Reviews (page 4 of 13)
8:30 into Chameleon - the synth/keys that join are so nice. Watermelon Man groove is delicious. Sly is my least favourite track, but still pleasant. Vein Melter is a woozy way to end it. 4.6/5
Da funk right here. Keeping this one, it’s like Herbie’s Bitches’ Brew (kinda).
An all time classic of the genre
Truly a classic and a great introduction to jazz fusion. Chameleon and Watermelon Man are so groovy. Easy 5 stars.
Reply good!
Rating: 10/10 Masterpiece. I normally dislike jazz, but this album is something really special. A mix of jazz and funk mostly, it is incredibly groovy, virtuosic, and creative, combining technical ability with fantastic songwriting. Each song feels like a progressive journey and is never for a second boring. The songs are all very long but none of them overstay their welcome, it's truly a pleasure listening to every second of this album. I did not love a part of Sway and Watermelon Man but I loved literally everything else about this album.
star reviews suck
Oh fuck yes!
Funk and groove from the opening track. Great listen.
Classic exploratory jazz
love
Love Jazz, and Herbie is a legend, tho I have never listened until now! It sounds so fresh, even tho it is 50 years old! 28/10/2023
Very fun, poppy, jazzy. Loved this
Perfect for a weird afternoon.
Great album overall, first 3 tracks set the tone for the entire album! Was even better seeing it live in person
Loved it. Love jazz.
Funky, patient, formative
A++ Jazz Funk
Grooves jazz funk soutenus toujours en dialogue avec les différents instruments. De la bonne vibe à l’infini.
Album très impressionnant, mélangeant le jazz, le big band, le funk et l'électro. Très "forward-thinking" et audacieux. J'adore la sonorité étrangement "jungle" de Watermelon Man, qui lentement se construit pour devenir une pièce jazz complexe et nuancée. À écouter avec de bons écouteurs pour en profiter pleinement!!
Expected this to be way more classic Jazz and way less psychedelic then it turned out to be - happy on both accounts. Chameleon starts and ends with the same bass line but everything in between that is straight jazz funk chaos (in the best possible way), so good how they sit you straight back down into the intro bass line (albeit now at a way faster tempo then where you started at 14 minutes ago) to see you out the door. Watermelon Man is particularly excellent, starts off with super dissonant and spooky pan flute (big White Lotus energy), drops in a sweet guitar lick, goes full cruise mode for a while then AGAIN brings you all the way back to the intro, as if the whole middle section's purpose was to explain why the pan flute was at the party in the first place.
Really enjoyed this album. Wasn't sure what to expect, but especially track 1 was great.
10/10 Herbie Hancock has gotta be one of my all-time favorite musicians his interpretation of jazz is so legendary and sets itself apart from all other musicians
Have always loved this album since the first time I heard it at age 19/20. Unforgettable first two tracks. Unsure about track three, but track four is surprisingly beautiful.
The proto EDM of Chameleon makes an initial impact. There’s a jittery, nervous energy to side 1 that I found anxiety inducing. The anxiety is resolved about 2 minutes into Sly at the start of side 2. The two halves complement each other perfectly. It's also got a great album cover. Favourite track: Sly.
Played Chameleon in hs jazz band
There's nothing new to be said about Head Hunters - it's a perfect, groundbreaking album. What impresses me is how easily HH and his ensemble lure you into the jazz-funk world with the build ups. Halfway through a track like 'Sly' you don't even stop and wonder how it all evolved into this funky, polyrhythmic, cacophonic beast.
An unbelievable line-up on an equally unbelievable jazz record. There’s really not a bad second on this legendary piece of work.
Starts catchy and gets better and better from there.
This is some wack prog jazz. Love it.
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
Amazing funk jazz fusion
Quirky and upbeat. Deep jams, good vibes.
I love this album.
Hot shit that’s good stuff. This is the jazz I want to hear. Hell yes.
Loved this
Excellent album I am familiar with
Great jazz classic, for good reason
Amazing have on cd <3
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
mmmmmmmmmmm jazzy
so good
Un disco increíble
no words are needed. amazing album. full of funky, fresh synthy jazz.
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
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!
"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.
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
So great and important
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
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*
Oh yeah baby, Jazz from another dimension, quality cererbral pudding for the soul!
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.
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.
