Head Hunters

Now I know who the songs my eldest has been playing on the sax are by! Great to listen, but not really my thing, though I love learning about what music my kids are into :)

great. Nice and funky

An interesting instrumental jazz album with some rock and funk influences. The instrument playing is great, which helps a lot when the album is 4 instrumental compositions stretched out over an LP length. I enjoyed listening to the track "Sly" in particular.

4.5

Chameleon // Watermelon Man // 4.5/5

Jazzy and fun. Eclectic. 6/10

Herbie ima nekoliko remek djela prije ovog ali ovo je isto jebeno briljantan album

Very nice

I've written a few reviews of instrumental albums before. I remain firm in my opinion that albums without vocals fail to communicate completely directly with the listener. Despite being fascinated by music and its artifice and minute details, I understand that music is something that arises from within a human being, and that the voice is the purest and most genuine instrument we possess to convey our feelings. But I'm not crazy enough to reduce this incredible work to a mere 70s porn soundtrack, as my inner self was tempted to do (broken sense of humor). This is incredible, and since I've made exceptions to my principles before with Miles Davis, this time will be no different. 5 stars.

A fusion jazz masterpiece that hooks you in from the start of "Chameleon", and keeps holding on until the very end with the hypnotic drums of "Vein Melter". You can tell that the musicians involved are incredibly tight and synced, with every note being placed precisely where it needs to be. If you're not into instrumentals, this might be a tough listen, but if you're willing to push past that (I love instrumentals, so it isn't too much of a problem), you will find a fantastic album.

Been a damn good week for the generator.

That was some groovin' and a movin'

Great album! Love it!

I am not a fan of this. Just weird instrumentals and the songs are like 10 minutes. No lyrics but it’s certainly something…

love!

Herbie Hancock is an absolute master of his craft. Funky, groovy, jazzy jams. An absolute must hear

Funk-Jazz shit

Vibe are fun and interesting. The beats run wild

Makes for some pretty good background music. It's weird, groovy, eclectic, and for the most part very enjoyable. I was already well acquainted with Watermelon Man so when I dove into this I was pretty excited. This album did not disappoint, having listened to this a few times I never found myself bored (ok maybe a teeny bit with the last track but it was still pretty good and the ambiance was nice). I won't lie and say I was blown away with the masterful production but this is just one of those albums that so well-rounded there's really nothing to dislike. Top 2: Chameleon and Watermelon Man 4.00-4.50/5

Un ritme funki molt interessant.

I am a rock fan more than a jazz fan, and this is the jazz album for rock fans. Funky and tight, the band just cooks. The first two songs lean heavily into funk, creating durable grooves to solo over. The third track, “Sly”, leans more free jazz-centric, with the fusion elements playing second fiddle. The final track, “Vein Melter”, is a mesmerizing slow burn. If this isn’t my favorite jazz album of all time, it’s damn close.

this is a friggin vibe and a half. Definitely found a new album to add to my focus music playlist.

Funky as heck

Adrian: Bester song: Watermelon Man insgesamt gutes Album bisschen freaky aber nice Länge der Songs fällt nicht auf gut als background für chillen 3,6/5 Fynn: Bester Song: habe nicht auf die Titel geachtet Album lief im Hintergrund, war aber ein krasser Funk banger müsste für eine akkuratere Bewertung nochmal genau hören 4,1/5

Funky

As far as instrumentals go, this is really good, funky, tight, and fun. But personally, music without lyrics doesn’t impact me much unless it’s tied to a movie or game. Cool listen, not my thing.

Too repetitive for me, but could be background music

I mean, the first half couldn't be any better. The second half is good to great

meh

Holy

Un groove exceptionnel, des accents funk sublimes. C'est audacieux, irrésistible et créatif. "Watermelon Man" est un bijou.

Right off the top, I got excited because I remember playing Chameleon in high school pep band, so that was a fun little throwback. As a flautist, the rest of the album was a fun experience. Jazz still isn't really my vibe, but I loved this.

First two tracks are stone cold classics and I'm not even a big jazz guy

The goat's still around today! Sounds like a soundtrack to an 80s detective film in LA. Funky but mature. This album is home to a plethora of absolute classic riffs which I didn't expect to have heard. Peak

Ultra funky jazz fusion album. Each track feels like a complete exploration of all the ideas presented on it with the exception of "Watermelon Man", which wasn't made for this album. "Chameleon" is the standout for me here, that bassline is addicting and persists throughout all 15 minutes of the track.

great jazz album

Funky and fun to listen to.

Fun

The album is a pioneer of jazz fusion. It sounds much better than its followers with their catchy bass lines.

More Jazz, but this is Jazz with Funk and I quite like it. Love that underlying bass tone on chameleon...and then they synth kicks in OMG!. Would absolutely put this on and vibe to it. What an opening track. I 100% can see why this album is on the list. it just maintains the intensity through Watermelon Man and Sly. Sly is possibly the most Jazz song on the album. First 2 songs were definitely better than the last 2. Last 2 were more Jazzy and less funky, but I still enjoyed them. I might like to own this. 4 stars

Did not listen entirely. I mean, it’s good as a background music, the jazzy vibes are really cool. But kinda weird to listen to it like that.

