May 17, 2023 Playlist

Herbie Hancock "Head Hunters" (1973)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Herbie Hancock "Head Hunters"  1973 (USA)
Miles Davis would have been 97 next week. He was the most important musician in the development of jazz fusion, and Herbie Hancock was right there with him bridging Miles' last acoustic period and early electronic era. Herbie left Miles to lead his own band around 1971, originally a very interesting group called Mwandishi which has already had a couple of classic albums. After Mwandishi's three albums, next came Head Hunters, and it was a very successful pop album and become one of the best-selling albums in the history of jazz. The secret was, of course, FUNK. It could also be compared to Miles' On The Corner album from the previous year, in that Head Hunters music is primarily textural and rhythmic with limited emphasis on melody and harmony. One of the notable tracks here is a remake of the song "Watermelon Man", which Herbie had written in the early 1960's and became a Top 40 pop hit around 1962 when recorded by Mongo Santamaria (Herbie was in Mongo's band for a brief period.) That was a groundbreaking latin jazz crossover hit, and the 1973 remake adds synths and African sounds to take it simultaneously further into the future and the past. The Sly Stone-inspired "Sly" and funky spic "Chameleon" are also fusion classics, and this album is rounded out by a spacy mood piece called "Vein Melter."
(N) = New Release
   
Artist Song Album Year Country
Bob Dylan & The BandRainy Day Women #12 & 35 (live)Before The Flood1974USA/Canada
Stevie WonderBlowin' In The Wind (Bob Dylan)Up-Tight1966USA
Spooky ToothToo Much Of Nothing (Bob Dylan)It's All About1968UK
Bob Dylan & The BandLo And BeholdThe Basement Tapesrec. 1967, rel. 1975USA/Canada
Fairport ConventionSi Tu Dois Partir
(French version of "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" by Bob Dylan)		Unhalfbricking1969UK
LUMIÈRE Rock SteadyGLAM (N)2023 (Bonsound)Canada (Quebec)
Scott McMicken & The Ever-Expanding What About NowShabang (N)2023 (Anti-)USA
The Mars Volta Vigil (acoustic version)Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazón (N)
("May God Curse My Heart")		2023 (Clouds Hill)USA
 
 
Mudhoney PlasticityPlastic Eternity (N)
2023 (Sub Pop)USA
The Damned Girl I'll Stop At NothingDarkadelic (N)
2023 (EARMUSIC)UK
Black Country, New Road Across The Pond Friend (live)Live At Bush Hall (N)2023 (Ninja Tune)UK
Lemonade Shoelace Hopscotch In The SkyDo Whatever Makes You Happy (N)2023 (self released)UK (N. Ireland)
Tropical Fuck Storm Ann (The Stooges)Submersive Behaviour (N)2023 (Joyful Noise)Australia
A Certain Ratio A Trip In Hulme1982 (N)
2023 (Mute)UK
   
 
The ElephantThe Pusher (Hoyt Axton)The Elephant1975USA
WindLove Flashin' Through MeMake Believe1969USA
Michael NesmithWe Are AwakeFrom A Radio Engine To The Photon WIng1977USA
Planet PI Won't Wake UpPlanet P1983USA/Germany
Terry Baxter, His Orchestra & ChorusLayla (Derek & The Dominoes)
   / Shaft (Isaac Hayes)		The Best of '721972USA
Tom JonesDon't Cry For Me Argentina (Andrew Lloyd Webber)Rescue Me1979UK (Wales)
   
 
Herbie HancockWatermelon ManHead Hunters
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1973USA
Herbie HancockVein MelterHead Hunters
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1973USA
Herbie Hancock
(with Stevie Wonder on harmonica)		Steppin' In ItMan-Child1975USA
Herbie HancockCantaloupe IslandEmpyrean Isles1964USA
Miles Davis (with Herbie Hancock)The Sorcerer (Herbie Hancock)Sorcerer1967USA
   
 
Frank Zappa (with Ralph Humphrey)Cosmik DebrisApostrophe'1974USA
Don Ellis (with Ralph Humphrey)Put It Where You Want It (Joe Sample)Connection1972USA
Frank Zappa & The Mothers
(with Ralph Humphrey)		Be-Bop Tango (Of The Old Jazzmen's Church) (live)Roxy & Elsewhere1974USA
Don Ellis (with Ralph Humphrey)Pussy Wiggle Stomp (live)At Fillmore1970USA
   
 
Chicago Afrobeat Project
featuring Ugochi Nwaogwugwu & Tony Allen		I No KnowWhat Goes Up2017USA/Nigeria
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