This was great. Funky, exploratory and fun. This list has been a massive influence on a ton of artists.
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.
Redefined Funk
Instrumental funk always good
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.
Fun, chill, vibed out, funky, future-thinking. Awesome. Best song: Chameleon
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!
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
15 minute track and it stays fresh? *tasting sound* That's a 10.
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
Awesome
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.
Classic funky jazz
1. “Chameleon” 🔥 2. “Watermelon Man” 💎 3. “Sly” 🔥 4. “Vein Melter” 😃 Overall rating: 💎🏆 Classic meter: 💮💮💮💮💮
Jazz funk. 5/5.
As smooth as you like.
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.
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.
This is an amazing album. I saw Herbie live, and you already know his encore was playing Chameleon on a keytar.
A funked up jazz fusion trip out
I thoroughly enjoyed this.
Enjoyed the entire thing. Great jazz album.
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.
feel like strolling down a road with my button down open (yes, exactly like in spiderman 3)
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
Exceptional future jazz
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
Brutal musicians!
Groovy. Wish this album was longer than 4 songs.
SOOOOO FUNKY
I was looking at my rankings (over 500 now!) and saw that my average ranking was 3.6. I thought ‘maybe I should be more critical and rank things lower’ and then this album came up and I was like ‘nope’. Just the best jazz-funk, ever. I’ve loved this album since I was 13yo.
a jewel
Simply one of the best jazz albums ever recorded.
Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Herbie Hancock were all framers of the constitution.
Godly music. Spitfire improv over some of the gnarliest grooves ever concocted. Essential listening for every human being.
wowww that was so good
Herbie Hancock has done some pretty far out things, blending jazz & funk isn't one of 'em. 5/5.
Excellent, groovy, captivating. Really glad to discover it tonight.
Dette albumet er hva jeg tenker på når jeg tenker på Herbie Hancock. Såå slick, sååå funky.
Aivan megatiukka! Erittäin pitkäaikainen suosikki. On jazzahtavaa ja on funkahtavaa mutta yksi on varma: pääkallonmetsästäjät on pahuksen kova levy! : D Tätä ei vieläkään oo meikän vinyylihyllyssä, mutta kuuntelussa tää on jatkuvasti. Täydet bongot! 5/5
Melancias homens
Never heard this before and it’s a fantastic mix of background Muzak, jazz, pop and electric. Will definitely go into rotation. Great for having on in the background whilst you work or socialise. Solid 8.5/10
Chameleon, Watermelon Man - 5/5
Groovy jazz with a funky tribal underbeat throughout, one of my favs before this project and still a fav
Herbie made a masterpiece that everyone can enjoy!
Very solid album. Good length, 4 great great songs that totally keep on going even after minutes into the song. Nice jazz, nice funk energy too. A must listen, and you still want more at the end. 4.5/5
An epic fuse of jazz and soul and funk. This is an outstanding example of the musical period that served my needs during the disco age - JAZZ FUSION. In addition, such a recording served as an impetus for "going back" in Hancock's catalogue to gain a much greater appreciation of straight-ahead jazz. "Chameleon" is the classic tune from this great period piece!
THIS is what seventies music should sound like. Focused and flowing. Amazing tunes, amazing band, and funky as all get-out. A perfect length for an album too. Prefer side one, but I like the fact the two ‘sides’ feel different.
five stars
Fantastic as always.
Fantastic
Definitely varied and interesting. I dig the dub influence across it.
What a brilliant album. Jazzy, funky. Loved it. It's only 4 songs, so I'm saving the whole thing, but my favourite was Watermelon Man and Chameleon
One of a couple perfect jazz/funk records. Could loop it endlessly without issue.
Like Bitches Brew, this is an album that changed jazz forever.
I was going to say my one criticism is that Herbie is having a little too much fun with the synth fx, but that’s also partly why this album is so good. Chameleon has one of my all-time favourite bass riffs, Watermelon Man is barely recognizable from the original but glad there are both versions, & the last 2 tracks are great complements to each other: the fiery sax & percussion of “Sly” is a world apart from the ethereal piano in “Vein Melter”. October 9, 2022
Best song: Chameleon Classic jazz with some awesome, funky instrumentals.
Every time I play this it's even better than I remember
iconic jazz
Jazzy, funky sweet goodness. Absolutely phenomenal. Chameleon and Watermelon Men just smoke.