Did not care for the tone of the intro - watermelon man is a bop! Great companion to a bike tour through the forest. Weak outro as well unfortunately

Awesome album 4.4 stars

Let Herbie Cook

jazz rat music

Yes.

Damn good.

Phenomenal jazz fusion. Chameleon is such a staple and this is still the best version. Masterful improvisation from all members and the chemistry, especially in the rhythm section, is palpable.

Having been introduced to Chameleon in my days when I was in the Jazz Club, with the addictive bass-line being the perfect song to do improv sessions off of, I already had a solid idea as to what to expect for the rest of this album. What I wasn't expecting however, was there to only be 4 songs in total for the full record. This album is the definition of funk. It may be an overused word to describe these 4 songs but it's the embodiment of funk. The instrumentals are all incredible and it's all great vibes all around. While none of the songs necessarily overstay their welcome, none of them are also songs that I feel like I'd be listening to at any moment in a day. You need to be in the mood to love this album, and if you're not, the length of these songs can be a turn-off point for sure. Overall, I would have preferred maybe 2 more songs in exchange for slightly shorter songs, but this is still an incredibly fun album.

Ooooo we got a GROOVE here. Really liked the first song, the rest didn't get me to schmoove quite as much.

Now I finally get that joke from Tommy Boy. Starts way stronger than it ends. The opening two tracks are so much fun. I do wish they were shorter, though, so I'd be more inclined to return to them in the future.

A nice instrumental album with a funk groove. "Sly" definitely plays homage to Sly and the Family Stones, and "Watermelon Man" just grooves with a tasty beat.

What an album. Love having zero expectations and being blown away in this project.

I can see why it’s rated so highly but it’s so far from what I usually listen to and simply not for me

Short, jazzy, funky. Hell yeah.

Herbie fully loaded this album with electric jazz n funk. Listened while I cleaned the house & it was a pretty sweet soundtrack, would love to have on vinyl

Jazz is too hard to review.

Not to my liking

I find this one hard to review...it wasn't what I was expecting at all. 4 songs that all blended into one. VERY experimental for the time. Early synth use. Not for me but can appreciate it's ahead of its time.

Really an odd psychedelic sounding album. Song are over 10 mins ling

The classic jazz funk fusion master

Pretty awesome

Pretty cool. Funky and jazzy and a little psychedelic. I’ve heard some other Herbie Hancock I like better (Cantalope Island for example), but this was pretty good. Not my regular jam though.

First couple of tracks, I was so excited, thinking I like fusion jazz now. But that didn't last.

Chameleon was cool, a little laborious

A little funk, a little blues. But nothing super caught me

Hey, Herbie Hancock. I've seen this album cover around and am pretty sure I've heard part of it a long, long time ago. I don't remember much, but I think I'm in for a jazz affair, which is always daunting - the acclaimed jazz albums sound like auditory diarrhea to me. In any case, I'll steel my resolve and go in with no reservations. Not bad, and a lot funkier than I was expecting. The dreaded "long song" has always been a scourge upon my music-listening ears, but these songs were tolerable for the most part. Many of the sounds on this album are interesting in a way which goes beyond my non-jazz vocabulary. They almost sound ethereal and otherworldly. The constant tempo changes are also quite interesting. As a whole the album is freewheeling and all over the place, yet it feels like there's more of a direction when compared with some of the other works from this genre. I have no idea where to start with discussing these songs, not gonna lie. "Chameleon" is pretty alright. I like the wobbly, iconic funk sound, though it's the sleek, subdued atmosphere from around the middle of the track which really wins me over. Decent song overall, though I must admit that the sheer length of it is lost on me. "Watermelon Man" is a more relaxed tune. The saxaphone interjections are pretty neat, and I like whatever percussive sound hangs over the track. It pairs nicely with the bassy guitar in the background. "Sly" is pretty cool. I like the subtle changes in tempo - they all mesh together shockingly well. Instrumentally, the song is more of the same from the previous two tracks, but I'm not complaining. Checking the book, though I already know this is a well-received album. "invented several genres of music". That's it, really. Wikipedia reveals that this album was a critical slam dunk and a commercial success. I'm in favour of this inclusion. It's a pretty unique pick.

Decent background music. Enjoyable but no more than that

Herbie hancock - head hunters 4.5/5 -very funky -Every section serves its purpose and -they all connect extremely well -The songs are a bit long so it feels too samey at times -I like how electronic it gets at the end of vein melter it was great

Thought it was going to be a bit try-hard artsy but quite liked it. On my patented -100 to 100 rating scale - where 100 is god herself coming down and giving me the best sex ever, respecting me in the morning and doing the dishes on the way out is 90+ (because nothing get 100 in an imperfect world - i mean look at the sheets!) it gets 60

I did enjoy listening to it, though I am not a fan of endless songs. It's good background music.

Actually really enjoyed the album. If I'm in a certain mood I'd fully enjoy the whole album I think, so gonna give it a 4, and might adjust it later.

Watermelon man apparently his best - I didn’t get it but then wasn’t brought up in 1960’s Chicago..the others were pretty staccato to me and not much rhythm or meaning. So Herbie’s firm of jazz not for me..

