Head Hunters

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

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,

Great grooves, a bit long at times.

Four songs and the first is already on my playlist. Looking forward to this. This was a trip! Enjoyed the first half a bit more. But this was great. Must be incredible on psychedelics. 4/5

4/5 - Would give 3.5 if I could. All of it was really solid but I'm not a fan of the intro/outro of Watermelon Man (possibly a hot take)

Lively and funky jazz that demands you give it the attention it deserves.

Best Jazz/funk fusion on the list imo. Herbie pours his heart and soul in every creation

Lo escuché muchas veces.

The groove is unreal! 8/10

Funky as hell, with a good bit of jazz mixed in. This combo can occasionally become annoying.

This is a completely new album to me. I had no clue what to expect. It's easy to jam along to and is groovy, uplifting, and a good background track. I could definitely see myself studying to this. The sound of Head Hunters makes me realize how unserious and easygoing life can be. An easygoing track. Could def see myself getting high to this as well lol.

All of these were absolute bangers. Very groovy, very upbeat, reminded me of the movie Soul/Whiplash. While it is not something that I would seek out to put on, I would not be in a rush to turn it off either.

Fantastic Jazz-Funk album, possibly the most famous of the subgenre. Initially I didn't think much of it, but then it hit me and it hit me hard. Kudos do Hancock to constantly reinvent himself and try new sounds. Starting out as a Thelonous Monk-type Hard Bop pianist, then adopting this style of Funk in the 70's, later turning to Electro in the 80's and Breakbeat in the 90's. A Swiss-Army Knive of Jazz! Key tracks: Chameleon Watermelon Man

Wow, was not expecting to enjoy an instrumental jazz album this much. The 4 songs are different but cohesive and the flutes/pipes in Watermelon Man are great.

Eclectic, very groovy. Experimental and completely catchy!!! My two faves watermelon man and chameleon.

Is it funky jazz or jazzy funk? I'll go with the former, as the genius of Herbie Hancock makes jazz approachable for me. First introduced to Hancock in the 80s with "Rockit," I'm learning that throughout his amazing and still ongoing career, he's proven equally adept at blending multiple genres and making music for the masses.

hit

This was fantastic

Dobar i veoma zanimljiv za striktno instrumentalni album, sviđa mi se vajb i atmosfera i sve.

Maybe I do not fear all jazz because that was delightful

i fuck with this

It's actually amazing to me that in 1973, Hancock was already putting out his twelfth studio album. He's such a genius and amazing composer and musician. While this is definitely one of those albums that you would tend to play as background music rather than sit and listen to, it's still a truly great album. This is album where Hancock started adding more funk to his music than jazz. When you listen closely, it's amazing all the different sounds he incorporates into the songs. Another one definitely worthy of the list!

9/10 - yes give me more jazz please

Gear: Focalman Cleardara Artwork: 🛢️🎹🪘 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🎷📚🕺 Rating: 🍉🍉🍉🍉(🍉)/5

Primera vez que lo escucho. Está música tiene un ritmo que te lleva por distintos estados.

Really good album, alternative sounds but super interesting.

4 - great album

Many innovative sounds and quite suprisingly a very easy listen.

22/03/2026 1. chameleon - ooo loving the start! drums are niiice! sax is great!! looove the bassline almost eight mins in <3 horns and synth are great! lovely :) *2. watermelon man - bass and drums are great!! very jazzy... love the sax! 3. sly - ooo the start is great! very smooth. two minutes in wow!! loving it! *4. vein melter - slower start.. really love the strings? synths? great anyways!! really love the ending! have vaguely heard of herbie hancock before but knew literally nothing about him, so was tentatively excited for this album! the cover is also reallly nice as well.

I dug alot of this, but not as much as Coltrain, Davis, Gordon, Bird...

This album really, truly surprised me. A 4-track album with tracks reaching upwards of 15 minutes, yet not a dull moment, never a point of thinking 'how long is left?'. This is a mix of jazz and funk, done in a way that keeps you intrigued. This was the first ever Jazz record to go platinum, and you can see why. The impact this album had was huge, influencing both pop and hip-hop later on. Before listening to this record, I didn't think it would be something that I would want to come back to again, but I have even added 1 or 2 of the tracks onto my own playlist. And Chameleon... what an opening track. It really sets the mood of the genre right from the start. Favourite Track: Chameleon (I wish I could pick multiple, but with it being a 4-track record, I am going to only choose the one).