Absolutely xlassix
Funky
I love Herbie Hancock. Amazing groove, amazing artwork. 5 stars!
Funky
Хорошо приятно
Funky smooth and cool
Jazz fusion that rips all the way through. The cymbals on Sly got me bricked. The drum work on this album is so good. The Sax and keys were slapping.
Chameleon, watermelon man, awesome. Great album
Awesome fucking album
I LOVE “Chameleon.” I used to listen to this one all the time on road trips. It doubles — for me — as toe-tapping easy-listening for reading as well as perfect music for dancing. “Watermelon Man” is funky and features West African percussion instruments — I wonder if this was one of the first times these instruments reached the American mainstream. “Sly” — undoubtedly a tribute to Sly Stone and “Vein Melter” are also great tunes with lives of their own.
You can always trust Herbie Hancock for finding a new groove, and dig gold out of it. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 873 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 69 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 31 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 28
This album is absolutely iconic from the very first bass note. I would consider this the best marriage of jazz and funk ever put together. Headhunters would serve as a template for a lot of great improvised music to come after it, especially for jazz artists like Medeski, Martin, and Wood. It's so smooth and yet infinitely groovy and danceable. A song like Watermelon Man shouldn't work as well as it does, but that's the level of skill that Hancock brings to this album, and he makes it look easy. There's lots of points in Herbie Hancock's career that you could point to as the pinnacle. The man played on some of Miles Davis's best albums for christ's sake, but for me this is the absolute best. It's a towering dance album that exists somewhere in the tension between the analogue and digital realms. It's not one to be missed 5/5
yes. love jazz-funk. the intro sound in watermelon man O.o so fun. so good.
tri massa, típico sonzao instrumental pro cara estudar enquanto curte
Muchos estilos en 40 minutos...Funky (Los mejores bajos que se pueden escuchar estan acá) - Jungle Jazz - Disco ( una idea de disco eléctronico, antes de que todo explotara) Mejor canción: Watermelon Man
heyyyyyyyyy, watermelon man!!!!!’ this album is great.
super LP
Pretty much flawless jazz funk. First half is definitely superior, but this entire thing is a staggering work in terms of quality
5/5. Undeniable all-time classic :)
This album was on constant rotation for me back in high school. It is great to dust you off and hear from you again, old friend; you are just as fantastic now as you were back then.
Full of epic and silly music. It's fun, it's funky, and I LIKE IT.
Some smooth funky jazz
An album I already own, and for good reason - rock hard fusion played by some of the best in the biz. Not sure anyone who isn't already on the jazz train will be converted, although this bad boy does a decent job of reaching across the aisle to the funksters
Admittedly, I don't listen to a ton of jazz. But this is one of my favorite jazz albums, one of just a few I actually own. Trippy, funky, sick grooves, front to back. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Watermelon Man, Chameleon, Vein Melter, Sly
Enjoyed
C'est pour des albums comme ça que je suis ce site Prefs: Chameleon, Watermelon Man, Sly Moins pref: Vein Melter
Irresistible jazz with an electronic edge. Groundbreaking and essential.
God I love music
Jazz Funk Perfection
Its one of the coolest albums ever and needed to be twice as long
Stone cold classic. Loved this album since my teens.
Perfect album
Нетленка Хэрби Хэнкока
Absolute gem.
So fresh. So funky. This album hugger really hits the spot for me
A classic of the genre. This is such a fun and groundbreaking record and I love it
Watermelon man is a classic. Funk-Jazz fusion at its finest.
Gott grúv. Hressandi stöff
Jazz fusion at its finest, perhaps one of the greatest jazz albums period. Chameleon and the rerecording of Watermelon Man are particular highlights
Jazzy and funky. Got really into some of his other stuff after listening to this.
I actually own this on CD and listened the shit out of it back in the day Classic
One of these albums that everyone knows and that is so clearly 5 star that there is not much to say.
One of the key jazz fusion albums of the early '70s. Love the funky and groovy sound, though I slightly prefer Hancock's older work with albums like Empyrean Isles and Maiden Voyage.