Eclectic in tone, amazing musicianship, frenetic and joyful. Favourite track: Sly

Funkay

Album 3/1001 Big fan of the hindewhu technique (had to look this up) on Watermelon Man - achieved in this case by Bill Summers blowing into a beer bottle - but the baseline on Chameleon is the star of the show. Didn't vibe so much with the other 2 songs on the album. Favourite song: Chameleon 🦎 Honourable mention: Watermelon Man 🍉

One of the most iconic jazz funk albums of the 1970's and while it's not my favorite Hancock album with this band in this style, it's about as flawless as you can get, honestly. Timeless classic. My only complaint is with the cover art haha

Hancock's commercial breakthrough album and widely considered a defining moment for jazz, this has inspired and influenced a wide range of music including jazz, funk, disco and hip-hop. I can easily recognize the genius behind this record.

.eh

Decent album tp put on the background, but not the one I would dedicatedly listen to

Pretty nice jazz.

Good jazz

Chameleon fav song 4.2 Vinyl worthy

Ok. Not my music style. ★★

Liked it.

Great record!

Loved it

Chaotic at times, smooth at others

прикольно конечно, но очень длинно и слишком фоново. такое радио на работе я бы послушала. в других обстоятельствах вряд ли

Enjoyed this one quite a bit! Songs are long and it’s easy to get a little lost and distracted in them but the music is still really pleasant and innovative. 7/10

The kind of album that makes you grateful for 1001 Albums. Really enjoyable jazz funk fusion. Interesting that Beck lifted Chameleon pretty much as-is 30 years later. Fun grooves I very much wish to return to.

Jazzigt och funkigt instrumentalt, 70-tals vibbar! Ibland överdrivet stökigt, men med guldkorn som Cantaloupe Island.

Funny how I disliked half of this album and loved the other - the exact opposite of the common consensus. Yes, the first half is more original and fun, I guess, but the piano parts are the best on the album, and they absolutely shine in Sly. And Vein Melter is such a tasteful thing. Meanwhile, Chameleon threw me all over the place in terms of my impression, and Watermelon Man's start is not something I'd want to listen to repeatedly.

Very cool

This is interesting. Its funky, sure. But i dont see anything special about it. Its just mediocre to me. 3/5

didn't really listen to it too much today I was busy with other stuff

Funky background music

Well that was quite pleasant.I was only aware of Hancock bit never listen to an album. It is not only jazz, but oh, the grooves! Another great morning 4/5

4.5 great album one of the first experimental jazz albums i got into funky shit all the way thru

sólo chamaleon ya vale las 5 estrellas. Watermelon ya le da una estrella extra que no existe.

It's a real classic within music nerd spheres and the jazz world as a whole, but I've never really cared for it. It sounds pleasant enough but there isn't much going on for me. Perhaps a victim of having influenced a lot of overly polished and awful fusion to come after. The bass is a high point on this album, but outside of that I find myself surprisingly bored for something that is really groovy in essence. Some albums I'll just never click with I guess.

It's Herbie Hancock. You can't not love these jazz classics even if you don't like jazz.

Not my usual kind of thing, but I liked how funky this was. Listened while walking around New York, which was an excellent call.

Groovy, bet nieko ypatingo.

Another banger of an album. This is a great example of how Jazz can be a basis for all kinds of music. As I was sitting down to write this it I thought of a Stella Sketch where they were arguing over what music they wanted to listen to and they were all a variations of Jazz-Funk!, Jazz! Funk, Jazz Funk! sadly I either dreamed it up or Stella is so protected by Comedy Central thy won't allow it on youtube. Regardless of if you know Stella or not this is an amazing album.

Not a fan but it has moments I liked but on the whole, not my jam

4 songs 41 mins… ah the 70s :) Herbie gets way fuckin down on this album. Great production, tight playing, awesome sounds and instruments used. I really love when synth was incorporated early on. So dope. Fun album. Great for chores around the house or a road trip. Vein Melter is my fave🤘🏻

Perfection

Wait do I like jazz?

This was eclectic and jazzy. I liked it.

I liked this album. The songs were long but they were all good

I really loved this album. Very well played and different. I'm going to listen to more Herbie Hancock.

Супер фанкі, класний грув, абсолютна класика джаз-фанку. Класні клавіші, яскравий бас. Не дуже поціновувач фьюжену, але ця фанкі гілка мені завжди в ньому подобалась.

З усіх джазових декад 70ті та 80ті мабуть подобаються мені найменше. Звісно ж Хербі Хенкок це легенда, а конкретно цей альбом - класика, але я не фанат фьюжну і слухає таке нечасто, переважно фоном. 3 з 5

Fusion JAzz. Blander funk jazz og rock. Så det tager elementerne fra jazz som improvisering og harmonier og blander med funky basslines osv og elektriske instrumenter. DEt er åbenbart en af de første albums som var mainstream og var fusion jazz, så det var rimelig banebrydende. han har spillet sammen med miles davis og det her blev det bedst sælgende jazz album på daværende tidspunkt. jeg kan meget godt lide det, det er lækkert med funky delen som sådan rytme og så harmonierne fra jazz-lydene igennem elektriske instrumenter og akustiske. Jeg er ikke sådan WOW WOW men jeg køber det sgu stadig. det er nok 3-3,5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ One of my favourite albums, and one of the funkiest albums of all time. This, along with On The Corner, epitomise funk for me. The playing is magnificent. The grooves groove. Timeless music. Sounds as fresh as it did when it was released. Nice to have this on this list to be enjoyed. Monumental.

