Head Hunters

I thought he was supposed to be a jazz pianist, this started off really funky. I liked it. Not something I rave about or go chasing after, but equally not something I would stear clear of either. Would consider it if I saw a nice cheap CD.😁 high 3.

At least it was only 4 tracks! Turns out I’m just not funky enough for Herbie.

Didn't know what to expect when I started this up at 5am but I really enjoyed this very interesting take on Jazz. The first two songs were the best out of the four. Loved the looping hythm section and all the 70's electronics going on. The intro to to Watermellon Man was great in a very peculiar way. On the whole I'd listen to this again and have already. Would have got a 4 if it wasn't for the last song, so a high 3.

Short album. I might not have given it a fair chance, but I’ve always had a challenge with instrumental bands. Would listen to it again.

Cool

strano

Not my type of jam

This is some wack prog jazz. Love it.

Great. 4.5

good jazz

Not bad, but not the best by Herbie. I'm a fan of his older stuff.

I've listened to this album at least 100 times. We played Chameleon in high school jazz band and I loved that bass riff so much. My friends hated Watermelon Man when I played it, but I think it's a banger. I like Thrust better, but this is still a masterpiece.

une légende

Jazzy, a lot of repetitions. Not for me but acceptable as a background passive album.

jazz. bleh.

Sounded like video game music. Fun to listen to but I struggled to get through the whole length of each track

Uber uber uber slecht

Again, sucker for a funky jam 3.8

this was a cool, funky jazz album. crazy that you can just put four songs on an album and call it a day, but herbie's just built different i guess (he's fully loaded). this was like 3.5 stars for me but i don't know how often I'll revisit it. gonna have to clear my schedule if i want to listen to all 16 minutes of chameleon. cool tracks though favorites: chameleon, watermelon man

This is brilliant. Not heard before I can see where Beck nicked a few good ideas.

This album is pretty awful. "Free form" jazz just ain't my bag, baby. Maybe share your drugs and I'll change my tune. #ZING

Amazing funk jazz fusion

I could imeadiately hear the talent of this music but I didn't really get into it.

Starts out with a clavinet and doesn't let up on the early 70s funk for the next 40 minutes, only four songs so you know you're getting a god bang for your buck. Standout Track: Watermelon Man

Groovy! Elevator music at times. The flutes and hooting gets annoying. Ok music for working/drawing.

Seeing a 4 song album that's 40 minutes long is definitely something I'm not used to. My favorite song so far is Watermelon Man. The cool kind of flute sound at the beginning is really unique and I could definitely see it being sampled for modern music, if it hasn't been already. The freestyle form of jazz is definitely mind boggling and amazing technically, but it makes my anxiety skyrocket when it takes off. Not really the genre for me, but I definitely respect the amazing talent and skill, in particular the keys and guitar. The sax of Vein Melter is also very soothing and gives a cool noir/smokey room vibe that I'm down with.

Quirky and upbeat. Deep jams, good vibes.

Not really my style

It's fine as something to have on the background but don't ever see it in my playlist. Especially for full instrumentals, not that into jazz.

Not a jazz fan. I need more lyrics

This is how you fuse jazz, funk, and rock together. It's fun and light, expressive with some freeform without being out of control. Wonderful record.

Solid. Enjoyed the listen.

I love this album.

SO -- Sly

Leikkaa hyvin mutta brutality jää saamatta.. ei leikkaa loppuun saakka.. ajatonta 1973 musiikkia kuitenkin.. Kolmosta Vai olisko vitosta koska nautinto incredible.. ei voe... vaikka album art ja kuva nimi vuosi musiikki artmanshio....kaikki kertoi nauttimista tiedossa..

It was okay

I’m not a jazz guy but this was very fun. He is obviously great! Also we played Watermelon Man in the band and it didn’t sound anything like that.

Hot shit that’s good stuff. This is the jazz I want to hear. Hell yes.

Loved this

Jazz just doesn't move me

Jazz-Funk instrumental. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

Wandery jazz, with some electronic influence. Interesting blend

the best albums are those with few songs but they’re all long ones

Excellent album I am familiar with

Great jazz classic, for good reason

Jazz funk fusion. Groovy. I quite liked it. Nice.

High school jazz band classic

Headphones, train, first listen, single sitting, FT: Watermelon Man

Just noise. Sounds like someone gave a group of people instruments and asked them to make as much competing noise as possible. Not for me!

Lekker relaxt funky geklooi op zo'n jaren zeventig-synthesisertje, daar mag je me altijd voor wakker maken.

Chameleon: Heerlijk toegankelijk en swingend nummer. Het heeft een duidelijke basis. Maar toch blijft het een kwartier lang interessant. Soms door wat afwijkende (hoge) tonen die hij toch goed in het geheel weet te verwerken. Wat mij wat aan de Chemical Brothers doet denken: 5 sterren. Dat smaakt naar meer. Maar helaas kan ik van de rest van het album niet genieten. Het gefluit van het tweede nummer werkt me op de zenuwen. Het derde nummer begint met wat soepele jazzy klanken. Tot er ineens een volle bak geluid doorklinkt en het vooral neurotisch wordt. En om dat weer te compenseren kakt het album aan het einde volledig in. Het eerste nummer duurt 15 minuten, dus mag zwaar wegen in de beoordeling. Dat trekt het album naar 3+ sterren.