Incredible.

8/10 – Very Good

This took a few listens to get through- wildly interesting

This was fun as hell! 4/5

Great rhythm and bounce, for me it's a good background album to put maybe on blast maybe on a lower volume even, listen to its energy and flow with it around what I have to do. at the same time it could also be a good one to listen on the beach (but only with certain people haha)

Hancock and his band of hotshot players weave some startling melody lines over complex grooves on this jazz fusion record from 1973. Production is clear as a bell, also. Special kudos go to drummer Harvey Mason whose dynamic and intricate playing provides the essential pulse driving these tracks.

Distinctive, instrumental, and swinging (and a well-known name besides)

(83/100)

Low-key a vibe. GREAT to study with

estupendo para tener de fondo mientras trabajas, me parece súper adelantado a su generación!!

A great vibey album to set a mood.

The mixing is absolutely perfect even in its original version and the keyboard synths sound incredible throughout the record. It manages to showcase many different styles of the same genre in just forty minutes and while it did not fully reach that top-tier spark it remains an outstanding technical achievement.

Un álbum genial y con buena onda para crear el ambiente perfecto.

Funky Mr Hancock, funky as hell

jazzy funk or funky jazz?

Deux classique qu'il fait du bien de ré entendre

Fun. Unfortunately I listened to it on a train ride, otherwise I would have been boogying around the kitchen.

Já tinha ouvido

3.5 Starts An album that moves back and forth between two themes - what seems to be akin to a cocaine frenzy and a cool, laid-back funk. I prefer the funk but the frenetic portions are intriguing. Favorite track: Watermelon Man

2026.03.06-07

was viibing with this one all the way through

I wonder what head hunters even are. I don’t find the point in listing why this album is one of the best representations of funk music, but I will try my best anyways (since that’s kind of the point of music reviews). There are several occasions on this album where the splendor and creativity of the music forced me to pause and think about it for a long while, which is impressive since I’ll literally kill anyone who pauses my music midway through. I’m guessing that a common criticism of this album would be that it’s too simple, but I would argue that it’s because literally everything on here is completely intentional; every decision deserves itself, which is why it may sound bare. This project truly is the perfect mix of some classic jazz-funk and a bit of musical wittiness (and maybe insanity). Genuinely, how can you get bored of this? I know this review reads like a nothing burger, but I really don’t have anything that interesting to say about this album; it’s simply fantastic. Anyways, great album, would recommend.

Funky jazz fusion from the early 70s, it's accessible even for those who don't like jazz that much.

Mi è piaciuto nonostante sia più fan di un jazz tradizionale e meno sperimentale

Super funky, very groovy, would listen again.

Jazzfunkkia, tosi smoothia, maukasta, ja coolia. Siistii. Fuusiojazzin kaaoksessa on jotain mistä tykkään. Parhaat: Chameleon, Spy

Really solid stuff, but Vein Melter was way too repetitive for me to close out the album

Chameleon has lived in my head long before I listened to it because of band camp, and it's also because of band that I just can't say no to jam tracks. Favourite track: Chameleon

Loved it, great and jazzy

4/5

Immaculate funk

pretty interesting funky jazzy album, i enjoyed quite a bit of this one. it’s refreshing to get some jazz you can really groove to.

Chameleon

This album is so good. I’ve listened to it at least 4 times. It wasn’t my first listen, but damn Herbie Hancock got that shit on. Only 4 tracks, but each of them takes you on a little journey. I love what he does, he does it wonderfully. Solid 8.5 for me

Nice jazz

Interesante

Listened to 1 song only, sounded promising

Look. It's super good, and I love it, but it's just not quite there for me. Funk without being funky. Jazz without being jazzy. Idk. I want more fun and fresh and dancy. Oooorrrr more jazz and technical and complex. It's just....not quite there for me and I can't explain why. Maybe I just think Herbie is better than this.

4 because Chameleon is fantastic

Very quirky. A little bit chaotic and then a little bit chill. Jazz yet electronic vibes and funk elements. Crazy that this was made over 50 years ago. It sounds like someone would make something like this now. Only four tracks, instrumental - must have been very interesting at the time. Still is very interesting.

I like the music and the feel of the album. Not something I would revisit all the time, but an enjoyable listen.

MUCH better than I was expecting. Only ever heard his 80s weak soul electronica but this is like Eumir Deodato. Some of it is quite bearable.

