Head Hunters

Remember, Herbie Hancock wasn't involved in writing the U.S. Constitution... ... anyway, this is a solid Jazz hodgepodge. It's great for listening in an elevator, or a restaurant, but as an album, it gets a bit stale. Favorite Track: "Watermelon Man".

good for when i’m painting and want to listen to some funky jazz 6/10

I'm not normally a jazz guy but I get it

elevator music meets white lotus meets jeff davis

Enjoyable albeit very short: only four songs, but each one was long. I liked the energy a lot and it felt very contemporary despite being 50 years old. 6/10

Not bad

Very smooth

I was a bit surprised by this album. It's not particularly my style of music, but was pleasant enough. Good background music. Find this hard to judge. Did it grab me? No. Did I hate it? No.

Yep, that’s funky jazz. Meh

Groovy. I love the sound of a Rhodes piano

Muy buen disco que ya había escuchado por recomendación de Ale Sergi. Es como un jazz-moderno, jazz-funk, que arranca muy arriba y termina más aburrido.

Jazz baby jazz Pretty good! Not my usual genre but I enjoyed it

I’m not a jazz lover but don’t mind a bit of funk. In the spirit of the 1001 challenge I gave this album a red hot go but just couldn’t get into it. Still, 3 stars for the virtuosity of the musicians. Fave track - watermelon man.

3 1/2 Stars: It's very accessible, funky jazz, but I somehow wanted to like it more. But that bass line in 'Chameleon' is badass.

I find this really hard to rate. I am not a jazz connoisseur and really appreciated the first track and being introduced to such an electric sound but by the third track I just felt done with it. It quickly turned into a kind of background noise rather than me settling into it. Perhaps I’m just not a jazz girl!

ok, ok... so i'm usually not into jazz or jam bands, but like... this one is SO FUNKIN FUNKY it just pulls me in and takes me on a groovy magic carpet ride. i probably wouldn't reach for it again, but it was a fun surprise.

This was a significant album because it brought jazz back into the mainstream temporarily in the early '70s, but it's pretty nondescript by today's standards. For my money, there are two decent tracks ("Chameleon" and "Sly") one awful one ("Watermelon Man") and one snoozer ("Vein Melter"). Giving it three stars because the two good tracks do add up to 25 minutes of music and that's worthwhile enough, but Herbie did much better work than this.

Funky jazz album with never-ending songs. Would not listen to it daily, but sounds like a nice background elevator or store music.

Favorite Track: Chameleon

3.5

3.5

It’s not my favorite kind of jazz but it was still a pleasant listen. Watermelon Man reminded me of the White Lotus season 3 opening soundtrack.

Played Chameleon in ms jazz band so that’s permanently stuck in my brain, but I was pleasantly surprised when it basically turned into a house track halfway through. The rest of the album has ups and downs for me – the more experimental noodling isn’t my thing

Watermelon Man Vein Melter

Not my jam but it's made well

No doubt, these are good musicians. The sound is really original (I particularly enjoyed side 2" "Sly" and "Vein Melter"). Not my favourite style, but I enjoyed it.

Appreciate it's good jazz but still wouldn't choose to listen to it

Great

this is something I would play at a function with vegans wearing doc martens

ok

1973. Smooth and experimental electric jazz and funk, really chill and easy.

Before: Of course I know of Herbie Hancock and listened to some of his music a decent amount back in the mid 70s. My brother was a big fan and had one or two of his albums which I listened at least a couple of times. During: Starts off with "Chameleon", it's funk-jazz, I love funk. This is not going to be too bad. It's 15+ minutes long though and pretty much the same thing for the first half repeated over and over. There are probably nuances that I am not getting. It works as background music just fine. After: Overall it's technically good, maybe great, and I'm sure deserves to be on this list but it's not something I really like and would never listen to other than as background music so I'm giving it a 3.

Clearly a very good album. Didn't enjoy it that much.

Super cool techno-jazz sort of sound

I've listened before and like parts of songs it can be a bit hectic though lol!

White lotus theme tune is sick, got on with the other songs, feel like they are way ahead of their time in a good way, just not my sort of thing but I can really appreciate it.

Smashing album, love it for what it is, a jazz classic but sadly I have to put this as a 3, thinking of the general music listening populus

I’ve heard a more funky version of “Watermelon man” by HH, this is very much a Jazz album with Funk/fusion - long tracks, perfect to listen to in the car on my way home from the beach🦐

Feel like I should report on some sport.