Dit is early 70s, maar vertoont veel gelijkenissen met de lounge uit de 90s. Het is funky, het is jazzy, maar dus ook loungy. Dit was zijn tijd ver vooruit. Ik ben blij verrast, ik kan dit zelfs prima op het werk aanzetten, zonder dat mensen fronsen als Frank de Boer. Het vervolg is wel wat meer (funky) jazz, en ook ouderwets zenuwachtig gepriegel. Nog steeds prima te pruimen, maar niet het niveau van het eerste kwartier. Blijft daardoor steken op een doorsnee 3.

The quintessential funk vibe with some quirkiness

not my type

Great musicianship. Have to acknowledge that. Listened to it while running, I don’t think I could have sat and listened to it. It’s just not for me, eventually the duelling saxophones got on my nerves. There is just an element of self-congratulation that finally tires. However, if this is your kinda music, there is no doubt about the skill and talent involved

Experimental electric jazz-funk 70s, des instrus archi space mais très cool

😐

Amazing have on cd <3

Not for me. Was nice as some background music while I was making my breakfast. But I won’t be listening to it again.

Brilliant! This album grooves like no other. "Watermelon Man" is one of the great instrumental songs of all time. I just saw Herbie live 5 days ago, and he is still amazing. Closed the show with "Chameleon", and overall was just wonderful. 5/5 One of my favorites

It was alright

This is a good jazz funk album. That being said, I'm not really someone who listens to a lot of funk or jazz. So, while I can appreciate this one, I don't see myself coming back to it all that much for return listens. The production sounds great and he gets into some really enjoyable grooves throughout the four songs. Standout Tracks: Chameleon, Watermelon Man, Sly

Laidback Jazz, I feel like I'm always just describing the genre... But if I'm describing it, it can't be too bad

Jazz Funk Chaos Liked this more than I thought I would. Need to settle back down my multiple personalities after that listen.

mmmmmmmmmmm jazzy

so good

Góð smá fönkí electronic

The problem with any song over 6 minutes is that, no matter how sick the groove is, it's going to outstay its welcome. At 45 minutes and only 4 tracks, that's the issue with "Head Hunters", for sure. These grooves are out-of-this-world good. So sick. Every tracks slays... at first. And then, after about 5 minutes, you're just... ready for the next thing, you know? It really sucks because these grooves are absolutely insane. Legendary. But we need to talk about maybe trimming this stuff down a bit, Herbie. And maybe rein in that saxophone on "Sly" while you're at it. Bennie needs to just... just chill out with that noise.

电子迷幻的感觉？好吧，我对音乐的流派和发展确实所知甚少。

It's hard for me to rate this album because jazz/funk is not my main thing. Or even a top five genre for me There's some I like, but this didn't click with me. But maybe it was a big deal 50 years ago. I don't know. Based on how it resonated with me, I can only give it 3 stars.

It's a vibe, but I'm not super into it. 2 stars. Maybe 3 stars. It's definitely unique.

Not for me personally.

Nice!

Cool I guess. Nothing that personally hit for me.

Un disco increíble

Was nodding along enjoying then realised it had been going for sometime and when would the vocals start? then realised I was 5 mins in to a 15 min long opening song. Not too bad but at least I realised for certain Jazz is not for me.

I don;t much much about HH or the genre but the album is hot

This album still sounds fresh, probably due to the fact that a number of songs have sampled their way into modern hip-hop and acid-jazz. I like Herbie’s electric piano playing more than his synth experiments and the sax playing in “Sly” is pretty crazy. The 1962 version of Watermelon Man is more to my liking but this one is certainly an outside-of-the-box cover. Jazz purists would have hated this album and called it "disco", but as they say, it’s a “jazz-fusion landmark.”

When he was only 23 yrs old Miles Davis saw a hugely talented young man so he recruited him to join his band in 1963. During this period Miles put out some astonishingly good hard-bop and post-bop records, but being Miles, he had to evolve so they incorporated more electronic instruments and moved towards a more funky sound. I think Miles had some success with this new sound in the 70s, but Hancock less so. The songs start out with some nice funky grooves but they soon run out of ideas and can't hold my attention for 9-15 minutes. I wish the songs on this album were more fleshed out like say his Maiden Voyage from 1965, which is just lovely.

A solid beat tape jam. I probably won't have it on repeat too much, but it was fun to listen to while it was on

Four songs. Forty one minutes. That's about right. Let's go! Definitely a Vein Melter for sure.

Chameleon and Watermelon Man are a good intro... it's interesting and pretty approachable. A funky junky that finds a cool groove. Unfortunately with Sly it falls apart for me... it's grating and stressful. Though it closes in a more mellow mood, the overall experience was a bit sour.

Great record. First track - Chameleon - has melodies I remember. Second track - Watermelon Man - is delightfully strange. Third track Sly starts sounding muddy then takes off into another world. Fourth track - Vein Melter - odd name for a cool low key tune.

no words are needed. amazing album. full of funky, fresh synthy jazz.

Enjoyable.

Man, this is a mental workout. I have heard about it with reverence for many years and finally got a reason to sit down with it. Chameleon and Watermelon Man are face-melting. Sly is ok. Vein-Melter probably needs a lot more attention to recognize its cool bits.