8/10

3/5

Very good, end part of track 1 and middle of track 2 would fit perfectly in a coffee shop or a chill soundtrack

Good Porn Groove

I'd never listened to the whole album, quite enjoyed it. Watermelon Man was great, I've enjoyed that one for years. Overall very good, the third song felt a little frantic, would have made Brenda unbearably nervous. Songs like these are great to lose your virginity to because you can really settle in and take your time. The Ramones or the Dead Kennedys are the worst, it is just rushed and over before you know it.

Great album, very enjoyable.

Now there’s an album cover! This is fun and interesting jazz, pretty easy listening. I like it!

Really nice jazz funk, playful and a little bit weird, and what an absolutely amazing album cover! This is really enjoyable and uplifting, really fun to just get lost in while I get on with my day, to add a bit of a funky sheen to it all. Very nice well done Herbie!

A trip, flirts with noodles, always pulls you back, you never quite know where it’s headed. I would always listen to it … but I’m not sure I would necessarily reach for it on the shelf. It’s a 4.5 rounded down.

Já tinha ouvido várias vezes antes. Gosto muito da estética do álbum

Very funky, very fresh, very fun

Chameleon and Watermelon Man are practically flawless. Sly is an underrated banger. Vein Melter is just fine; it's not on the same level as the other songs. I love Herbie and I agree this might objectively be a perfect jazz album, but to me nearly quarter of the album is just fine.

I really like this album, it is a fun version of a Jazz album 4/5

The first track is probably my most favourite of all jazz tracks. Watermelon man is pretty good too. Enough for 4 stars!

Jazz meets disco? Iconic

One of the best jazz albums ever, amazing instrumentation and very funky. Watermelon Man and Chameleon are all-timers.

Really funky, heard TTC in this

Herbie Hancock is the name of someone who should play blues but he sure can play jazz.

A really smooth listen that demonstrates a different take on jazz. It’s funky, it’s bold, and it holds up until the very end. The whole record sounds timeless, and the lack of guitar is an interesting creative choice.

0 lüürikat, aga see muusika ikka kuidagi suudab rääkida mu hingega. Herbie Hancock mulle väga istub, see plaat ka. Lood pole just kuidagi ühendatud ja raske on leida neile mingit ühist alust, aga tervikuna on teda ikka hea kuulata. 3.9/5

Weird but kinda jazzy and souly

Great jazz-funk record that I will definitely return too. The mix of synthetic and classic instrumentals is amazing to listen to to this day. Only reason that it's not a 5 is that I'm not the biggest fan of the last track, which I don't thi know builds on the sound Hancock creates throughout the rest of the album. But still, an amazing record.

Really enjoyed this one. Interesting to see how influenced subsequent music.

Funky grooves that melt into the next movement - what more could you ask for?!

La última canción mehhhhh, había partes que sonaba muy padre pero otras que no tanto. Me gustó la combinación del jazz con lo eléctrico.

I thought the last album I had was short. This is 4 songs! 4 funky songs, that kicks off in a real nice groove. Totally something I could put on in the background while I work. Or drive around to. Real cool sound I have to say. Reminds me of things I used to listen to in my friend’s car way back when. This is the reason I do this, I never would have listened to this album otherwise. This is one I’ll come back to when I’m in the right mood.

Classic jazz album

SUCH A VIBE Watermelon Man is giving tropical jungle energy Edit Mar 27 2026: 5 --> 4. I haven't played this album *as* much. Maybe if I play it more in the future I will bump it up more

So funky I like it.

don’t love jazz but this was great

at first I found it a bit weird. then it gets enjoyable. not a big jazz fan so I cannot fully appreciate it.

ALBUM #1 🎉 01/02/26 i definitely rock with the songs, theyre my vibe but a bit too long for me to be able to actually play on a walk to school funky in a good way, Vein Melter takes numero uno for best song on the album imo

This kind of album is the template for pretty much all of the Jazz fusion that came afterwards. The music that Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Donald Byrd, and other such musicians at the time were making still has relevancy and still sounds exciting over fifty years later. There are only four songs here, but each one has its own unique flavor and style. I never get tired of listening to this one.

Funky jazz

First time I heard this. Quite good.

Funky

Never considered Jazz as a music genre before listening to this album today. Smooth, crisp and enjoyable.

Very smooth and exciting, great album of fusion, and make justice to the name, as it mix different sounds with such harmony and groove.