Containing the well-known track ‘Watermelon Man’, this is a great example of the genius that is Herbie Hancock. Certified worth a couple of listens - and then, as it’s jazz, a few more. Give this album the time. It’s a classic.

Groovy

Enjoyed but a bit too long

Classic grooves!

SHEEEEEEEEEEEE. This is the kind of album where, if you despise 10ish minute long instrumentals, you'll hate it, but, even if you're indifferent to that, it's at minimum a great album. My dad got me into Weather Report when I was a kid, so this is right up my alley. I wouldn't call it quite comfort music, but it gets close to that for me. Man, those first two tracks hit hard, but the last two I don't think are quite as good. The album as a whole still slaps, and I'm glad we got a slower tempo song with "Vein Melter". And I am left with wanting more. Favorite Song(s): Watermelon Man

Loads of noises

Excellent album. First exploration into jazz-rock fusion, but could definitely do more of this. Very flowy, very easy to get lost in

91/100. Fantastic jazz album with an amazing vibe throughout. The standout track, "Chameleon," is absolutely perfect and a highlight of the record.

Awesome, great background 70s jazz with some good electronics

Just not my vibe and that’s okay.

Yes.

I don’t know why I can’t get into this album. It’s a bit goofy, like a cross between a children’s album and the soundtrack to a 70s blacksploitation comedy. It’s possible that I’m just in a bad mood today and not feeling this one.

The first song being great was offset by the second one being bad and that's kinda neutral in the end

Not my usual style but surprisingly enjoyable. First time ever hearing this artist

A fucking classic, sometimes a little slow on the breakdowns but without doubt a pioneering masterclass.

Loved tracks 1 and 2

Very funky. Lot of funk on this list lately. This one grooves along and doesn't wear out its welcome. 4/5.

great

I’m sorry… I tried, I just couldn’t make myself listen to this whole thing. When I saw this album only had 4 songs and was 41 minutes long, I knew I was in trouble. I wasn’t even 30 seconds into track#1, and I knew I would not be able to make it through the entire 15 minutes of that song. NEXT!! It reminded me of music that would be on a computer game. The other 3 songs weren’t much better. Rating: 1/5

Evergreen classic, pioneering.

Nice. Favorite song: watermelon man

One of my all time favourite records

3.5

I did enjoy it, and got into to the groove of it. I was surprised by how weird and modern it sounds, for being from 1973. I listened to the whole thing in one go. But I have to admit a lot of it also went a little over my head — especially how that first track evolves over 15 minutes. Maybe something to return to when I have a little more background knowledge?

didn’t listen but have many times in the past. total classic

Heard before but enjoyed it more this time - still prefer maiden voyage though

I enjoyed it, had it on while ubering

A-side was a jam-and-a-half, was a whole vibe. B-side left me less enthusiastic.

A soundtrack for Driver 2. Top track: Chameleon

I feel wrong for giving this a 2 but nothing really did it for me. Long and evolving, but not to places I wanted to be.

Slow-building jazz-funk. Iconic. Some of the songs drag on, but otherwise I love this album.

Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones are two of those musicians that seem to have been around forever (i.e., my entire lifetime). Watermelon Man was a song which we played in high school (without all the traditional African musical instruments), so it reminds me of those days. The album has just four tracks, all jazz/synthesizer based. It’s a bit different from the normal jazz combo, but not unusual enough for four stars.

My vision is so bad that I thought the woodwind player on this album (Bennie Maupin) said Bernie Taupin and I was like, wow, there's just so much I don't know about this era of music. (Still true, but whew) Anyway, this is fun! A lot different than the other jazz instrumentals we heard so far. Way more groovy. Supposedly 'Chameleon' is "one of the most widely recognized jazz standards", but I didn't recognize it. There's an upsetting screechy bit around 5 minutes in that I could really do without, though. Oh no, it's happening for so long (~3 minutes). Well, that's a shame. Luckily the song is long enough that you could cut that part out and still have a healthy 12 minute song. But why stop there?? No, I kid... I kid... I do know 'Watermelon Man' (it's a Pavlov in the Jeopardy sense: herbie hancock! <-> watermelon man!) and I like it fine, even though it's shockingly different from the version we played in band (I bet everybody says this). Giving some White Lotus theme song vibes at the beginning there. I think 'Vein Melter' is actually my favorite track. It's got some electro bits that I like, and no screechy stuff at all! This could have been a 4. It was compelling for a jazz instrumental. But the screechy bit kept it at 3.

Доходчивый и интересный. Раньше не заходил, но сейчас пришёлся по душе.

11/08/2025 Certainly different but I'm not mad for it.

Enjoyable, but unlikely to return.

Jazzy. Funky. Background music. 3 stars.

About halfway through Chameleon I knew I was gonna like this album. The rest of the tracks were really good but didn’t hit the heights of the first one for me. Overall a really enjoyable album.

Me gusta pero difícilmente me pondría a escucharlo otra vez. En la primera canción hay sonidos estridentes que casi me hacen pasarla. Lo demás si que me gustó más, pero eso

70er Jazz. Melodisch und von der Stimmung ok. 2/5

This was a cool album. Definitely different than other Herbie albums I've heard. I loved the funk and soul of it.