I recognize the albums quality but I’ve just never been a fan of his more experimental work

The funk is strong in the first track, and the jazz certainly shines through with the hyper aggressive synth improv that hits a few too many sour notes to really hide behind the jazz guise for as long as it assumed it’s welcome. However, the clash of drums and bass hit some absolutely peak-funk grooves and the sheer stank on this album makes it a killer album to play in the background of any gathering that you’re trying to impress people with your jazz exposure. It is highly accessible entry into this genre.

One of those records that immediately transforms you the moment you listen to it. Everything is beautiful, the instruments, the bass tone, the synthesizers and effects, the fucking drums! The level of feelin' is beyond this world. Simply amazing, immediately makes you smile

i liked this

It was good, funky

Cool stuff.

Most of the "big" albums on this list, I've already heard. This one had somehow passed me by; though I was very aware of the album, I'd never given it a full listen. Wow. I can't believe I missed out on this. I can't tell if it's funky jazz or jazzy funk, but goddamn does it ever slap!

Wel aardig, maar niet heel bijzonder. Tweemaal instrumentaal op rij is ook opmerkelijk.

Legendary album and easy to listen to for jazz beginners.

good but longgg

Phenomenal progressive jazz record.

I will listen this album again.

songs a bit too long but i love jazz

Saw Herbie Hancock at Glasto 22 not knowing any of his stuff and was thoroughly impressed. First track here was great, think it was even one of the ones he played. Heard a lot of Squarepusher in the latter half. Definitely one to listen to more. 2-4 didn't do much for me though.

"Head Hunters" is the twelve studio album by American pianist, keyboardist and composer Herbie Hancock. Jazz-funk fusion! Yep, in the highest order, pretty much the defining moment of. Hancock was looking for a new direction from his previous three albums, something lighter. No guitars were used, instead a Hohner Clavinet and funky grooves. Hancock brought in three new musicians (Paul Jackson-bassist, Bill Summers-percussionist, Harvey Mason-drums) alongside saxophonist Bennie Maupin who were collectively known as the Headhunters. The album was a commericial breakthrough for jazz-funk reaching #13 in the US. In 2007, the Library of Congress inducted this album into the National Recording Registry for its artistic significance. "Chameleon" opens the four-track album. A synth bassline, a bass with a guitar riff, drums and a funky groove. There's elements of both jazz and funk here. Weird keys come in sounding like outer space. Halfway through, there's a bass solo then jazzy piano, a dreamy alto sax and back to the initial bassline. "Watermelon Man" is a song reworked from Hancock's hard bop days. Bill Summer's memorable open includes beer bottles, a pennywhistle, shakere and handclaps. The bassline is quite originial and now the keys sound like a guitar. A horn....jazzy. "Sly" is dedicated to Sly Stone. This song is all over the place in a good way. By the way, the pace consistently picks up throughout this song. A more jazzy open. A funky synth. Maupin's sax solo. Hancock's piano solo. The album closer "Vein Melter" is a psalm for a friend's death due to a heroin overdose. It's slower and more jazzy especially with the sax. Keyboards driving the melody with an underlying piano. This album is the perfect mesh of jazz-funk, intimate yet laid back and groovy. There's improvisation, yet structured with the rhythmic structure. It is not only one of, if not the, best fusion album I've heard but also jazz and just overall albums. An album everyone needs to listen to.

Bit interesting to hear a Herbie Hancock album start out with some acid bassline. Heavy use of electrical piano as well, which is absolutely some of my favourite sounding instruments. Was planning on going with a 3 first, but this is actually quite a unique jazz album, very different from what I've heard before. And it's very good!

A colleague of mine uses this album cover as his profile picture on our scrum board. Since I learnt it was an album I remember checking out a song but not more. I need to tell him that I now have listened to the whole album and really liked it! The intro of "Chameleon" with its synth has such a hook and a unique digital sound to it. Makes me think of old Sega mega drive games. "Watermelon Man" has a very wonky intro that is instantly recognizable and just when you are getting a bit bored then the high tempo bebop jazz that is "Sly" wakes you up and keeps you hooked. Just a unique, jazzy and funky record in all the best ways.

What I love about Hancock is that he saw the advent of synthesizers and instead of being a purist about jazz, he recognized its worth and made it work.

Soundscape

Funky

So great and important

Dull. Some great creations and good playing, but the delivery is less than the sum of its parts, and the songs overstay their welcome

Okay

It's all been said. I come down feeling like it's a landmark of Hancock's development and not of music itself. It's hard to say where this fits in the development of "jazz fusion" between Weather Report and Return to Forever. It's more alternating than fused. He's one of the greatest musicians the world will ever have, and it's his greatest commercial success, but he'd admit it was an experiment and a test of his own range -- and range is one of the album's greatest strengths. It's heavily indebted, and he would continue to grow from here.

bleh. uncomfortable.

Wow. 4 tracks at roughly ten minutes each. Serving up some of the smoothest, funkiest grooves I've heard in a long time. I'd heard of Herbie but don't think we have had a chance to listen yet. This was his "essential" album on Apple Music and I can see why. This one is an instant classic for me. Listened again before bed and it’s confined.

