Bob Gluck's Herbie Hancock and the Mwandishi Band

[mikeweil]

You'll Know When You Get There

Herbie Hancock and the Mwandishi Band

Bob Gluck

Edited July 30, 2012 by mikeweil

[CraigP]

Thanks for the heads-up. Can't wait to read this.

[david weiss]

Had a quick look at this over the weekend as the author came to a Cookers gig to give the book to Billy Hart and Eddie Henderson.

Didn't have a chance to read anything but saw some great pictures.......very promising.....

[Free For All]

I just received this from Amazon and am looking forward to checking it out.

[JSngry]

Tell me that it is significantly better than the Head Hunters book. Please.

[phunkey]

Tell me that it is significantly better than the Head Hunters book. Please.

Whilst I'm slightly biased, I assure you that Bob's book is way better than Pond's book on the Head Hunters. In my opinion, he's done a fantastic job and struck a fine balance between describing the socio-musical background, analysing the music, and weaving in the musicians' recollections. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the Mwandishi band.

[JSngry]

That's good to hear, because with Pond's book, I can't recall the last time I got so pissed off while reading things I essentially agreed with. It's like it wsn't a book about the music/band/album as much as it was a critique of jazz criticism over the last 40 or so years. I ain't got time for that kinda crap, ya' know?

[ep1str0phy]

Review: You'll Know When You Get There

I started writing a post on here and it got waaaaay long, so I thought I'd post this here. The short version is that the book is a welcome but at times perplexingly insubstantial detailing of some very worthwhile music. I don't think I've ever read a major jazz text that has had more boring or inconsequential theoretical analysis than the middle stretch of this book, non-contenders (like Ratliff's Coltrane book) notwithstanding. There's a lot of love in here, but the general impression I get is that the book would have benefited from some real critical thinking in terms of the Sextet's influences, motivations, and creative endgame.

Edited August 8, 2012 by ep1str0phy

[Indestructible!]

I can't recall the last time I got so pissed off while reading things I essentially agreed with.

That would be Kofsky's "Black Nationalism and the Revolution in Music" for me. Maddening book!

To stay on track, I'm looking forward to reading Gluck's book... it sounds promising!

[JSngry]

I can't recall the last time I got so pissed off while reading things I essentially agreed with.

That would be Kofsky's "Black Nationalism and the Revolution in Music" for me. Maddening book!

I read it in 1974. Different time, place, scene, etc. Didn't bother me then, still doesn't, not really. It's just...over the top.

But then again, the top might've been higher then...I don't know. Seems like it, but you know how folks start getting at a certain point.

[ep1str0phy]

I just stepped out to buy some groceries and listened to Sextant in the car. It's actually pretty maddening how little critical detail there is to Gluck's analysis at times--it feels like someone is analyzing from memory, rather than listening to the music with any sort of attention to detail. For example: much is made about "Rain Dance"'s innovative synthesizer sequencing and the resultant (veritable) electronic jungle--presaging contemporary (and I mean, like, last week) electronica by decades--but Gluck fails to mention the really piquant, almost primitive jazz flourishes that pop up throughout the piece. There's a very acoustic sounding finger popping/percussion that emerges not long after the purely electronoic intro, and (due in part to the robotic inflection of the synthesizer) it's difficult to place this popping in terms of a meter/beat. Once Eddie Henderson, enters (essentially unprocessed), it's clear that the popping is simulating a traditional jazz backbeat (i.e., accents on 2 & 4)--or, rather, Henderon's almost traditionalist onset recontextualizes the popping and transforms "Rain Dance" into a dialogue between future and past.

More on that: a jaunty little synth figure pops up toward the end of the piece, essentially paraphrasing the central phrase of Horace Silver's Doodlin.

Compare:

Doodlin'

v.

Doodlin' Figure in Rain Dance

Considering the big to-do Gluck makes about Hancock's incorporation of funkiness into the Sextet's music (as well as the influence of Horace Silver), you'd think he'd point out the convergence of Sextant's ultra futurism with the rhythmic syntax of hard bop and other precursors. This might not be an observation everyone would make, but it's relevant enough that the connection would become apparent upon repeated listening.

Edited August 8, 2012 by ep1str0phy

[sidewinder]

Picked up the book in London today. I'm a sucker for this band and will happily read anything ever written about it. Some good weekend reading coming up, hopefully.

[CJ Shearn]

I just stepped out to buy some groceries and listened to Sextant in the car. It's actually pretty maddening how little critical detail there is to Gluck's analysis at times--it feels like someone is analyzing from memory, rather than listening to the music with any sort of attention to detail. For example: much is made about "Rain Dance"'s innovative synthesizer sequencing and the resultant (veritable) electronic jungle--presaging contemporary (and I mean, like, last week) electronica by decades--but Gluck fails to mention the really piquant, almost primitive jazz flourishes that pop up throughout the piece. There's a very acoustic sounding finger popping/percussion that emerges not long after the purely electronoic intro, and (due in part to the robotic inflection of the synthesizer) it's difficult to place this popping in terms of a meter/beat. Once Eddie Henderson, enters (essentially unprocessed), it's clear that the popping is simulating a traditional jazz backbeat (i.e., accents on 2 & 4)--or, rather, Henderon's almost traditionalist onset recontextualizes the popping and transforms "Rain Dance" into a dialogue between future and past.