The songs did drone on after a while, and I would have liked to have seen more songs (shorter ones too), but it wasn’t a bad album overall.

I remember hearing Herbie Hancock in the early 1980s. His stuff was so cool and different. This album is more jazz than what I most know him for.

Pretty funky, definitely sounds like it’s from the 70s. Would be nice listening music for concentrating at work.

I was surprised it was only 4 songs long! Instrumental, but still interesting. I liked it!

As someone who appreciates jazz more than I used to, I did enjoy this but I also found it a bit rambling and repetitive. There are some highlights no doubt. Watermelon Man is a fun song, but even at its shorter 6+ minute duration, there isn't as much variation as there could have been on this track. Smack dab between a 3 & 4 for me on this one, but moving down to a 3 because it wasn't as fun as I thought it might be and there's nothing here that I would come back to numerous times in the future.

Really funky jazz thing going on here - enjoying it, but putting me to sleep a bit at work. Hopefully remember to come back to this one.

I would’ve given this a much higher rating if the instruments were different- not a huge fan of the keyboard. Watermelon man sounded ape like to me at times, but the other tracks on here made me smile. What this album does a great job at is the fusion- jazz and funk couldn’t be combined better.

Started off well and then lulled a bit in the middle. My favourite song was 'vein melter', I think if the vibe had been more like that throughout I would've loved it. Not to say this wasn't good to listen to but that's the only song I will definitely come back to.

I have few exceptions to my rule that music should have vocals, namely the classical greats and Joe Satriani on guitar 🎸🎸🎸, and I don't think this quite made the cut. Don't get me wrong this is some coooolll stuff, I think the best way I can describe some of it is (I have this strange feeling) that this is what the rainforest would sound like if every species made the sound of an instrument and not squawk, hiss, roar etc. The songs were very much organically harmonious and just feel clean and bright to me but at the end of the day I really need some groovy lyrics in accompaniment.

It was ok - I see the vision and did like it at the start but I don’t know why but it made me incredibly stressed

Ja, det svänger ju. Det man möjligen kan ha emot det är att låtarna inte direkt utvecklas. De håller ungefär samma tempo, groove och temperament från början till slut i mellan sju och 15 minuter.

Skönt groove. Det är inte riktigt jazz och det är inte riktigt funk. Det blir varken eller utan bara ett småtrevlig sväng som puttrar på utan att det lyfter. Bäst sväng i Chameleon, bäst tut i Sly. Svag trea.

Jazz, no me convence especialmente,

The first track was really solid, the later ones kind of lost me. On the first and I think second track there is a rising tone that my brain reacted to, it reminded me of my alarm clock.

Mi favorita fue sly, y aunque no es algo que escucharía, esta un poco bueno.

Pretty good for a genre I don't have any special affinity for. Chameleon is very listenable and Watermelon Man has an off kilter quirk I really enjoyed.

Ok

bra svängigt om jag får säga det själv.

This is groovy as hell! However the sound is a bit conservative. There’s plenty of space here for everyone to stretch out and then there’s the bizarre synth overdubs! There’s some cool heads here and some clever arrangements but some of the grooves could probably have been tightened up a bit within the arrangements. But it is nice to hear the space when the band just groove for a while! This was a cool enough listen that I wanna check out his other albums from this era.

Glad I listened to this.

Is this my thing? Not really. However, I must have put hundreds of hours into The Sims games back in the day and this reminds me of it. I'm almost transported back to sitting in the converted garage, hiding away from family, hours at a time alone and at peace, designing homes and then living out better lives than mine until deleting the pool ladders and drowning them. Ahh. This is what I call 'not a listening album': it's an accompaniment to something else. I could listen to this happily in the background while doing something chill to wind down - reading, writing, drawing, slowly organising things. Yeah. As jazz goes, it's pretty good.

Newer heard of Herbie Hancock, but his shit slaps. Nice background music, to have conversations while driving, to read, etc.. Like the backdrop to the movie of ypur life.

ganz gross

Always liked his 80’s stuff. This was interesting earlier stuff

Good music to listen to while youre doing something else, otherwise its boring 5.9/10

My first full 'real jazz' album. Good music to listen to while working. Very funky bass line.