Man, the sigh of relief I breathed when I saw this pop up. Herbie, the LEGEND, one of my favorite jazz albums (if you can really call it jazz). It's more of a fusion with funk elements, and that's what makes it so appealing to me. The first two tracks are fantastic. "Watermelon Man" is one of my favorite things ever, that flute or whatever at the core of the track is so memorable. There's a great Rapsody track called "Whoopi" that samples this song, it just made this one even more classic to me. Of course, with only four tracks, there's a lot of time on each to sink your teeth in. The second half of the album isn't as strong, but how could it be? This is a five star, there's no way around it. I'd be surprised if we get another project from Herbie on here, but if anyone's reading this, know that this is also the man who would make "Rockit," which you've probably heard at some point. He's goated. Favorite tracks: Watermelon Man, Chameleon, Sly, Vein Melter (in that order). Album art: Classic, classic, iconic. Fantastic use of color contrast, and what even is on this man's head? It's some kind of robotic head with knob eyes and a meter for a smile. I hope they found the head they were hunting for. 5/5

Very slow soft jazz

No my usual sort of thing as not a big jazz fan, but it was funky and fun. A little bit dinner party background for me but can admire the musical skill in it. 3/5

Played snippets of ‘Chaneleon’ for a marching band show so I’m definitely partial on this one. While the back half does run long for the melodic content it has to share, the two heavy hitters up front are more than loaded with enough bounce and personality to compensate. Not going to be for everybody due to the length, but I greatly enjoyed the 40 minutes of grooves this one provided.

Funky arbejdsmusik.

This jazz has no right to funk like it does.

Wow! Yes! Now you're talking!

If you want to know how to do fusion jazz and funk the right way, this album might be one of the best example of it. Insane stuff!

I don’t know, I can respect the musicianship, rate the genre and understand the influence but my oh my I cannot listen to it with anything but ennui.

This instrumental jazz piece is great, the first track blew me away. I loved this record, I feel there is no boring segment here (bar a flatline in track 3). It is really good, but I sometimes feel large instrumentals to be 2D. Favourites: Chameleon / Watermelon Man / Vein Matter

всё понравилось особенно трек с тревожкой

Very peculiar piece of art, tho might be too long to listen to. It is quite gradual which means the melody develops as we listen to it. Sounding's quite pleasant with jazzy fragments and a spice to it

5*

Jazz/funk. Not an obvious one but glad i listened.

Oh yeah baby, Jazz from another dimension, quality cererbral pudding for the soul!

Bit too much of a meandering jazz thing for me, equal measures of moments of brilliance and irritating bits. Overall it was pleasant enough in the background.

Good jazzy vibes

I'd been meaning to listen to this for a while. Good beats and grooves, tracks are a bit long though. I'm sure the music on the ToeJam & Earl on the Sega MegaDrive borrowed a lot from Herbie Hancock.

While sounding great and being effortlessly unique, at times it drags on and fails to fully grab my attention; with the exception of the unbelievably hard 'Watermelon Man'. I love this but I'm not sure when I'd listen to it.

Very solid jazz album with a unique blend of funk and rock.

My dad would be so pleased I listened to this album. He was obsessed with "Chameleon" a couple of years ago, and tried to get me to listen to Herbie Hancock. I told him this kind of music wasn't really my taste, and he told me I need to be more "open minded." And that apparently, I only listen to "female singer-songwriters who write catchy pop songs." I don't listen to actual good, classic music. "That's not even true!" I told him. "I listen to the Beatles- they're not female!" But he said, "that's just one band." So I tried to force myself to like this album. The thing is, for all its technical brilliance, I find instrumental jazz extremely hard to pay attention to. It ends up becoming background music at best, and annoying noise that I deliberately tune out at worst (especially fast, high saxophone solos). But when I was halfway through "Watermelon Man," I reprimanded yourself. "You're not paying enough attention, and your mind isn't open enough!" I stopped it and started the album again. And though I tried, I didn't pay "enough" attention the second time either. Because I'm listening to the album online, I would get distracted by the screen, which I couldn't use for maximum absorption by pulling lyrics up because there are none. But the way it stands is that I would find it very hard to pay attention during the fast solo sections. "You're a keyboardist," I'd tell myself. "At least pay attention to the keyboard solos. Learn from the greats. Listen to exactly what Hancock is doing." I couldn't make myself. And as I've said, I couldn't deal with the fast, high saxophone. It hurt my head. I can only handle saxophone when it's slow and low. I should say that I did like this more than most jazz I hear. And my favourite parts were the softer sections- they were truly sublime. The final track, "Vein Melter," was the softest overall, so it was my favourite. Hopefully, one day I can return to this album with a more open mind. I know it would be good for me. Favourite track: Vein Melter

More accessible to me than most of the jazz albums I've heard. I'm going to start listening to this regularly to see if I can get more into it. Chameleon and Sly were the highlights for me but Vein Melter just sounded like a bit of ambient music.

One of my favorite albums of all time. Used to play Chameleon and Watermelon Man in jazz band almost every year. We didnt even come close to doing it justice. I also feel like its pretty accessible for those not super well versed in jazz? I dont know how anyone couldnt love it.

I liked this a lot. According to the track listing it was not remastered, which would make the production that much more impressive. Opening track was my favorite. Just a good, funky jazzy time. A high 4.