This album is amazing. The 15-minute opener “Chameleon” begins with one of the most iconic synth lines of all time. Those drums and guitar that come in also do the song some major justice. The beat switch near the middle of the song turns it from funk to jazz in a matter of seconds. I also really love the strings that come in during the other part. Man, can Herbie groove. “Watermelon Man” starts with multiple wind instruments and some vocal noises before going into this hypnotic blend of everything. Most of the instruments (minus drums, bass, and the first wind) are panned to the right, making the mixing a bit unconventional. “Sly” starts with syncopation that hooks you in. Then, it becomes a little jazzier than that, with the saxophone taking major control of the melody. Herbie’s soloing, as always, is phenomenal. The beat changes very regularly, and it makes for one exciting song. “Vein Melter” is definitely a chiller song. There’s not much going on, but it sure is hypnotic. This album gets a 4.2/5.

Beautiful.

Me recuerda a Ross tocando los teclados

Not very good

Definitely need to be in the right mood for 12 minute funk/jazz fusion songs, but this album is perfect for those times.

Thoroughly enjoyable jazz/funk, would have given a 5 if not for the last track dragging things down to a boringly slow pace to end an otherwise exciting album

J’ai commencé à l’écouter alors que je commençais à entretenir l’outil de désherbage et le tracteur. Après 20 minutes, j’ai arrêté l’écoute et j’allais mettre 3 ⭐️ . En fin de soirée, j’ai craqué une petite bière et j’ai réécouté ! J’ai alors compris pourquoi cet album figurait dans cette liste. Je n’ai pas les connaissances musicales pour expliquer pourquoi, mais ça fait du bien à l’âme… et ça, ça ne s’explique pas, ça se vit. Bref, cet album est maintenant dans ma liste d’écoute, mais ce n’est pas le meilleur à écouter quand on se fait asperger d’huile hydraulique !

Grand pianiste/claviériste. Excellent album.

Woooohooo les gros jams! De mémoire c'était Wayne Shorter le saxophoniste, il y a vraiment une ressemblance dans le son de Bennie Maupin. Vraiment mieux que Desmond en tout cas hehe Guillaume dit que je suis un éternel insatisfait, c'est vrai. Mais je préfère Thrust je pense. Headhunters est un peu overrated, mais marque une nouvelle direction, d'où sa pertinence dans le palmarès. Side A est vraiment plus intéressant que sidd B. Okay maintenant, demain: Bitches Brew. Merci!

On est dans un passe jazz, et j’aime ça! Mon premier 5 étoiles pour le style. Plus groovy, plus funky que ce qu’on a écouté jusqu’à présent. Du jazz de noir et ça parait! (Petite blague pour Félix) Je réalise que du jazz avec le soleil dans la face pendant la conduite, c’est un excellent mix!

I liked it: short, focused, a groove.

Often hailed as a jazz-funk masterpiece, but strip away the legacy and what you’re left with is a repetitive, self-indulgent jam session masquerading as innovation. The grooves are slick but shallow, the solos meander without purpose, and the whole thing feels more like background filler than a focused musical statement. It’s technically impressive, sure — but so is a calculator. If you’ve got a taste for structured, idea-driven music like 70s prog, this album might come off as directionless and bloated. Historically significant? Maybe. Musically engaging? Not really. Verdict: More vibe than vision.

Thrilling funk up front, smooth funk to close. Great album.

I'd give this 7/5 if I could. Absolutely incredible landmark of an album. Funky as all hell. Loved it since learning to play Chameleon on drums in my high school jazz band 25+ years ago. I wish there were 50 more albums like this on the list. 5/5

I never thought I would hear the single not flute being put to such incredible use. Mr. Hancock is a genius.

フュージョン・ジャズの名盤。 長尺の楽曲を4曲収録。 一回聴いただけでは噛み締め切れない良さがあった。暫定⭐︎4.0

An excellent jazz album I was not familiar with. I never thought synthesizers could work so well in a jazz band, and I’m glad I discovered this record. The intro to Watermelon Man blew my mind, and the overall mood is fantastic. It’s almost perfect – it’s just missing an ineffable little something I can’t quite put my finger on. But I will certainly listen to more Herbie Hancock in the future.

Peak jazz funk before it was even cool

This was a very dynamic album from start to finish. As someone who listens to a fair bit of jazz, albums that are as interesting as this one are impossible for me to dislike. The rhythm section (drum/bass) really hold down this album allowing for powerful sounds from the keyboard and winds. Every song on this album is a fun listen if you can handle jazz, but I think even someone who typically struggles with jazz may find all but the opening approachable. I wouldn’t say I had favorites on this album, I think they all complemented each other very well. I may be playing a lot more of this album in the future.

3.7

We used to play these tunes in various secondary school bands, so I never felt the need to listen them because they were drilled into my skull. Or so I thought, turns out professional jazz pioneers are much better than a band of school kids. Despite having Grade 5 jazz clarinet (please, hold your applause), I don’t have the vocabulary to describe what makes this slap so much. I like the way all the instruments work together. I like how the main tunes evolves and changes over 15 minutes in each song… it makes me feel nice… the 70s electronic music sound very cool… I would have loved to see this live and watch the way the musicians interact, or perhaps stare in awe as they do all this amazing collaborative improvisation based on pure, unspoken vibes.