Groovy, good vibes. Sat nodding my head constantly. Liked the difference/ experimentation on the first track. Watermelon man feels a bit too conventional. Sly was more like it, enjoyed the crazy aspects. It still feels a little less rock/ electronic than I was expecting from descriptions. Like I'm enjoying it, but not sure how often I'd return when compared to other albums of this genre/ period

Наконец-то я послушал альбом, который мне советовал чел из Чикаго, когда я приезжал в Варшаву то ли на GY!BE, то ли на Sunn O))), то ли еще зачем-то. Лучшая песня - Watermelon Man.

Cool background music, pretty boring to just listen by itself

7/10 good album good sounds. Listened to it while I was was playing and I quite enjoyed it. Not enough to add any songs to my library or to look into getting it on vinyl but good album

More „classic jazz tunes“ than I expected. Somehow I considered Mr Hancock to be more of an early electro pioneer, what will follow, I guess. The Jams are, well, long. There are some pretty nice and grooving moments, but Most of the time it just flows by.

As my wife said…”alright Herbie.” Funky, playful, expansive.

i get too bored without lyrics but it was nice for background music

My words could not do Stevie Wonder's astonishing skill in every area of music-making justice. This album is for all the keyboard enthusiasts. Hohner Clavinet rules!

Enjoyed the jazz instruments but not so much the techno/weird sounds

This one was interesting definitely not my style. I was going to give it a 1 star at first but after another listen I changed that opinion clearly

Very nice ambient music, it maintains interesting.

I went into Head Hunters fully expecting to feel confused and under qualified, since this was my first real time listening to Herbie Hancock and neither jazz or fusion is my usual thing, but this album totally caught me off guard. Chameleon starts with a groove that immediately pulls you in, but after a while it begins to lose its appeal, like Herbie dared you to stop nodding your head. Probably my least favorite in the album, but still a vibe. Watermelon Man was an instant favorite, funky, weird, playful, and just straight-up fun. It takes you out of the repetitive circle that is Chameleon and gives you something new. Sly feels like the band just locked in and said “yeah, let’s see where this goes,” and somehow it works, even when it’s a little all over the place. Vein Melter then comes in sounding like the lights just got dimmed and everyone stopped talking, and it’s lowkey feels like you’re floating in space. Overall, for someone who doesn’t normally reach for jazz or fusion, Head Hunters surprised me by being way more groovy and enjoyable than I ever expected. Definitely a solid 7/10. Would get funked again

i remember thinking halfway through the second song "this sounds kinda wack. is it jazz ?" it is, in fact, jazz.

Futuristic jazz

These are the type of songs you hear in the background of a mistery movie while the investigator is trying to put all the pieces together to solve the case.

I initially thought this could work its way into my regular rotation for work music, but the second half of the record gets pretty hectic. I got something out of this album but I don't see myself listening to again anytime soon.

Not bad, not my favorite 3*

The only Herbie Hancock I have previously heard was a single of his that was out in the late 70s. So I was expecting a vocal rather than a jazz funk instrumental album. What do I know!? A reasonable listen nonetheless. But a bit samey. 2½

First of my journey. It sets a high middle, I think. Made a chip dip with sour cream and mayo and Boursin and green onions and French onion soup mix. It’s Boxing Day 2025. The dip is for my mom’s house.

I can see why people would like it, just not for me

A little avant-garde leaning for my taste at time but overall enjoyed.

Sound like the soundtrack to something fun.

Pretty good. Nice horns.

funky and fun!

Not my usual listen but it was interesting!

Why is every track over 5 minutes the fuck

Good background music! I would have a hard time sitting down to actively listen to this album but it was nice in the background.

Funk and jazz. Pretty good.

Most of this score is earned by the intro to Watermelon Man, it's just delightful. This is a fun listen, it makes your toes tap and your head nod. It is in danger of going too freestyle jazzy, but manages to mostly stay just the right side of that.

It was nice though a bit too improvised for me. More of a jam between friends than something that was thought out. Recommended nonetheless.

No. 41 Herbie can cook. But after awhile, like everything instrumental, it just becomes background.

Good jazz but nothing that really blew me away

Finger licking Jazz. Very good for a house party hang out with the gang

Kinda just background music, not bad but really non standoutish to me. Dont get me wrong its objectivly good music and im not mad to have listened to it. But this album has more than any so far encouraged me to do something else while listening to it. I even listened to watermelon man while not noticing. Its not bad but even while writing the review it didnt stick and i forgot 2 out of the 4 songs and watermelon man that i relistened to and remember is also by far the shortest. Definatly it for quite some people and i understand why but not for me.

Took a couple of listens but once the rhythms sink in it’s a winner. Best track is Chameleon

Jazz piano, a bit of funk. Okay.