Did jazz funk start here or with Miles Davis? Does it really matter. This brough the fusion to the mainstream (and at one time was the best-selling jazz album ever). This was not only jazz, but the emphasis on the groove seamlessly brought in elements of funk, soul, and had an indelible mark on hip-hop decades later. Essential listening.

Good mix of funk, rock and Jazz. I imagine that this is one of the earliest fusion albums that influenced bands like Weather Report and Return to Forever, Spyro Gryra and even Steely Dan. Not my preferred genre but definitely the type of Jazz I like best.

This was great. Funky, exploratory and fun. This list has been a massive influence on a ton of artists.

Pretty good stuff

It's not my type of music but you cannot deny the talent and creativity of the musicians.

los temas se hacen medio largos pero la música es muy buena

listened to again invention of the rhodes keyboard and keybass i feel like

Good fun this one. 3.5 stars.

When people think of jazz fusion, the first thing that usually pops into their heads is ‘Bitches Brew’ and this. However, where ‘Bitches Brew’ is dense and thick as molasses, ‘Head Hunters’ is funky and accessible. It’s a jazz album with the rhythms of soul, funk, and r&b coursing through its veins, giving it maximum mass appeal, and it still sounds fresh and essential today. As an entry point into the world of jazz fusion it’s a no brainer.

Super funky and jazzy, really enjoyable album. This is the kind of funk/jazz fusion that I'm all about, even when some of the songs are 15 minutes long!

Funky jazz to start it off, then a weird and scary 2nd track. Listened to a few minutes of the rest of the record. Not interested.

Fun, funky jazz. Love the bass work throughout the album.

Prima jazz, maar ik vind het altijd wat teveel gepingel in de ruimte. Dus een heel (goed) album gaat me wel vervelen. Maar dan meer persoonlijk.

Cooll Thing :thumbs_up)

I understand the appeal and yea it's really groovy. But come on, do we truly want to compare this version of watermelon man with the one with Hubbard? It's a completely different genre, I agree, but my heart lays there. 4 stars anyway because Hancock is a genius

Norah sea jazźzzzz

Redefined Funk

Leuke ontdekking, luistert lekker weg in de ochtend. Ik zou het niet zo snel zelf opzetten en de laatste nummers waren doorzetten.

Oops!! Forgot to listen, but I will this week

Yep, a jazz fusion classic.

1/5

Instrumental funk always good

Funky, fun. Nostalgic.

This was fine but I'm not sophisticated enough musically to appreciate jazz-funk.

One of the coolest jazz albums of all time and a personal favorite. I should keep this in mind when people ask for recommendations on how to get into jazz. The funky style makes the album very accessible and there are some memorable, catchy hooks. I feel like Herbie Hancock and his band set out to make music that sounded like it was from the future. It still sounds like that decades after its release. When I start new writing projects, I like to assemble a playlist of a few albums that will match the tone and style of what I’m writing. Then whenever I sit down to write, I listen to those albums and it helps me slip back into the project each day. Earlier this year I wrote a wild and experimental animated feature (first time I ever wrote with animation in mind) and “Head Hunters” was on the playlist. It always helped me enter the strange, weird world I was inventing in the script.

Great intro track. Got me groovin in my seat on a Monday morning. Track 2, "Watermelon Man" really makes you feel like you are in a jungle that may or may not be filled with headhunters. The sound space or soundscape or whatever you want to call it is so cool- the panned flutes, the bass groove, the here and there vocalizations... i love it! The drum groove that comes in after a minute or two is super tight too. Amazing shredding on "Sly". Jeez this is just like some wildly impressive stuff. "Vein Melter" is a really nice serene break from the previous track. There's one element in this one that I LOVE. It's these cheesy MIDI strings that come in around 2:15 sounding all Final Fantasy and corny. I love it. This is 1973 though so the sound is very original and not super developed yet, and man does it sound good. Herbie is one of the best keyboardists of all time. Amazing style, feel, approach, and ingenuity. This has the potential to be one of the better albums that I've discovered via this list. I love it. Easy 4/5 for me.

Really really really pushing a 5 but just too front-loaded. I absolutely adore the use of the electric piano (higher/lighter) synth taking the melody accompanied by the lower string-like synth on chords. Like around 8:30 of Chameleon.

Fun, chill, vibed out, funky, future-thinking. Awesome. Best song: Chameleon

Chameleon: Funky and jazzy I like the song a bit too long for my taste tho for having no words Good background noise Watermelon Man: Different vibes I like the flutes Very rainforesty Sly: Sounds like something from a spy movie Name is very fitting Favorite of the four Sounds like something you'd listen to playing a Roblox heist game (compliment) Vein Melter: Good song Like the bass line Overall 5.4/10 Not bad not great a decent album overall Not a jazz person but maybe listening to this while I do homework would be good. The songs are too long for each one. 4 songs shouldn't total 45 minutes long

I was 10 years old and saw the music video for Rock It... 🤯. I got Future Shock on cassette through one of those mail order clubs (Columbia?). Preteen me was obsessed. All these years, it never occurred to me that there was Herbie Hancock before Future Shock. Tonight, Herbie Hancock blew my mind for a second time in my life. This album is insane and I can't believe Herbie's been grooving and funking like this for two decades earlier than I imagined. 🤯 Oh, and judging this album by the cover, I was gonna play this was soon as I saw it. No need to even know it was Herbie Hancock. That face!