Jazzy and awesome
Good vibes. 9/10
absolute mastapiece
Classic banger
Awesome, this music is exactly what I like. Favorite track is Chameleon.
great oldie music almost brackground music
Have listened to this album countless times - own it on vinyl. Jazz classic. Maybe the most Herbie Hancock of Herbie Hancock albums? Chameleon and Watermelon Man obviously carry the album, but side 2 is still groovy.
muy bueno, me sirvió de soundtrack para limpiar la cocina y también para leer
Great Album. Something new for the '70s. Hancock still a leader for new music.
I listen to this album all the time, not even going to lie—might even be my fave Hancock release. Not just a classic, but let’s face it, a stoner classic—gets one’s head right, as it were. I prefer it to a lot of his more experimental 80s fare, pioneering though that may have been.
One of my favorite jazz albums. I still remember hearing watermelon man for the first time in my history of jazz class. Great stuff.
9/17 Jazz Funk masterpiece.
One of my favorite records, and still probably only the third best Herbie Hancock album imo. I have a poster of this art hanging over my keyboard rig. This actually made me thinking about getting a tattoo of that weird yellow mask thing over Herbie's face
Epicly funky from the first second. This is a goddam masterpiece. Love the jazz fusion, love the balance of experimentation and improvisation against catchiness and hooks.
Incredible Psychadlic Groovy as fuck jazz album masterpiece 9.5/10
Okay, hell yes. Chameleon alone makes this fantastic.
great
Funky and fun
4-
Wicked Jazz record. Like this one a lot.
4 stars
Sooooo incredibly funky. Amazing synth work and amazing horns/saxophone. Also, this album cover is so so cool. I really loved the opening track, “Chameleon”, with its sort of wah-wah bass I guess and I loved how the drumming changed halfway through. The motif of “Watermelon Man” is iconic. But honestly, each of these songs are so smooth and groovy and funky and have such an energy.
Fantastic jazz,funk. Really impressive
Clever, innovative, and fun to listen to. “Chameleon” could go for another 15 minutes and still work.
Very warm and deeply present. A perfect album for a morning coffee and optimistic day. Strong grooves. To fully embrace it one has be fully present in the moment.
this is a fantastic album
Interesting psychedelic jazz, heavy on the impressionism. I liked the scenes Hancock painted with the album. I feel like this is the kind of music people smarter than me listen to. "Watermelon Man" was my favorite track.
Review - I've tried this album a bunch of times and never got on with it, but this time it worked. Maybe it's listening to it during a heatwave just works. A great jazz fusion album. I don't have enough knowledge of fusion so whenever I hear a fusion album I like, the only reference point I have is "ooh this sounds like video game boss music". Which this does at times. In a good way. Score - 8/10 Need to listen? YES
favs: chameleon
130424 9:48 4
Good. Jazz/funk isn't really my thing, but this was a fun listen, despite zoning out at times.
Wonderful amazing beautiful album. So groovy from beginning to end.
Første sang er så banger. 15 minuters fest.
What is this and why do I love it. Really catchy, plays nicely in the background but is also worth being concentrated on. Probably my favorite jazz album ever now. The bass work was out of this world. Anyone saying this is boring has no attention span. du du du du da da, da da da da di di/5
The kind of weird that I like.
Chamelion is amazing.
Finally getting some exposure to this record. Head Hunters' reputation precedes it, and while I was initially expecting my mind to be blown open by this one, I kept myself realistic and realized that jazz fusion just isn't a genre I tend to get a lot of huge enrichment out of. That being said, this is still pretty great. There's a refreshing energy to the improvisation and hearing everyone play off each other.
I've listen to this one before, originally discovering it off of Mid 90's with Watermelon man. This is lowky the most generationally appealing peace of funk ever written, from the beginning it is. The bass lines groovy throughout, almost every instrument has its own solo, herbie prioritises the uniqueness of each instrument
Funky, cool, accessible jazz. I dig it. Experimental enough without ruining the groove. I love the weird little flute loops on Watermelon Man. Drumming is impeccable all around. Sly careens wildly between tempos and styles. Very cool album.
Pleasant surprise. Funky/enjoyable.