5/5 perfect record

Generally really enjoyed, there was a bit of sax wailing that grated a little - I'm not a jazz convert yet.

Fun instrumentsals. Lots of variety and some experimental stuff. Good for background music.

Funky soulful groovy stuff. I like it. Maybe a bit noodly but it IS a jazz album. Yeah kinda gives me a headache after while, it never really lets up. But still really good. Not too long, never wears out its welcome. This last song is really nice. Acid jazz baby! 4/5

really good album, chameleon is really good even though is 15min long, I loved it and I discovered funk jazz

first time ever trying something like this.. curious but enjoyed. i dont know if funk is my thing, but i liked the grooves. overall a good time!

Funky, and jazzy in a great way to me. Probably more of a background album but I really was enjoying it.

Yesss, love it! Have listened to Herbie Hancock before and was excited to give this one a listen. Will definitely getting regular spins after today!

A masterpiece of jazz funk fusion. Funky but also heady.

Couldn’t get past the first song. I’m OK with a long song but opening with 15 minute plus meandering song it was too much.

Typical Herbie. Some incredible music mixed in with some wild and dissonant sounds.

wonderful album I found it hard to stop listening.

Funky jazz to kick off the morning is such a vibe. Can’t believe this was only 4 songs, and by the time the album ended I was surprised 40+ minutes had gone by. Really wish it had kept jamming on.

BEST SONGS: - Chameleon - Watermelon Man

Molto interessante. A quanto pare mi piace il jazz fusion

An amazing jazz-rock-funk album from Herbie Hancock & Co. What more do you want? This one made my day! 5⭐️

That was grooooovy. Herbie had been a bit of a blind spot. A lot more funk to that than I was expecting. The first two numbers in particular were spectacular.

Funkiest thing this side of James Brown. Somehow the first time I've listened to this and whoa nelly this did not disappoint. 4.5 for now but might come back later to revise it up into a 5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-XXbYb5hx0 ^this skit, except it's jazz and funk, but equally as tasty

Not my favorite genre, tunes for music school kids

How on earth does anyone listen to this for enjoyment? To me this is as close to auditory torture as I have experienced. Never again Mr. Hancock

Hoy martes vamos con un artista y disco que archiubico pero siempre por algún que otro motivo termino dejando de lado. El álbum arranca arriba. Chill. Con una baile suave. Luego de su excelente comienzo, que por momentos me recuerda a Fela Kuti, se pone más tranca pero con ése mismo groove inicial. Destaco obviamente la canción de apertura y la parte más de experimentación de "Sly". Gracias como siempre y hasta mañana.

Great musicians doing cool things. Happy I listened to this, but honestly can’t really see myself going back to it, which holds back its rating. Great for what it is though.

Love this album. Few artists can do something this expetimental and musical at the same time.

So much funk the whole way through. What a ride. Headhunters is a classic jazz/funk album that all fans of the genre should listen to. I recommend it to fans of rock and funk as a way to ease into jazz, as well.

I totally loved this - it very much felt like one fluid musical moment instead of separate songs. I found myself zoning out and diving into the vibes and seeing imagery in my mind a lot. Very fun, simple project to listen to for relaxing and unwinding.

Bestial. Jazz fusión lleno de energía y de calidad musical.

This is one of those albums I've known about for a while and just never got around to listening. Now I'm five listens in and holy shit have I been missing out. If Miles Davis seeks you out to play in his band, you're probably a badass. I think this album proves that. Really enjoyed the 15 minute opening track. Herbie is the man.

Mighty boosh. Not something I would ever listen to normally but not bad. I can appreciate the musicianship but jazz isn’t my thing

alright

Thought the album was fun, particularly the first song - made me want to dance. Not sure I would listen again though. Fav song: Chameleon Least fav: Sly

Better than some of the other no words albums but not a big fan overall. That second song is so familiar to me for some reason though. Specific rating - 2.8 Fav song - sly Least fav - vein melter

Some great rhythm and beat, but the strange sound bite choices in a couple of the songs really threw me

Not bad

really overstimulating

Funk… not my funk

The hardest part of this challenge is having to write something about an album you love so deeply, especially when you’ve loved it for so long. Like, what more can I say about Headhunters that no one else has said?! Goofy ass instrumentation that creates funk grooves that still slap 50 years later? Fucking duh, this is like, the best jazz album ever made imho. Enough said.

Funky as fuck! This a great record from a guy who went to Grinnell College with my dad. Love Herbie!!

So I might really like jazz. This was such a joy to listen to, and one of those albums that I actually couldn't just put in the background while I worked, cos every jazzy thing that was done drew me back into the album. This is definitely going into my rotation. 5/5

Would not buy

Okaidokaiii

Well that was weird. No idea of the significance or impact. That's gonna be a no from me dog.

pretty fun jazz!

This was absolutely fantastic. Really awesome groove driven funky jazz.

Yeah, I enjoyed this. It's very stylish and he's a superb musician. Having said all this, it's definitely one for me to appreciate and acknowledge, then move on pretty swiftly from it and probably not listen to it again.