Very funky, grappig om je ochtend mee te beginnen. Deed me ook een beetje aan de soundtrack van het spelletje Serial Cleaner denken.

jazz

Chameleon and Watermelon Man are two of my all time favorite jazz/funk songs. The final two tracks are forgettable. But half the album is legendary, so this gets 5 stars

Ces petits gars ont passé un album entier à se prendre pour les Crusaders. Dommage pour eux mais on me la fait pas à moi.

Robgruyère tu as une vingtaine de critiques d'albums de retard, ça va très mal se passer si tu n'en postes pas à minima 10 dans les trois prochains jours. Ceci est un ultimatum.

Easy listening when working

too instrumental for me

Nope

Cool, kinda full on

Yeah I'm hunting for head

15 minute track and it stays fresh? *tasting sound* That's a 10.

VRAIMENT NICE VIBE !

Life-changing jazz funk—Watermelon Man is the reason I played/listen to jazz, and without jazz in high school I seriously doubt I would care about music anywhere near as much as I do now Favorite Tracks: Watermelon Man, Chameleon, Sly 4.5-5/5

Great jazz album, Herbie Hancock is a legend

Love the groove. Great driving music through scenic southern Illinois.

Awesome

Fantastic early 70's funk/fusion that helped shape listening preferences that I still maintain. Glad to see this on the list.

Exactly the kind of album I hoped this project would bring me - I did not anticipate enjoying spacey jazz-fusion instrumentals this much but here we are. I loved this slice of weirdness.

Very funky. Very playful. Very nice.

Really cool album

big brain groovy jazz jams. good for city walking and/or weed smoking. pretty iconic tbh. makes me feel 😎

Homenatge al funk des del jazz, amb un so eclèctic d'ambdós géneres, sofisticat i transformador. 'Watermelon Man' és el tema més conegut del disc, però on destaca realment és en l'elegància embriagadora de 'Van Meilter'

Nice and easy backing tracks to listen to. Creates a nice vibe to work

I can hear the beginnings of afro-futurism.

listened

Kinda funky. I like how it is instrumental.

3.5/5. I can say with great certainty that jazz fusion is at least better than fusion cuisine.

Classic funky jazz

Play kikuyu hi j. Bh hh. Gu

No, sorry - can't do jazz Just noise

1. “Chameleon” 🔥 2. “Watermelon Man” 💎 3. “Sly” 🔥 4. “Vein Melter” 😃 Overall rating: 💎🏆 Classic meter: 💮💮💮💮💮

good study music

The improvised half of the Headhunters' fusion is low-key from the first drumbeats entering warm. It would be unfair to accuse the record of stretching out an EP's worth of melodic material: True multi-movement shows up on both sides. Any extension is fairly accusable of chill.

Jazz funk. 5/5.

Really cool, love it. Watermelon Man is my fave, I'll forever think of that Bruce Lee parody on YouTube when hearing it. Chameleon gets used in another format I keep watching as background music.

Not sure what category to put this in ……. Oh yes tge fucking shit category

As smooth as you like.

Ну очень сладкая работа. Первая половина вообще великолепна, вторая спокойнее (и оттого чуть менее интересна) очень стоит ознакомиться!

Прекрасный альбом на фон (работа, игры, прогулки, что угодно). Он постоянно меняется, но не грузит тебя

В вас запустили бутылкой фьюжна! Кинь эту бутылку в 5 своих друзей, пока ты всё ещё не сошёл с ума. Недавно я сгонял на фестиваль, где наслушался разных образов и воплощений джазовой музыки - вот оказывается, в лайве под такое реально раскачивает! И неважно где это играется, в клубе или под открытым небом - тебя увлекает эта музыка и ты невольно начинаешь двигаться ей в такт. Это я к чему: не такой вау-эффект это производит в записи. Да, прикольные тягучие композиции, со сменой тем и настроений, но долго... на диване я головой качал, конечно, пока слушал.

Нормас так бодрости рвануло на время работы в тупую, но как будто единоразовая акция, ибо повторно это просто забавно...

Fantastic bassline or whatever it is that is leading the first track. So funky. A really solid and fun album.

8,5/10

Pretty funky

Fan of the funk. Less so of the Jazz. But I cannot deny how well this album sets a beautiful mood.

Pioneering jazz-fusion record that still sounds pretty fresh today.

Funky jazzy banger

I thought this was fantastic - super easy listen. 8/10.

I liked some of it, but a lot of it was too...experimental for my tastes. Almost like riffing went off the rails at some point

Very cool jazzy jams 8 out of 10

once again, another album of strictly instrumentals. but, i have to be honest, it wasn’t that bad. i found myself actually getting into it a bit. not usually my thing, but was just ok.

So yesterday, I had a long day at work. I asked Erica if she wanted to just lay out on the trampoline and listen to the album of the day to just unwind a bit. She declined, it was kinda windy. I'm glad we didn't. This is background music to a life that's not mine. I do not care about this album.

The slower songs weren’t terrible but not my thing. The fast one gave me anxiety and I hated it. Not my kind of album.

I get that it's jazz, but I think a song still needs to have some kind of a central theme.

Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters is like a sonic journey through a futuristic jungle. It's a fusion of jazz, funk, and electronic music that takes you on a wild ride through uncharted musical territories. Hancock's keyboard wizardry is on full display here, and the band's tight grooves and funky beats will have you dancing like nobody's watching. It's like a party in your ears, and everyone's invited. Tracks like "Chameleon" and "Watermelon Man" are like a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart, and the album as a whole is a testament to the power of musical experimentation. It's the kind of album that makes you feel like anything is possible. So if you're a fan of jazz, funk, or just good music in general, then Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters is a must-listen.

Overall a good album, went off the rails with Sly but even that had some good moments. the drums on Chameleon were a great listen and worth the cost of entry in and of it self.

Like this album better than I thought I would.

"John Hancock? It's Herbie Hancock. Derr!" - Tommy Boy My high school jazz band played Chameleon. I didn't remember that until I listed to this album, so that was a fun little piece of nostalgia. I respect the Herbie found four grooves he liked and just turned them into 10-15 minute jams. Why come up with more crap just to fill an album? I'm not sure how many time I'd come back to this album, but it's a Master Class in jazz fusion and worthy of the list. As such, it gets a bump.

If you like jazz, this is an enjoyable album. If you're not sure, give it a try.

This was a really good album and I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. I would give it five stars but the final track is a bit of a downer and wasn't my favorite. Otherwise, I enjoyed this.

Funky jazz fusion. The song Chameleon gets many repeat listens. Head Hunters is a huge step away from "traditional" jazz but it's really a great listen.

Funkadelic!

Un disco de funk-jazz muy bien nivelado. Para ser instrumental y de esa época tiene demasiados detalles constantes e incentivos que hacen que no se pierda la oreja y termines aburriéndote. El juego percutivo de la guitarra y la bateria en sí logran ser vitales para el desarrollo de los solos psicodélicos de un órgano que quien sabe como quedan bien. Este instrumento también le actúa en diferentes ocasiones como percusión y aporta a solo hermosas de saxofón o de algun viento expléndido que es lo que más destaco del disco. La capacidad de experimentar con silencios, sonidos paralelos en los tracks y voces se convierten en arreglos adelantados para la época, como un estilo de pink floyd pero un poco más bajado a tierra. Una escucha muy fructífera en la que magicamente no me cansé en ningón momento de escuchar jazz 9/10.

15 minute songs for the win

Funky funkiness.

Enjoyed the Vibe

Kind of annoying.

This is an amazing album. I saw Herbie live, and you already know his encore was playing Chameleon on a keytar.

It was a nice background album. I like his later stuff much more.

We listened to this in the car so it was kind of the focal point of the car ride, and a bit much. I think i would have enjoyed it better had it been playing in the background while I was crafting or something. It wasn't horrible, but wasn't great either. 4/10

I enjoyed it. Good background music, although I didn't mind focusing on it either. I like longer songs so that part was kind of fun too. It all sounded pretty unique (especially for the time). Overall, a fun enough listen. 6/10

Gimme dat funky funk

A funked up jazz fusion trip out

4..5/5. Good funky jazz. I like this one a lot.

pure magic

Walking around Florence in the sun 12th March

Wow! What sounds and grooves! The rhythmic synths in Chameleon to the strings sound in Vein, this was magnificent.

Interesting to see the different directions Jazz was taken to but ultimately just a standard 3

I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Enjoyed the entire thing. Great jazz album.

3.5 Jazz!

Great listen. Will put on again

On the bright side, this album can be super funky. On the not-so-bright side, it can meander just as much as jazz stereotypically does. Overall, I enjoyed it.

Dang, this album is funky jazz hotness! As soon as the first track started playing, I stopped what I was doing & started dancing. This fits right in l with my James Brown/Funkadelic/Alice Coltrane playlist. I'm so glad this popped up in the challenge, otherwise I probably would've missed out. I'll be listening to more of his work. 5 enthusiastic stars.

I'm just not a fan of 15 minute instrumentals. Tapped out before getting to the end of the album.

feel like strolling down a road with my button down open (yes, exactly like in spiderman 3)

The funkiest

Sad that Rockit isn't on this album, but Herbie Hancock is a lean, mean, jazz machine who can row my boat any day. This gets 5 stars for Chameleon alone, nearly loses a star for the more bebop parts of Sly, and then gets its star back in Vein Melter.

I only knew of Herbie Hancock from "Rockit" and its adaptation into "Cantaloop Flip Fantasia". My eyes have been opened.

I know. It's super famous and influential. I just never 'got' herbie.

Starts very funky, finishes very jazzy, but is consistently accessible, despite opening with a 15 minute epic. Bold choice the put 'Arthur' the cartoon aardvark as the cover art. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Chameleon Date listened: 02/03/23

Some chill stuff. Not really my cup of tea though

The vibes are immaculate. Jazz and funk never sounded so good.

Liked it. Previously unknown gem.

Funky. Jazzy. Electronic. I would rate this as a 5/5, even if it is not the kind of album I will be drawn back to. It was unpredictable yet still very melodic.

Not bad. My favorite song was probably the first one

Some nice moments but really noisy. Plus jazz still isn't my thing and this didn't change that.

Está un poco malo y repetitivo. Además de que no me gusta el jazz.