I knew I was going to love this album from the first 6 notes of the opening track. What a ridiculously great bass line. The beat that kicks in next had me sold. I love funk tunes where the instruments introduce themselves additively. Over the almost sixteen minutes of “Chameleon” things build up to moments where you can't distinguish between the layers, and then break down again to that single bass line. Several times. What a great song. “Watermelon Man” keeps the quality up. It's incredible the tribal sounds that Bill Summers conjures up with just his voice and a beer bottle. And then, yet another amazing bass line kicks in, followed by a build-up of fantastically funky sounds. It's a song that keeps surprising you as it progresses, and I can't get enough of it. Side one by itself is perfect. I could listen to it on repeat forever and not get bored. Side two can't keep up with those impossible standards though. Not that it's not good. “Sly” is impressive, but too frenzied to properly enjoy. It ends up feeling like a panic attack in song form. “Vein Melter” takes the frenetic energy levels down to a crawl with a cinematic piece of jazz fusion that sounds like it could score a noir detective movie from the 50s. My knowledge of Herbie Hancock before today was pretty much just the song “Rockit”, which I love, but it's very different territory. So this complex exploration of variations on a theme, where jazz meets funk, was a real surprise. 4.5 stars
It was interesting listening to sly and hearing what is surely the inspiration behind Steven Wilson's Raven that Refused to Sing
There's a reason he's the name for a signature. Classic. Banger. Nah but this is kinda the same realm as 2112, and to a lesser extent Maggot Brain, as an album that has one incredible opener and the rest is good but not to the same standard. Big fan of the way Chameleon changes throughout and morphs, plus the way it ebbs and flows. When you think it's done it comes back in just a cool way.
Oh man this is good
DAMN. I'm surprised this came out in 1973. I'm surprised the first person to ever listen to this didn't just start spitting and invent jazz rap on the spot. That beat on Chameleon is tailor-made for a rapper. I wanna hear Lupe Fiasco rhyme over the entirety of Chameleon like he did for his song Mural. I don't think anything else on the record quite reaches that same level of excitement, that head-bobbing fun that the first track does, but I still think Sly kicks ass, I think Watermelon Man is great even if I can't quite wrap my head around its flute loops...is that a guy just yelping in there? Is someone just shouting between the notes? Hancock is also routinely outshined by his drummer all over Head Hunters, but not because Herbie himself is faltering, but that drummer...ohhhh my god. I am listening to Sly right now as I type this. This dude knows how to rock. I'm very surprised this is the only Herbie Hancock album on the list. I mean, you have nine Bowie albums on here. Six Elvis Costello albums. Four Morrissey solo albums. You couldn't make some room for Sextant? No love for Mr. Hands? The album, not the horse fucker.
Oh this is nice. Starting off with a wonderful 15-minute number in Chameleon, it's a beautifully played set of jazzy, funky tracks. I personally kinda wish it had ended with Sly instead of the lower-energy, more thoughtful Vein Melter, but this was still a very enjoyable jazz album.
Miles went electric. It was only a matter of time for Herbie to do the same. Brilliant experimental jazz funk fusion.
Great funky jazz. All the tracks have a great groove to them and the rhythm section is tight. The whole band has incredible skill. The production on this album is very well done. I will say, based on the title, I had all kinds of ideas of what “Vein Melter” will sound like. Is it wild, aggressive, experimental free jazz? Or disgustingly funky enough to melt your veins? The actual song is good, but I was promised melted veins, and my blood is still flowing the same way it was before. 4/5
Listening session: june 4th, while studying Listened to before: no Thoughts: this was a weird music choice for studying but when I listened to it again, I really appreciated the creativity and grooviness Favourite track: Chameleon
Incredible. Herbie is the man. Watermelon Man and Chameleon are staples of my college music experience.
chameleon; liek a 9.75 or 10/10 wow i still dont know what that instrument was, it was probably a synth idek watermelon man was also very good the beer bottle sound wow thats crazy anyway i do think less than chameleon though like 9/10 sly 9.5/10 vein melter: 8.75/10 overrall: strong 9 4.5/5
Clean, balanced, straight, makes no mistakes. Niiiceee
A really solid jazz fusion album, enjoyable all the way through. Couldn’t listen to it daily but I’m really glad I heard it, 4 stars
Chameleon - 4 Watermelon man - 4 Sly - 3 Vein melter - 3
People who know know Herbie Hancock......and more people should know Herbie Hancock. Rarely has there been a better use of 4 songs.
Ok so this is one of the most unique albums I've listened, beautiful jazz combined with electro elements, vibing into funk. Is just so relaxing, like I rinsed my brain of the rot of the day.
