Posts: 3,246
    Rockit definitley introduced me to Herbie Hancock. I still love the song. I just know that he has finer moments in his career.

    Watermelon Man!
  • StoneG82StoneG82 Posts: 806
    I'm gonna check this out as soon as I get a chance and I'll let you guys know what I think. I'm not a big jazz fan.....so I dunno.....

    sounds cool though.
    "What’s Orphans? I don’t know. Orphans is a dead end kid driving a coffin with big tires across the Ohio River wearing welding goggles and a wife beater with a lit firecracker in his ear." - Tom Waits
  • transplanttransplant Posts: 1,088
    AndySlash wrote:
    5. You've Got It Bad Girl (Stevie Wonder)
    oh hell yes. digging the hell out of this one.
  • barcoachbarcoach Posts: 413
    I love Hancock. Just saw this one at the record store, was tempted to buy it but I'm going through an economical phase, so will be downloading tonight.
    The line up playing in the album is kind of a friggin' dream team... no disrespect to Holland, but if only Jaco was still alive...
    Stone: Thanks for the pick and the night of complicity, you rock!
    -The crazy guy with the Ramones t-shirt.
    Mexico C. 12/10/05.

    "There is a rose that I want to live for
    although, God knows, I may not have met her"
    -J. Strummer

    "And you'll never know just how dark this screen could be"
  • AndySlashAndySlash Posts: 3,246
    barcoach wrote:
    The line up playing in the album is kind of a friggin' dream team...

    This is why I made a point to mention who was on the record. For any of you listening to this that aren't familiar with jazz players, what barcoach says is correct- this lineup is pretty much a "who's who" of jazz music.
  • EchoesEchoes Posts: 1,279
    I liked it. I wasn't so big on the first few tracks on the album, they almost seemed too busy for my liking. Near the end of the album they hit a really nice groove though, and I quite liked it. I can't say I recognised many of the melodies though, it could have been a record of originals for what I heard.
    printf("shiver in eternal darkness\n");
  • transplanttransplant Posts: 1,088
    This really is a good pick for a jazz intro. It encompasses quite a few genres. I will also admit to not really recognizing many of the melodies. Some are pretty obvious like Norweign Wood however All Apologies spun a couple times before it hit me.

    My favorite tracks are You've Got it Bad girl and Thieves in the Temple. Others are a little too 'piano hotel bar' music for me however they would play nice in a backround setting.

    I also think the fact Herbie Hancock busted out a Nirvana tune speaks volumes.
  • StoneG82StoneG82 Posts: 806
    I dont know. I've been listening to this for the past couple of days but I'm just not feeling it. I don't think it helps that I'm not a big jazz fan.

    I did enjoy the Nirvana cover though.

    Maybe over time it will grow on me.
    "What’s Orphans? I don’t know. Orphans is a dead end kid driving a coffin with big tires across the Ohio River wearing welding goggles and a wife beater with a lit firecracker in his ear." - Tom Waits
  • psycosmicpsycosmic Posts: 504
    ah damn, the link expired...

    but talking about jazz covers... has anyone heard of the bad plus?
    they do some awesome versions of smells like teen spirit, velouria and ironman...

    i can upload these if anyone's interested...
    ~~~
    Some days you wake up and sit on a park bench next to an eighty year old Russian architect, and some days you don't. I think this is my new life philosophy.

    http://epplehausradio.blogspot.com/

    pearl jam @ the astoria, london, 20/04/06
  • burnin-candleburnin-candle Posts: 158
    I like the Bad Plus. Their first album was really good. Though I consider them much more closer to rock with a jazz influence than jazz with a rock influence, if you know what I mean. ;)

    And going back to Herbie, I think one of the cool things about jazz people doing covers is that they find different musical elements in the original songs that they can expand on. That's why it's pretty hard to find the original melody, but they're also showing us a differnet side of that same song that doesn't get noticed much.
    "If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done"

    If you can't get high on purely music and the sounds that you hear, you're missing out on something.
  • swedeswede Posts: 558
    ive officially become the worst SMC member... im so sorry guys. with being at work non stop, figuring out travel plans for my world tour, and being as sick as a dog in bed - ive neglected my responsibilities to this crew.

    nehow - with my new found health, and a lot of my tour plans finally coming together - im back... finally.

    ok.

    so.. i hope this is still ready for download. i dont listen to much jazz at all so this should be fun

    cheers
  • swedeswede Posts: 558
    ah bugger i was too slow... well ill wait till the next one then i guess
  • burnin-candleburnin-candle Posts: 158
    swede wrote:
    nehow - with my new found health, and a lot of my tour plans finally coming together - im back... finally.

    Hey swede, nice to see you back. Coming to Japan by any chance??
    "If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done"

    If you can't get high on purely music and the sounds that you hear, you're missing out on something.
  • swedeswede Posts: 558
    nah not japan... just nth america and europe... and maybe a bit of thailand on the way home..
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