I’m not really into jazz, and thought I was going to check out of this one pretty quickly, but I like it a good deal. The record opens with sounds that I kind of rolled my eyes at, but as it built, it all kind of works. I'm not sure I need so much of it spread across 4 tracks; letting some of the music breathe with some natural space in between movements might be helpful...with the counterpoint being "why break up a continuous flow of music?" I guess that's kind of a judgment call. But then again, there is not a whole lot of variation across the 4 songs either. Maybe I’m lucky to get the breaks that are there… Anyway, I like this record, even if it does start to feel like a bit of a "jam band" experience and doesn’t switch up nearly enough. 3.5/5

Svängom!

meh

Not what I normally listen to but really good jazz

Nice chill funk-jazz album! Herbie Hancock is a maestro 3.5

Der dritte Track „Sly“ gefällt mir besonders gut. Der Rest ist Ok.

It's pretty cool, but it gets old after a while.

Surprisingly approachable for such an iconic jazz album. The song length would take getting used to, but they were easy to listen to. Favorite track was watermelon man

decent

Funky and very jazzy. Did not mind it, but didn’t love it. I really prefer to listen to music with lyrics. If that makes me uncultured, so be it.

Pretty coooollll. 3.5/5

Very enjoyable.

4 minutes in and I had a headache

I might have some album fatigue (after 100 albums)… Except the beginning of Watermelon Man I found it boring. Still a nice listen but boring.

This was an interesting album kind of all over the place but it was still pretty good, I wouldn't call it like jazz but kind of lol

Funky and fun, but a few tracks I had to skip so that knocks it down a few stars.

would rate this 3.5/5 if i could, the tracks are so funky and fun but i wish there was more than 4 of them

Not a huge fan of music without lyrics but this was nice and groovy to listen to while I worked

Awesome vibes. Great recorded sound. Drummer is otherworldly

Funky musak. Sounds like elevator music at a jazz club.

i dont have many opinions on jazz because it all kind if sounds the same to me (oof) but this is very funky and groovy and i enjoyed it

It's fine if you love fast feverish jazz.

Enjoyed this in the beginning, but soon got repetitive. 15 mins is too long for a song Enjoyable on the whole even though it got chaotic in the middle. Nice background music 3 ⭐️

Bon album de jazz

A jazz funk banger that the office will mostly hate.

This type of jazz is not to my personal taste but it is a pretty extraordinary album nonetheless.

This is a tough one to rate. It’s all instrumental, so I can’t think of a scenario where I’d really want to listen to it. But I also really enjoyed it.

Ibland är det glänsande bra. Fantastiska musiker. Men mestadels är det tråkigt. Jag antar att detta är en skiva som samlas mycket ... En trea

Liked it great vibe.

Really just ok, didn't really stick with me but I enjoyed listening to. 5/10

Definitely Jazz. Herbie is a legend in his space for a reason. 40 minutes of feel good, funky as hell, jam sessions.

Rating: 3.4 I like to imagine an octopus was banging his tentacles around making these songs but no it was like 5 wacky dudes. Which is less cool but the album was still good.

sounds pretty cool for a 1973 recording. 4 tracks, some quite long but good background music.

Didn’t listen all the songs, they were too long. But the first one is really nice.

Not really my thing but a great album nonthenless

A little bit frenetic but maybe didn’t give it a proper shot! Not the worst jazzz..

Pretty good!

Synes da leverte

Dette er et legendarisk album av den legendariske musikeren Herbie Hancock, som blant annet har jobbet med Miles Davies tidligere. Jeg har hørt gjennom dette albumet mange ganger opp igjennom åra, men av en eller annen grunn så har aldri dette fenget meg helt. Jeg liker det bedre i dag enn jeg har gjort før, absolutt! Men syns fortsatt at albumet er litt overvurdert.

This is a strange one to review because my respect and appreciation for the musicianship and composition is almost as high as it could be. However, in terms of personal taste and what I relate to, it’s very far away. Instrumental funk is not something I’ve ever really listened to nor will if I’m completely honest. I’m sure fans of it would argue I’m missing out on a lot. 3stars could feel harsh as my appreciation for what it is, is extremely high. It could also seem too generous as my personal enjoyment and relationship to this style of music is low….I imagine seeing this performed live would be a different story.