Landmark recording in jazz/funk. This basically invented the idea of acid jazz, which has become one of my favorite albums. Also interesting that there are no guitars on here, as opposed to many other early fusion/electric jazz/acid jazz projects that were coming out at the time.

det går ret hårdt

5.0 + The opening sequence of "Watermelon Man" that combines vocal yelps and flute, followed by that sneaky bass and, finally, snappy drums - that buildup alone makes this album a classic. The track start to finish is a masterpiece. And, no discussion of this record is complete without noting that bassline on "Chameleon."

LP

What an album! I think this is a perfect record for someone that is starting their jazz or funk journey and don't want to be overwhelmed straight away. Everything just flows so nicely, beats are so catchy and exciting, and the multiple solos, or improvisation never takes you out of the groove, but even add an another dimension to the music. It is especially visible on the opening track, "Chameleon". The beat just goes on and on, but it never tires you, or make you exhausted, because the additional instruments always add something new and exciting to it. I'm not an expert in jazz, but in my opinion this album was much more funk focused, than jazz. Maybe that's why it started a new subgenre like jazz-funk, or funk fusion, like we can read on wikipedia. Anyway, great stuff, very nice album to listen to for a more classy party. Definitely goes on my party list.

All I knew of this dude before this was the Rocket music video, and that Stevie Wonder liked him. This album also made me realize I've been bleeding from my ass for a week. I'm not blaming Herbie Hancock. I'm not even blaming the great Steve Wonder, despite the fact that all signs suggest it's his fault. It's always his fault.

Funk and Jazz arrives to blow your head off. The tunes are slick and you can just imagine them soundtracking a life you wish you were cool enough to be living. Fucking ace. Best Tracks: Chameleon; Watermelon Man

Funky, assured with integrity. There's a great vibe going on with this album and it's 50 years old! Enough variety to make it interesting and sooooo smooth. I loved it.

Getting to this a little late because I procrastinated yesterday and ended up with a migraine! I tried listening at that point, but you can imagine how well that went. I really liked this. No lyrics, just the rare vocal noise and lots of funky jazz groovin'. I plan to listen again while cooking or working, things like that. My favourite songs were "Watermelon Man" (which I had heard before, possibly on the very good Snowfall soundtrack playlist on Spotify) and "Vein Melter" (not as scary as it sounds).

Cold fresh showers of funk

It’s fine

Töff og skemmtilegt. Renndi tvisvar, gæti oft aftur.

Leuke Jazz / elektro oid, maar iets te eentonig

The synth integration blended in well, but the song development felt forced on many of the songs.

Uma viagem. Confesso que não o ouvi por completo, só um tanto de cada música.

Funky jazz fusion-y. Pretty cool I think I liked vein melter the best

Faultless album. Never gets old.

A lot funkier than I expect fusion to be. I guess that's his style. I had already known the first two tracks but the whole thing is really great. I love his tone on whatever kind of synths he's using. Kind of moog-y

This album started slowly for me. In fact, I wasn't sure about it at all. But as I was kind of listening to it in the background, I realized that it had picked up groove that stayed throughout the album. As I was listening to this and really beginning to enjoy it, I pondered the fact that this was 50 years old. Considering where music and music technology was 50 years ago, it's amazing that it sound this good today. Of course, 50 years ago I would have never listened to it because I would have been discovering pop AM radio and singing to Top of the World by the Carpenters which definitely hasn't keep its groove over these 50 years. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - It was ok to listen to but I wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.

I have never felt more lied to by a song title than this album's "Vein Melter."

👌

Funky jazz instrumental, long tracks, no lyrics

okay

This album seemed really familiar to me. I think I listened to it a bunch in high school. Either way, it's a cool project that has stood the test of time. I love how watermelon man starts with a strange mix of a tribal chant and woodwinds, then gradually transitions into a really cool funky jazz piece. Favorite track - Watermelon Man Least favorite track - Vein Melter

Classic - funky, tasteful, complex but accessible. Anyone can love this album and you're a dork if you don't.

A classic and staple of influential Jazz. A display of impressive musicianship where each song is more dynamic than the next.

Groovy and creative as always. Herbie is the man. The end of watermelon man was a tad bit annoying though, I can't even lie - The flutes were kinda overused. But what do I know? I'm not a legendary Jazz fusion composer. 4 stars though. Would listen again.

Best Song: Watermelon Man. Manageable. Frenetic, but manageable. Worst Song: Vein Melter. A disappointingly chill departure from the madness of the previous songs. Overall: Absolute musical madness. This whole album feels like it's running at full speed at all times, teetering on the precipice of coming undone but somehow always staying on track. Blistering and chaotic in the best ways.

Incrivelmente admirável a execução do jazz com as batidas de funk na liga sonora coesa e envolvente. Ótima lembrança para outras audições noturnas.

Exceptional future jazz

Quite weird some songs, i thought they were this century's. Kinda like it.

This album is not really what I would listen to normally but objectively it is great. It is sleek, not rough around the edges like most of the stuff from that era. I was shocked when I thought that a song was a bit long and saw that it's been 13 minutes, which passed in an instant. I find Pink Floyd songs of similar length a bit more tedious to listen to, no matter how much I love them

So inventive

5 checked this album out of the library a dozen times when I was in junior high.

The beginning and end of Watermelon Man give White Lotus theme vibes!! All in all this is awesome. This is musical talent and I feel like he just really enjoys what he does.

Brutal musicians!