Exceptional

Гарний альбом, якось вдалося зловити такий вайб поїздки в метро. Єдине мені не дуже сподобалася остання композиція, на мій смак якось занадто нецікаво, особливо після попередніх.

I really enjoyed the first half of this, to the point where I was asking myself if I was going to give five stars to an album I'd never heard before. I mean that's the dream right, that's why I'm here. But unfortunately the second half was nowhere near as good. I'm not even sure if the first half was on relisten. Who knows, but it did make me feel something and for that I am thankful.

Favorite Track: Watermelon Man

The tracks on this album are sprawling and funky. Probably the best instrumental album I've come across on this list so far. 3.75/5.

incredible funky jazz almost rock instrumental album

Herbie is The Man on the Keyboard!!!

Funky

When Jazz ruled the world what an era for music herbie Hancock at his finest on this Chameleon is a classic , straight away your into that stank groove on the keys and from then on your transported into some serious groove sections , thought this was Mike Clark on drums turns out it’s Harvey mason , providing some serious funky displaced feels on this locking in with the bass player Love how it doesn’t fall off in terms of musical interest like some jazz does , always admired herbies ability to come up with great chapters in a song which keeps the listener engaged through a 15 minute epic like this Watermelon man reminds me of a classic meters track pure funk loved it Sly really pricked my ears up straight off the bat a great accented motif that displaces occasionally love the Jam in the middle Harvey giving it the old buddy rich fast ride peppering the song along nicely and then back to the original motif at the end a really well structured tune probably my fave of the album Vein melter great track felt like it needed sly to be the finisher though thoroughly enjoyed this one

Fun but not my vibe

One more song would have made it 5

This had some great funky bits, fairly experimental in a lot of places with sound choice which made it part interesting and part silly. But I didn't mind that. The tracks were all pretty long and sadly they were long because most of them contained some big nonsense improvements bit that I didn't really care for and drifted off during until the great riffs came back in. Maybe on more listens when I am able to concentrate better on the self indulgent parts it would make more sense. It was pretty fun though. Maybe 4 is generous but I'm feeling generous.

8/10

Bangers. Like the album cover too. Some indigenous sounds and calls there too, makes it psychadelic

Really liked this one, great background music!

Undoubtedly solid album with some classics on it. Does get a little samey but I can’t fault it too much

songs were wayyy too long but i still found them enjoyable!

this was fun good work music and nice to learn about herbies influence!

Very chill.

Absolute funk jam band album. This one rocks and would sound amazing on stereo surround sound. Going to save this one for later and hopefully add to my Vinyl collection. 8/10

This album completely completely blew me away in the best possible ways. I knew Herbie Hancock before but I hadn't listed to an album fully. The fusion of funk and jazz spoke to me and the fact that the songs were all very long and instrumental made this even better! I felt like I flowed with the music in a way where it moved in the way I wanted and imagined it. Hankcock's passion felt tangible and raw. The whole experience felt intimate but equally explosive and I feel just completely energised. My only take back was there was aspects of 'Watermelon man' which felt Dr Octagonecologystesque - with the Mickey Mouse voice in 'Trip to the gynecologist' in particular. However I feel this wouldn't matter or occur to me if i hadn't heard that album first.

the tracks are so long but i think it adds to the instrumentalism. When that song says 'play that funky music white boy', this is what it means. 3.5 rounded to a 4

I first listened to this album driving around the suburbs of Glendale, and I scarfed down an entire Sonic Double Smasher in the parking lot of a Fry's in the time it took me to listen to Watermelon Man. The second time, I was driving around at night. As is usually the experience with jazz, clicking with the music is all about falling into the right groove with it. That second listen is where it really started to fall into place for me. I had an incredible amount of respect for the composition right off the bat, but I grew to connect with the individual songs over time (except Sly, that one immediately hooked me). The strange production on Watermelon Man in particular is a standout, and while I'm not always in the mood for it, nothing hits quite like it when I am. Just some truly incredible and funky jazz here, and a strong showcase for a genre which I am still relatively unfamiliar with. Highlights: Chameleon, Watermelon Man, Sly

erg groovy en chill als achtergrond muziek

Great fusion album. Great vibes, but can feel a bit too much and nauseous here and there (high paced 3min sax solos)

Great Album, was purely instrumental and surprised me. Gives me buddy cop movie OST vibes. All of the songs hit that vibe, except "Vein Melter" but it's still a good song on its own.

