Herbie Hancock - Mwandishi

Limited edition of 2000 numbered copies on moss green coloured 180-gram audiophile vinyl. This album is one of Herbie Hancock's first departures from the traditional idioms of jazz, as well as the beginning of an original and creative style which eventually appealed to a wider audience. In addition, Mwandishi was Hancock's attempt at continuing the musical principles and styles he explored in his previous experiences with Miles Davis. Mwandishi was recorded at Wally Heider Studios Studio C, in San Francisco, California in January 1971, by Hancock's Mwandishi Sextet. The recording incorporated progressive notions of funk, jazz, and rock. Herbie Hancock is one of the most prolific jazz pianists of the 20th century. A child prodigy, he played with greats such as Donald Byrd and Miles Davis. He was one of the first to embrace and master the electric piano.

Herbie Hancock recorded this album in 1970, in the early days of the jazz fusion movement, and was still transitioning from post bop and avant-garde jazz to fusion. The first thing he did was use electronic instruments and experiment with the jazz song format. This is the first album with the Mwandishi Sextant, where every member had a Swahili name attributed to them (Mwandishi was Herbie's name).The album has 3 very different tracks. ""Ostinato (Suite for Angela)"", is composed by an ostinato (riff for the rockers) in 15/8 time signature, and the whole band builds upon that continuous and hypnotic riff, with improvisation and dynamic changes. ""You'll Know When I Get There"" is quite smooth and calm, if we compare with the other two songs. ""Wandering Spirit Song"" is an almost free jazz song, that as so much tension, that the listener tries to gasp air in the release moments. This is a mystical album, and should be listened as such.