Great album, jazzy/funky rock instrumentals. Would listen to again for sure.

pretty insane tbh. facemeltingly futuristic and utterly awesome. the musicianship is tight and the grooves are constantly moving in awesome directions. Herbie Hancock was in 2073 for this. and his other work at the time, too deserves to be one of the 1001? without a doubt YES

I'd heard this album was 'a lot'. Random sporadic jazz, weird keyboard sounds. Not entirely awful, but hard to pin on to. It's either way too complex or a simple melody repeated over and over. I didn't particularly enjoy myself. It felt like the achievement of reading an old time classic book. You're glad you got to the end but not really sure what was going on in the journey. If it was a live band, I'd have walked. Or at least spent the night at the bar. 2 stars.

Aðeins nokkrum plötum eftir að hafa hlustað á fæðingu svalheita með Miles kemur þessi og trompar hana í stemmmingu. Ég hef reyndar oft hlustað á Herbie þegar mig langar í svona stemmara þannig að þetta er insta-fimma fyrir mig

Older people often bemoan the repetitive styles of modern dance music as if it's a sickness of the youth. What the fuck, then, do they think this is?

I’m vaguely aware of HH and actually have heard the first two tracks from this in the normal course of life. I found it very enjoyable and an album that I found to be the perfect accompaniment to a weekend morning with a sound that is reminiscent of a lot of the UK funk/soul/jazz/electronica scene that labels like Tru Thoughts and Catskills championed and that I was hugely into during the 2000s. Many of those artists were surely influenced by this as the through-line is evident.

Slaps

Boring

Great album. This was such a mood. I'll definitely listen to it again.

Another amazing discovery from the list. God, this album is good. Funky, Jazzy, eclectic. No superlative should be spared for this incredible achievement in Jazz Fusion. After today's first listen I already know it is going to grow into one of my all time favourites.

A bit too noodly in places, but generally decent enough.

Sounds like funky elevator music, or hipster coffee shop music.

This was an interesting ride

Top-Jazz. Fast 5.

This was probably cool and daring in the 70s, but these days I find it repetetive, partly annoying in its sounds, boring, and the rating heavily intellectualized.

I was due another great album and this really delivered, sometimes all you need is 4 songs. Reading up on the album you can really appreciate it as a pioneer. Even if it's not going to be a go to (there's some misses) it's still excellent. Also that cover tho. Definitely checking out more Herbie Hancock stuff.

Good background music.

Truly one of the greats

Couldn’t find the version of watermelon man that I like

genuinely wish it was longer, really liked it though. closer to 3.5

59/1001. The first Jazz album on this list for me so far, which I hope tells more about the random algorithm which picks the play order, than how much jazz actually is included to the book. C'mon, I've listened to 5,9% of the project already! I'm sure Jazz consistency in the top 1001 albums is at least 14,7%! This said, I can't claim to be a big jazz fan or afficionado, but groovy, funky jazz is just the greatest thing after pickled herrings. And this one also happens to be an album which I own and love. Herbie Hancock is one of the giants, also later merging jazzy stuff to sampling, beats, creating a huge part of the electronic sound of eighties. Here the various synthesizers and their possibilities in combination with more traditional instruments and some kick ass percussion are explored to create an irresistable jazz-funk groove, be it original compositions or a fresh arrangement of old Hancock classic (Watermelon Man). Mindblowing stuff, the importance and greatness of this album only grows over time. Glad also to notice the year the album was made, good vintage (I might be biased about that though).

Excellent, so damn funky Favorite track: Chameleon

Strongest 3 without a doubt

110% not my thing.

Not for me

3/5 good instrumental jazz

Funk jazz fusion (fashion?) and it’s all good.

Solid jam album. 3.5/5

More jazz, but kinda more techno electronic. Good?

Nice

Did not know he was part of the Miles Davis quartet. Really nice crossover album, and real nice groove throughout. Really nice to hear the changing phases in the songs, to be engaged and drawn in throughout. ‘Watermelon Man’ felt familiar somehow and suuuuuuch a groove, when the beat drops. Felt like it could easily be a modern day track. Yeh, this is GROOVY and warm 🥰

Funcky jazz album. Lekker maar denk niet dat ik er altijd naar kan luisteren

This album is a really cool snapshot of the time period and the culture of the early 70's, and you can see how one of the all time masters of Jazz helped shape what funk and disco would eventually develop into in the coming years. This album is just so god damned smooth, just seemingly endless funky grooving and improvisation that never seems to miss a beat.

This album is a sampler's goldmine. It will go down in history not only as a seminal jazz funk fusion record, but as one of the records that Growing up, I was exposed to a lot of jazz in it's various permutations via my dad's side of the family. When hip-hop stormed the charts in the late 80s, I found myself recognizing bits of songs that had been sampled. One of those was "Watermelon Man", sampled by a whole bunch of producers. We're talking over a hundred songs by the likes of LL Cool J, Madonna, Schooly D, Digable Planets, George Michael, Super Cat, 808 State, and a whole bunch of others. J Dilla in particular loved scooping all sorts of bits of flavor from that song. "Chameleon" is another that DJs love to sample. It's a true testament to how good this music is, how broad the appeal is.

🐣🤷‍♂️

F-U-N-K-Y ! Good for samples, nothing that I personally would listen to again.

This album is so groovy. I am not a huge fan of jazz, but when its imbued with Herbie Hancock's funky style it is another story. All four songs on this album are bangers. Had to immediately listen to it again after the first run through.