This was fun to listen to!! A little relentless, but I enjoyed it!

jazzy, funky, liked the flute 4

Loved it! Haven't felt that instantly-hooked feeling for music in a long time. Easily 4/5

I’ve listened to more Jazz albums than any one man should ever listen to since I started this long journey, now approaching an entire year on the site. I have heard many different types and sub genres of Jazz during this time. There have been some types of Jazz that I outright despise, some that were just ok, but most of them have rarely been worth listening to again after the day ends. This, and I don’t know why, is for sure one of the best ones that I have heard so far. I don’t know what causes me to like some Jazz and hate others, but now I want to do a deep dive into all the different forms. This album is giving me a deep appreciation for the craft that I otherwise didn’t have yet. It’s an album I’m thankful the site has given me. This barely registers as Jazz, it feels like Funky Electronica with a smooth Jazzy finish hidden underneath. I don’t know exactly what you would call this, but I’d call it pretty damn good. Favorite song on the album is the opener, “Chameleon”. It’s the fastest song on the album and some of the rapid tone changes towards the middle of the song are just incredibly ear wormy. Song lives up to its name, it’s constantly changing, but not in the way other free form Jazz albums have that have previously not done much for me. Again, I don’t really know what it is about this one specifically, but I’m not complaining. As far as Jazz goes, this was outstanding. I would gladly listen to more of this. Plus, I have no idea what’s going on with the album art, but I dig it. It’s pretty cool. Funky.

Shit definitely got funky. Do like the long form jazz and something nice to turn on in the background. Not something i’m bumping in the car. Very musically advanced and would listen to again. 7/10

Tommy!

Yazz

have not heard before 4 songs but 41 minutes? damn a good time! would never had heard this without this site. really enjoyed

I have no business being a human being coexisting with other human beings who have done this kind of thing in life

Man, the bass line in chameleon immediately drew me in. What a vibe. The long form instrumental nature of this and the absolute mojo across these songs brought a smile to my face and makes me yearn for more. Sounds way more modern than it actually is, further listens are warranted.

bau noo noo nute nute nute bau noo noo nute nute nute

Fuck the purists. This is a good album. Its got jazz, its got electronica, what more do you need?

For a song called vein melter it was really boring lmao I dont listen to fusion or jazz that much but it was a nice listen

Nice jazz. Short album. Long tracks.

Watermelon Man and Vein Melter fucks!

Really like this slow funk/jazz mix. Very ambient music, you can complete a task while listening to this or have a good conversation. Personally for me the instruments in the second song sound likes remind children so I’m not a fan but the rest is great.

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: All of them (there's only 4 tracks)! Good jazz-funk-rock is good. Seriously though: Great grooves and a sweet album cover. What else is there to ask for?

Good

Used to play chameleon in marching band lol

When to listen: Intense jazz experience

Jazz funky, made me look up jazz standards, notable that his most famous album is his 12th, following 3 very experimental albums and a desire to return to earth with something lighter Will replay

The album is a total vibe, however I’m only one song in and it feels like it’s dragging. The second song feels so refreshing after listening to the first song, most likely the best song out of the four. The album is interesting for the time, but not really interesting in today’s standards. The third song is also really good, but it also has the problem of being 10 minutes long. The fourth and last song has a few interesting moments, but is overall boring.

das war ein Meilenstein, auch wenn er mir aus heutiger Sicht recht öde vorkommt - 4 Sterne

fire

quite interesting nice beats most songs didn't even really feel all that long since 3/4 were 10-15 mins ling

this album reminded me of the seen in ratatouille where remy try’s the grapes and cheese together and there was different colors and different shapes representing the taste of both the grapes and cheese. i really enjoyed the album and will probably listen to it again.

Creativity will arise while listening to this album.

Honestly pretty good -- a few of the freeform parts were a bit annoying to my senses, but I feel like there could be value in that if I experience it in the right context.

GREAT album, there’s a few i could stand to go without, obv watermelon man is a banger. Shoutout Mid 90s. Great cover art, fun instrumentals. Good for traveling in a market in a former country, fishing in the summer, acid trip hike with homies, and splatter painting.

Love this one watermelon man always iconic. I kinda just dislike hella long songs if they don’t keep me super interested throughout and sometimes I found myself distracted tbh. 4 songs for 41 min is wild but it’s iconic and I love the jazzyness

instant vibe

Fun jazz!