More on that: a jaunty little synth figure pops up toward the end of the piece, essentially paraphrasing the central phrase of Horace Silver's Doodlin.

Compare:

v.

Doodlin' Figure in Rain Dance

Considering the big to-do Gluck makes about Hancock's incorporation of funkiness into the Sextet's music (as well as the influence of Horace Silver), you'd think he'd point out the convergence of Sextant's ultra futurism with the rhythmic syntax of hard bop and other precursors. This might not be an observation everyone would make, but it's relevant enough that the connection would become apparent upon repeated listening.

I just stepped out to buy some groceries and listened to Sextant in the car. It's actually pretty maddening how little critical detail there is to Gluck's analysis at times--it feels like someone is analyzing from memory, rather than listening to the music with any sort of attention to detail. For example: much is made about "Rain Dance"'s innovative synthesizer sequencing and the resultant (veritable) electronic jungle--presaging contemporary (and I mean, like, last week) electronica by decades--but Gluck fails to mention the really piquant, almost primitive jazz flourishes that pop up throughout the piece. There's a very acoustic sounding finger popping/percussion that emerges not long after the purely electronoic intro, and (due in part to the robotic inflection of the synthesizer) it's difficult to place this popping in terms of a meter/beat. Once Eddie Henderson, enters (essentially unprocessed), it's clear that the popping is simulating a traditional jazz backbeat (i.e., accents on 2 & 4)--or, rather, Henderon's almost traditionalist onset recontextualizes the popping and transforms "Rain Dance" into a dialogue between future and past.

More on that: a jaunty little synth figure pops up toward the end of the piece, essentially paraphrasing the central phrase of Horace Silver's Doodlin.

Compare:

v.

Doodlin' Figure in Rain Dance

Considering the big to-do Gluck makes about Hancock's incorporation of funkiness into the Sextet's music (as well as the influence of Horace Silver), you'd think he'd point out the convergence of Sextant's ultra futurism with the rhythmic syntax of hard bop and other precursors. This might not be an observation everyone would make, but it's relevant enough that the connection would become apparent upon repeated listening.

I know exactly what you mean about the finger snap/percussion figure on "Rain Dance" how it kind of blends the two worlds, the woodiness of Buster Williams' bassline also a component in that. I wonder what his analysis is of "Water Torture" and "Sleeping Giant". Mwandishi is such a great band that, it would be great while everyone is still around if Herbie brought them together and they try to in 2013 bring some of that super creative energy back but it'd be a challenge. Herbie's Headhunters 2005 and "Return of" projects were a mess.

[Rooster_Ties]

How deep/good is the late 60's coverage in this book?  If there's much about Speak Like a Child -- and The Prisoner (especially!) -- I may need to get this.

(Just finding out about this book now, searching for Prisoner-related stuff, to contribute an all-Herbie thread on the Steve Hoffman board.)

[sidewinder]

There's one chapter which covers the first sextet and not a lot in there about 'Speak' and 'The Prisoner'. The main focus of the book is on the Mwandishi years.

I still have to fully read this book, it has sat too long on my shelves without being perused !

[ghost of miles]

On August 8, 2012 at 0:17 AM, ep1str0phy said:

I just stepped out to buy some groceries and listened to Sextant in the car. It's actually pretty maddening how little critical detail there is to Gluck's analysis at times--it feels like someone is analyzing from memory, rather than listening to the music with any sort of attention to detail. For example: much is made about "Rain Dance"'s innovative synthesizer sequencing and the resultant (veritable) electronic jungle--presaging contemporary (and I mean, like, last week) electronica by decades--but Gluck fails to mention the really piquant, almost primitive jazz flourishes that pop up throughout the piece. There's a very acoustic sounding finger popping/percussion that emerges not long after the purely electronoic intro, and (due in part to the robotic inflection of the synthesizer) it's difficult to place this popping in terms of a meter/beat. Once Eddie Henderson, enters (essentially unprocessed), it's clear that the popping is simulating a traditional jazz backbeat (i.e., accents on 2 & 4)--or, rather, Henderon's almost traditionalist onset recontextualizes the popping and transforms "Rain Dance" into a dialogue between future and past.

 

More on that: a jaunty little synth figure pops up toward the end of the piece, essentially paraphrasing the central phrase of Horace Silver's Doodlin.

 

Compare:

 

Doodlin'

 

v.

 

Doodlin' Figure in Rain Dance

 

Considering the big to-do Gluck makes about Hancock's incorporation of funkiness into the Sextet's music (as well as the influence of Horace Silver), you'd think he'd point out the convergence of Sextant's ultra futurism with the rhythmic syntax of hard bop and other precursors. This might not be an observation everyone would make, but it's relevant enough that the connection would become apparent upon repeated listening.

Excellent, deep analysis--thanks for this. ?

[mikeweil]

When I click the links for the samples they always take me back to this page!