First side is SUPER strong. Chameleon might be the jam to end all jams. Back half however meanders for me. Sly is unfocused until 6 mins in and Vein Melter the opposite

I like jazz fusion, but I’m just not a fan of long, meandering, repetitive solos. But I can’t deny that Herbie is a legend

Not for me, but I'm sure fine for what it is

typical long boy jazz songs. Some good stuff in there but not something I would listen to regularly

Fairly good background music.

Great Songs: Good Songs: Chameleon, Watermelon Man, Sly Mid Songs: Vein Melter Bad Songs:

Yeah, that was coo.

Ok

This was interesting. I enjoyed "Vein Melter"

Head Hunters is going in my Jazzy Dinner Party playlist. I found it really good to half-listen to.

There are 4 songs on this 41 minute album that is a blend of jazz/funk. Pitchfork: 10.0 Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #254 (2023) Best Songs (There are only 4) Watermelon Man

Funk so tight it struts in polyester. I roll my eyes and eat it up every time.

It was fine but I didn't love it

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 :)

Jazzy and fun. Eclectic. 6/10

Vibe are fun and interesting. The beats run wild

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

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

great jazz album

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

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.

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

Jazz is too hard to review.

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

The classic jazz funk fusion master

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.

Chameleon was cool, a little laborious

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

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

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 🍉

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

Pretty nice jazz.

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

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

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.

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

Wait do I like jazz?

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

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

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.

Enjoyed but a bit too long

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

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?

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

A soundtrack for Driver 2. Top track: Chameleon

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.

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

Enjoyable, but unlikely to return.

Jazzy. Funky. Background music. 3 stars.

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

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.

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

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

Not my favorite genre, tunes for music school kids

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.

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

Would not buy

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.

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.

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

This was an interesting ride

Good background music.

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

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

Strongest 3 without a doubt

3/5 good instrumental jazz

Solid jam album. 3.5/5

Nice

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

🐣🤷‍♂️

Interesting

Not really my jam

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!

Far out there progressive tech vibe. Strange good album

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

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.

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...

Hancock's achievements are undeniable. This record was another cornerstone of his success. He bridged the gap between funk and jazz, making this music accessible to a broader audience. I'm not a jazz guy, but this was a nice background on a hot summer day.

Interesting.

Get funky, tira un botto come album. Peccato che sia solo strumentale e mi frena un po' come roba.

Corto y mayoría fue sonido extraño

Really liked Watermelon Man. My personal preference is towards shorter tracks, but this album has a great sound.

Funky

Vibes I quite enjoyed but can't get behind super long songs like this unless it's live

good working jazz music, very funky

Background noise jazz, not that interesting.

Very funky Some long songs but the keep you hooked Easy to listen to

Intense funky jazz. Met een aantal vrij exotische nummers.

Herbie Hancock walked so Shoji Meguro could run, specifically when he released what is universally considered the greatest Jazz album of all time, thereby ending the genre and any further contributions to it altogether, the soundtrack to Persona 5.

Funkyyyyy. Immediate toe tapper on the first track. Kinda long songs but they seem to keep my attention. Drummer needs a raise. Track 2 is insanely creative, loved it. Not into track 3 - felt like I was being yelled at by Jazz the whole time. Track 4 is some serious false advertising. “Vein Melter” could not be further from the truth for a song this slow and dull. Overall alright but wouldn’t listen again as a whole. 3/5

Electric jazz I would call it, very groovy and up-tempo. Sometimes it got a touch annoying with some of the electric sounds, I preferred when it the keys/percussion were the focus and other sounds in the back. Good listen

The name Herby Hancock will be familiar to many thru' his pop production work, which followed his Jazz-Funk era. This may be one of his most Jazzy-Funky work, and ... it annoys me. Sure, they does get in the groove a lot. But, to me, it seems to be "get the backing musicians in a full on groove, and then lay some random noodlings on top. Within the same song, some of it works, some of it justs seems to be aimless.

Inneresting

Jazz x-funk-rock. Commercial success.

Like I'm all about The Watermelon Man...great track, but the rest of it just kind of fades into the background for me. It doesn't catch me really at all. Talented as hell and funky. I could see dancing around with this but really, just couldn't get into it.

It’s good for people who like Jazz

De er tydeligvis rigtig dygtige jazzmusikere men pladen er meget mere funk. Det er ret interessant og ret lækkert

Funky turning more jazzy towards the end

This is the first album I received on this platform that was truly unknown to me. This is what I'm here for!! While this album is a jam it's a bit repetitive but still good. Thanks for the exposure.

i like chameleon

Solid jazz and the artist is from Chicago. A few too many strange sounds for my taste.