Master
I liked this more than I thought I would. Funky and cool.
Influential as hell, and while it doesn’t always work for me (Watermelon Man intro gets a bit grating) this is so innovative and modern sounding for something from 1973. If I could rate this a 4.5, I would.
I love and hate this album. It was a groundbreaker in pulling jazz back into R&B and funk and music that regular people like and it is a flawless groove. Also I like the audacity of synthesizers here (that should be their venery term.) The bad part is, it put a full stop on a lot of musicians. They can never get past this and we are flooded with sub-HH funk forever
Funky and groovy in all the right places, and you can definitely hear echoes of its influence decades later. His version of “Watermelon Man” is good but not my favorite, and the last track falls off the pace somewhat. Also — and this is petty and immaterial — I have never liked this album cover. What is that thing?
I'm not normally a jazz guy but adding some funk to the mix definitely makes one of the more esoteric popular genres accessible to me. Still not quite my cup of tea, but undeniably groovy
Funky, enchanting, relaxing, beautiful.
Groove so strong I can’t believe I’m still standing- Chameleon was the highlight for me.
I love the bass lines but some of the repetitive whistling parts pissed me off
Classic album by Herbie Hancock. Definitely requires focused listening with good speakers or headphones for the best listening experience. Gets absolutely murdered in the car.
To be honest I really enjoyed a lot listening to this album
Herbie is the foundation of a weirdly large portion of what I listen to lately - The Budos Band, The Olympians, Manhattan Street Band, etc. I have a 12hr long Spotify playlist called “Brass Knuckles” (there are a lot of Spotify playlists called Brass Knuckles) that makes great background music for a bbq. I acknowledge that my usual rules wouldn’t reward a “godfather of good background music” album with many stars, but this feels different. This feels like a record that made jazz accessible to a lot of people who otherwise wouldn’t have gotten into it. Zappa is great, but he’s pretty far out there; Herbie has a kind of quiet cool that I appreciate. Fun fact: Herbie was born in April 1940, I was born in April 1986. This year (2026) I turned 40 and he turned 86. Neat
So, Jazz isn't my thing. But this is probably as good as it gets. It doesn't overstay it's welcome at all. Really good album.
41 minutes of Jazz in 4 tracks. Long, sure, but the funk adds a lot. Saved the short track ..
funky! experimental! excellent!
This is an album that's in my rotation. It's a classic.
3.5 - Jazz is nice.
I feel like I'm finally starting to understand jazz
Great funky jazz
Some great sounds and fusion jazz here
Songs were very long but generally very good. Goof didn't like it.
It's Jazz. It's Funk. It sounds like something you'd hear from Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes if Hans Solo hadn't shot the bounty hunter Greedo and ruined the groove.
peak, im thinking like themed picnic during a bit chillier summer day
12/05/26 que capa foda meus amigos o álbum tem 4 músicas, mas juntas elas dão 45 min - cinema esse groove insano no início fire fire vou ouvir alguns álbuns fazendo lição, esse incluso que baixo delícia, que fusão delícia esses synths não são nem um pouco agradáveis a longo prazo já a próxima sessão é bem mais pika pra background cai como uma luva, mas dura demais mds não fica tão entretenimento essa segunda enjoa menos pra background é quase perfeito, sem ser como background (ouvindo atentamente) inova bastante, embora ainda assim canse dou 7/10 / 3.5/5, arredondo para 8 pra avaliar por conta de criatividade sonora, faixa a faixa e visual (papo de melhores capas que eu já vi)
Quite nice i liked it
I appreciate the music, but this kind of jazz just isn't my thing. That said, it was pleasant to do some work to!
Really enjoyed the first 2 funky tracks but the last 2 were too ‘jazzy’ for me.
niggaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Watermelon man sounds like the kinda song the host from Mario party for Nintendo Wii would be rockin while he’s making dinner
Some jazz can get annoying, this jazz leaves you discovering something new on every listen. Loved it.
Very good!!
Chameleon and Watermelon Man are eternal earworms for me so I was pleased to get this one. The pinnacle of early jazz/funk fusion. Great musicianship and minimal production to get in the way of it. An easy 5* except for the fact the second half doesn't go as hard as the first.
Very nice but somehow it didn’t grab me. I added “Watermelon Man” to my playlist.