Great from start to finish. What I was hoping to get out of these 1001 albums

Crazy how this is considered jazz, when it’s literal art in its literal form. It was not too loud, it was not the center of attention, but it stood out like a sore thumb in a positive sense.

Interesting

I know the name and the reputation, but outside of his one 80's hit I don't know a great deal of his music. 4 songs, 40 minutes. I'm diving in... "Chameleon": Funky groove but it got a little ear piercing in the middle and definitely a little long for my attention span. After the middle bridge it went full Jazz and lost me completely. "Watermelon Man": Definitely not my groove, I have very little appreciation for true Jazz and the meandering repetition, I just find it boring. I'm not mathematic and it lost me instantly. 40M people would disagree, it's got a fat listen count. "Sly": Again, a jazzy track that sounds like soundtrack music to a 70's movie. 3 mins in that annoying horn took over and I was out! "Vein Melter": More like mind melter, I was drooling when I woke up. I'm just not sure how music like this gets you a next album but he built a reputation and like a "chameleon" he changed with the times and built out his sound. I respect the artist and the art, just not my thing. 2.5 stars.

Jazz is not really my thing. Kinda boring. Some of it sounds so chaotic and anxiety inducing, I prefer the smoother bits of it. It is cool to have a bunch of different songs all blend into one.

I guess I don’t like jazz that much

Genial! Les dues primeres cançons són brutals, nompots parar de moure’t i escoltar!

I remember of learning of Herbie Hancock as a pre-teen through drum lessons. It was nice to revisit “Chameleon” and “Watermelon Man” and explore the rest of this album. Electric stuff, of course.

Really funky and well-produced electro-jazz with a good amount of variation. Good summery vibes

Too easy

One of the best instrumental albums

Messed with some of it, had a fun time listening

jazzy 4.5/5

haha cock

Not really my jam

Funky jazz album. Some songs seem to inspire other artists for soundtracks in that time.

Funky funk funk Not for me

Not it chief Pretty groovy I'll give it that

Banger

Started off strong with the first track, but falls off on track 2 & 4. I really do enjoy chameleon and sly but it’s not enough to give this album more than a 3-star rating.

Not really my usual style of music. I can absolutely appreciate the quality and creativity of the music delivered, but it feels a bit too much of an era and style that just don't appeal that much.

A fun listen!

Fantastic

Far out there progressive tech vibe. Strange good album

ah jeez, i don't think i'm musically informed enough to be able to engage with, let alone critique, this album. it's quite the ambitious masterpiece and while only being composed of four songs, each piece takes you on a journey. it's undoubtedly cool and i hope is studied by those who understand funk far better than i do

I guess I just don't get this kind of "all over the place" jazz.

I really enjoyed this album. It felt fresh and innovative. It clearly inspired a lot of great music.

Funk and mood. Rolling along. Perfect to make some tacos & clean the kitchen with a little groove.

I've always seen Jazz as furniture music. And this one was not so different. I can see the cultural influence this may have had on Jazz. And the cultural influence Jazz has on our society. But nothing I'd go back to listen to on a random Thursday

d drums uf chameleon. fuck. sie baued eeeewig uuf. watermelon man insaaaaane geil. liebs liebs liebs aaaaaahh. sly isch mega BWUAHBWAHBWUAJS. liebs. ha nöd ziit gha zum notizen machen aber he herts füfi premium funky fusion time.

CHAMELEON KENN ICH? bzw. wahrsch hetsmer mal de luca zeigt hahah weiss nöd JZ GAHTER JA CRAZY ok bin froh wenns jz mal chli en switch git, d bassline isch chlii repetitiv worde SCHLAGZÜG DE AHFANG VO WATERMELON MAN HAN ICH DEFINITIV SCHOMAL GHÖRT hahaha so funny FUNKY joo de schluss vo vein melter isch jz nothing to write home about bin zwüscheme 3 undeme 4i, mengisch würkli insane geil und funky, aber mengisch für mich chli repetitiv, mal luege

No

2,5

Oh so funky. Was getting big Vulfpeck flavors. Wasn’t surprised to find out Herbie Hancock was an inspiration to them. I don’t get the Watermelon Man hype, and while the album was good, I won’t likely give the entire thing another listen. 4/5 for Chameleon, 3/5 for the album.

Sick. Didn’t know the 1970s had a jazz movement that blended funk and psychedelia, but here we are.

Delightful, you’re clearly in the hands of a master. Perfect for romantically making dinner with your partner.

Wasn’t a huge fan the first time I listened to this album, but after listening to the songs in random order a couple of times, it grew on me quickly. This is well-produced chill music with some great riffs sprinkled here and there. Very rhythmically pleasant and with an enjoyable soundscape overall. I like that it has no vocals. Really let’s the music breath. This albums is great. Not mind blowing but very enjoyable. This is background music, but it’s very high quality background music that doesn’t turn into noise even if you listen to it for a while.

By far my favourite jazz record so far, probably because it's just as much funk. Could be a gateway album.

I've heard of Herbie Hancock before, but I had never heard this album. I liked the first song with its ebbs and flow. The second song with more varied instruments is where I think its strengths lie. This jazz album certainly has a vibe, and I can see why so many think so highly of it.

Its... techno jazz? Its HH...