Funky

So funkay! Puerno soundtrack

Mesmerising, funky, obviously influential, sounded familiar yet strange

Idk this is definitely not usually what I would listen to, but with my very lacking musical knowledge I personally think it is incredibly good musically. Like to me it's not the most engaging like I would dance like a maniac to it ( my sign of good music personally) but it is very enjoyable to listen to especially while doing my evil epq. Like the techniques seem like so fancy and like technical it seems just so well written. I can't give it a 5 cos idk I would go back and listen on repeat like some of my favourite albums but it's definitely one of the better albums I have been recommended and I really enjoyed it

Excellent but the first two tracks suffer from being over played throughout my life

THE perfect idle soundtrack Best = Chameleon/Vein melter Skip = Watermelon man

electronic and jazz are so different but hancock works that they can work really well together. big fan

Interesante

This was pretty outstanding. Jazz, funk, beats and tracks that would be the foundation of rap. All done in 1973? Just amazing. 4 for sure.

I’ve been trying to get into jazz a bit. And this is one of the albums I saw that was recommended and I really really like it. I’m far for an expert on jazz, but this one has a lot of soul to it.

My daughter said the first song sounded like a chameleon because chameleon can change their colors and sneak around and it was good sneaking around music. I feel like the rest of the album was similarly aptly named.

Iconic and very enjoyable

good, funky, jazzy. lots of instruments and such a diversity of sound

Sly canción top. Grandes adiciones del sintetizador en disco de jazz.

It was interesting. Not something I would reach for on my own. Nice experience.

4, quite synth heavy

Dearest Bartholomew B. Benson, It is with great pleasure that I can confirm that I do indeed like jazz. Sincerest regards,

Great vibes

A great jazz album from the legendary Herbie Hancock. Would definitely look for this album again were I to be searching for this kind of music

jazzy long songs funkalicious

Hancock tossing you into the deep end with one of the swankiest basslines known to man. I don't care at all that Chameleon is almost 16 minutes long and that the bassline doesn't change by a single note for the first 7 minutes. It's incredibly infectious. My jazz band played this piece to death back in the day, so the fact that I still enjoy it after losing sleep over written solos and high trumpet notes speaks volumes. I've never heard this jazz-lounge style, with a greater emphasis on the rhyth section than any brass instruments. I like it. Very loop-inspired, and considering the year of release, this is something pretty impressive. Loop-based, synth-based songs wouldn't become really mainstream until the 80s. (Oh yeah, and section 2 of this song is absolutely legendary. Peep that basswork.) But then it gets weird. And not necessarily in a good way. Watermelon Man, historically a household title, is turned on its head with the extremely strange flute lines that take up several minutes of runtime before we hit anything remotely recognisable. And the head tune is... experimental? I feel that this is a bit of an indulgent reimagination of the 1962 original, which is (in my opinion) far superior. Sly is fine, but is maybe a little too experimentally soundscapey for its own good. Also, it takes on a progressive persona, undergoing various complete changes in atmosphere across its 10-minute duration. It also really lacks the hooks that define the other three tracks. It's played tremendously well, but it's the sort of jazz my brain tunes out against my will for just not being catchy enough. The song's a tough nut to crack, is what I'm saying. Maybe a few more listens will do it. Vein Melter, the final track, is a mild return to form. The swelly keyboards are always a win – they make any track sound like a futuristic airport lounge – and the drumming is also very restrained, almost hesitant, in a tasteful manner. Love the bassline here too. 4/5 Key tracks: Chameleon

4/5 funky jazz beat, easy to enjoy, stands out a little more in comparison to other jazz-esque albums

Really good, wasn’t expecting an instrumental but overall a very lowkey vibe

12/12/2025. FUNKY! If I was lost in the sauce yesterday, I'm out at sea today. 7/10

COCK

Was okay I guess

Piano-jazz from chill to frenetic. Has its moments for the right time and place but couldn’t do it every day.

creative jazz funk with electronic elements. very cool. a must have in any jazz playlist.

Funky, jazzy and exciting.

Herbie Hancock operates on a different level than the vast majority of us. This wasn’t an album I’d ever listened to before but it turns out I’d heard countless snippets of the songs over the years as hip hop has been heavily sampling them since it’s early days.

nice album, sometimes a bit repetative, but not too much. does not feel like this album is from 1973. 4

😃

Fun jazzy vibes Enjoyed most of it Nice background music