Are vibe funky la o primă ascultare. Jazz-ul mi-a plăcut )) L-aş asculta cât fac lucrul la univer or any other work. I lowkey enjoyed all the songs :)
My project has only just begun, but it already seems clear that the best albums I haven't heard previously are jazz records. Head Hunters and Jimmy Smith's Back at the Chicken Shack are albums that I will continue to listen to in the future.
This was very funky and nice. I really enjoyed the change of pace. The development of jazz in the 70s is interesting with the integration of the synthesizer. Was definitely surprised by how much I liked this one.
Треки слишком длинные как будто можно было разделить их на более короткие но так прикольно слушать можно
Sounds super clean for a 1973 release. Doesn’t sound muddy whatsoever. Is this a certain kind of jazz? YUP jazz fusion just as suspected! Wow Herbie Hancock has never been on my radar, super cool to read about how influential he’s been in music. I would actually rank these songs in their existing order on the album. Chameleon is so funky. Immediate add to “ya like jazz?” even with its long duration. New info: Learned today that songs like Chameleon with a duration of 10-15 minutes are called long songs or epics! Sick new way to annoy people. True epics are 15+ minutes, and mini-epics are 6-9 minutes! Overall rating: 8.6/10
For fans of the theme to Taxi, but funkier.
To steal a line for George Castanza, These guys are beepboppin and scattin all over me! Love an experimental jazz album that keeps the core tenant of listenability in mind. Good jazz and good experimental music doesn’t have to be hard to listen to and only enjoyable in the abstract just because stuck up music snobs have set that as the expectation. It can be fun, this is fun.
baller
4.5/5
ohhhhh i was funkin HARD
More funk than I personally like, but Herbie Hancock is one of the greats.
Jazz and creativity 3,6⭐️
Herbie Hanchops! But a non-lyric album is hard to be totally my thing. 8/10
Alternative Jazz - Composing. Really cool.
Easily the most interesting jazz album I’ve heard on here so far. Funk basslines really are the special sauce that makes almost any music better.
85
Herbie in his experimental bag was a treat to listen to.
Great fun to listen to. A couple of crazy bits which repeated too much and would drive you crazy but overall definitely one of comeback to
the mayor of funkytown
The synth-y instrumentation hasn’t necessarily held up well—the album is *so* 70s, y’know—but if “Watermelon Man” won’t get you to four stars, what will?
Groovy
Najs funk/jazz
good
que buen jazz
This the shit they were playing on Tom & Jerry
Groove is contagious, not unanimously through the album however
'Sly' around minute 4 hits crazy with headphones on. Solo of idek what instrument, but it's just GOOD. I am such an ignorant that i dont know what genre of music this is. Wikipedia says it's "jazz-funk and jazz fusion". I really liked it, even though I guess it's not the kind of album I'd listen to while riding my bike, nor perhaps the most ususal kind of background music, as it may come across a little too aggressive perhaps, when compared to more "normal" jazz. I really liked it though.
Gets a four just for the grooves on Chameleon and Watermelon Man. I was pretty tired by the second side but overall- super fun jazz funk. FOUR STARS
FTL: This album is like being spawned in a tropical rainforest, not knowing where the fuck you are. Surrounded by exotic bird sounds and trees breathing lively, a talking bonobo shows you the way. Really hearing influences of Miles Davis throughout the record but combined with the synths, flute and sly influences, this really is an amazing record.
Riktigt funky jazz!
8 - first song is great and overall entertaining listen
Great album to put on in the background while playing Slay the Spire. I approve. 4/5
I had high hopes of this album, after reading the Wikipedia article: one-time best-selling jazz album ever, hugely influential? Okay! The start of ‘Chameleon’ did not disappoint, famous bass line. But, over the rather long course of the song, I lost track of what was going on. (Is that why it’s called ‘Chameleon’? Hmm.) ‘Watermelon Man’ was again catchy at the outset but then I again lost the groove. And the next two songs didn't make much impression on me. Maybe I need to listen more times, and/or get more jazz-educated? The album just didn’t have the zing and oomph I like to find with my funk, hip hop, etc. I concluded it’s full of good playing, but it didn’t light my fire - I’ll say it’s Good, 7/10.
Yes. Just excellent and fun.
I thought i wouldn't enjoyed it, but I was completely wrong. I even wished it was longer. The sounds were really satisfying to hear,