I liked Watermelon Man and found the rest tolerable, which is real growth for me for greater-jazz listening.

Nice jazz vibe. Much easier sound than his 80s hit Rockit.

Eh

really groovy and filled with good vibrations. JAZZY FUNKY EASY LISTENABLE SPIN. (3.0/5.0)

Usually not a fan of short albums with long songs and no lyrics, but pretty decent funky music

Solid jazz album. Nothing really stands out to me. It’s Herbie Hancock and sounds like him too.

Ok

Really groovy, pleasant background music. Not something I’d ever drive to or anything like that, but good for getting some writing done. I have to keep this in my back pocket.

Otherworldly sounds, long and prodigious pieces. Exciting all the way.

Innovative, ahead of its time, but prone to repetition.

Funky jazz that takes a turn about halfway through. Solid listen, but I probably won't revisit.

it was a fun album to listen to but wasn't particularly moving. unfortunately that leads me to downgrade from a 3.5 to 3

Excellent album, coherent not overly Freeform has a groove and style worthy of repeated listening. I enjoyed.

As the album description says was was already established and not new. Not really as significant as the first Tim with miles davis. Mediocre

Gets a little repetitive, but watermelon man is fun.

Cool 😎

I don't think I've ever listened to "Jazz Fusion" but this was great. So funky and flowy.

Oooh no, not Jazz again....first thoughts...BUT what a good funky Jazz stuff! Really liked it!

Precise and genre-defining album which you have to respect. Watermelon Man in particular is impeccable although across the album the momentum does flag for me in places

Opener Chameleon pulls you in slowly…head nodding already…. Not sure about the windpipes on track 2, they got on my nerves. But all in all a great jazz inspired quartet of tunes, Hancock was such a pioneer, this still sounds so fresh.

Jazz easy listening

Pretty good. Great opening track but didn’t blow me away or anything.

bello ma questo mix non mi convince

Not my usual cup of tea, but glad I listened to this. 👍

Pre-listening thoughts: 4 instrumental tracks… 41 mins… oh god… Post/during listening thoughts: on Tuesday I saw Remi Wolf in concert and that show was GREAT. Highly recommend seeing her perform if you ever get a chance to. But she had a jazz group called Dana and Alden open for her. Now, they were okay, but some of their songs were wack as hell. Let’s go to Trader Joe’s??? Let’s celebrate permaculture as a family??? Yeah you guys didn’t need to announce you were from Oregon at the beginning of your set, we can tell 😭. Anyways, my point with this is sometimes songs don’t need lyrics, otherwise it’ll just make them worse. So maybe I appreciate this album for just being cool instrumentals rather than yapping about linking up near the Kung Pao Chicken or keeping this family together over some squash in the front yard. 6/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nah Fav tracks: Chameleon Least fav tracks: I didn’t dislike any of this but this isn’t something I’d revisit frequently

Watermelon man go hard feel like im in the woods

Pretty groovy. ButnotasgroovyasTheRiseandFallofZiggyStardustandtheSpidersfromMars.

watermelon man was best, but also liked sly. jazz isn't generally my speed but this is a good afternoon sountrack to doing other (slower) things album.

While I do enjoy the funkiness of that keyboard in the jazz, I still struggle to tap into the long form jazz. I can recognize the immense talent, but the super long screechy brass solos pull me out

Really good. Easy to listen to and easy to enjoy.

This is my fav of the jazz-adjacent albums I’ve had so far (mostly because it’s shorter)

That mindless grooving that I like to listen to on some days. Lot like The Doors, but jazzy. But the songs have a lot of soundbites that are obnoxious.

This album was very different from what I usually listen to. 40+ minutes of pure instrumental jazz. And yet, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was nice to listen to something outside of my comfort zone. (would def give 3.5 if i could)

I mean, its jazz, right? All the notes, all at once, like if your brain took a funky bath in outer space and then came back to Earth just to strut down the sidewalk in platform shoes. By the time I got to Sly (track 3), I had to pop an extra Adderall.

So this was actually really calming and great to work along to. I’m never the type of person to vibe with this genre but this was kind of an exception on my part. I think it was really interesting.

Technically quite complex and interesting but quite repetitive and not really my thing.

Nunca tinha ouvido, achei a atmosfera que é criada durante a música muito sensacional, no geral um groovezin bão de ouvir

Didnt hate what I heard but a bit too "elevator music" -esque to me.

Jazz electro