Herbie Hancock: Possibilities

[Lazaro Vega]

Is there a thread here on Herbie's book?

Enjoyed this interview when I caught it live on the air, though Herbie mis-understands the caller from Grand Rapids who's asking about "Chameleon," not "Cantaloupe Island."

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2014-12-31/herbie_hancock_possibilities_rebroadcast

[JSngry]

I've heard that Herbie tells us about his time as a crackhead in the 90s.

[MomsMobley]

I've heard that Herbie tells us about his time as a crackhead in the 90s.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6296648/herbie-hancock-crack-addict-memoir

[.:.impossible]

Kind of amazing that this is the first mention here at org. It was all over FB for a few weeks following the book's release.

[7/4]

I've heard that Herbie tells us about his time as a crackhead in the 90s.

That's what I heard. I hope he's doing better.

[mikeweil]

He speaks frankly and in detail about it in the book.

[Lazaro Vega]

've torn through it. Always been a fan. That whole jazz funk thing brought me in in the 70's. He's like a techy Zelig, too. Very easy to read. Spends a lot of time on Mawandishi.

[johnblitweiler]

It came as a Christmas gift this week.

[Lazaro Vega]

His tone in appreciation of Miles is deep. His comments on Wynton insightful. His general discussion about jazz is welcoming.

[fasstrack]

I've heard that Herbie tells us about his time as a crackhead in the 90s.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6296648/herbie-hancock-crack-addict-memoir

WTF? I'm surprised as hell. Thought it was a joke at first.

[AllenLowe]

I never miss anything Herbie does.

[jazzbo]

I'll get it eventually. . . I just looked, I have books I bought a year ago not yet gotten to!

[CJ Shearn]

I enjoyed this book a lot, read it in 6 hours.

[GA Russell]

oldies.com has the Possibilities dvd + cd set for 99 cents.

http://www.oldies.com/product-view/0148FD.html

[Rooster_Ties]

As far as the book, how is his coverage of his time immediately after Miles? Would love to hear more about The Prisoner and the Warner Brothers years, or even Speak Like A Child.

[clifford_thornton]

I enjoyed this book a lot, read it in 6 hours.

were you on crack?

[JSngry]

The crack thing is "funny" to me, because I figured it would have come around the early 80s, the time of Monster & Magic Windows, that stuff, neither particularly interesting for any reason, nor particularly inspired in any way. But no, it came in the early 90s, when Herbie was making ok-enough records for Verve, like the Massey Hall thing with Brecker. So, ok, don't blame the drugs then. And besides, there were some other things going on in those years, like Mr. Hands, that were actually pretty good. But Monster in particular, I'd prefer to think that that was the work of a crackhead gone wrong than to think that it was the best Herbie (or anybody) could come up with at the time. That's just depressing.

[sgcim]

Looks like he got more than just hip voicings from Bill Evans...

He used to be in the same chant group as one of my student's parents.

[CJ Shearn]

I enjoyed this book a lot, read it in 6 hours.

were you on crack?

LOL, no

[Lazaro Vega]

The whole "butter" notes vs. "bottom" notes thing is kind of funny, except the misunderstanding led him into personally creative territory.

[Carl Baugher]

I thought Herbie did a good job with the book. I read it rather quickly. An easy read and enjoyable.

[mikeweil]

The crack thing is "funny" to me, because I figured it would have come around the early 80s, the time of Monster & Magic Windows, that stuff, neither particularly interesting for any reason, nor particularly inspired in any way. But no, it came in the early 90s, when Herbie was making ok-enough records for Verve, like the Massey Hall thing with Brecker. So, ok, don't blame the drugs then. And besides, there were some other things going on in those years, like Mr. Hands, that were actually pretty good. But Monster in particular, I'd prefer to think that that was the work of a crackhead gone wrong than to think that it was the best Herbie (or anybody) could come up with at the time. That's just depressing.

I think he still had a sense of direction in the 1980's, although you could argue about its musical value. That vision kind of got lost after 1990, that he didn't have a real working band may be a symptom. His "projects" after 1990 never convinced me that much, and if they did, there were bandmates from the Headhunters involved. His playing on the Joe Henderson Jobim CD on Verve was much more loose and ispired than on his own Standards CD, IMO. The crack use may be a symptom of his rather low level of inspiration, or be (at least be part of) the reason for it. That whole process of drug acquisition and hiding its use, the double life, consumes so much energy ... before that, Herbie was a maker, just creating the ideas he got. After it, less dreams, and less energy to make them come true. Just my two cents.

What's depressing to me is that it took away so much of his potential from us, and himself.

Creative potential = Possibilities ?

[ValerieB]

I don't believe his crack use was in the '90s. more like in this century.

[mikeweil]

Matthew Shipp Talks Herbie Hancock’s MemoirPossibilities, and Not Dying for Your Art

[JSngry]

I'm getting about as tired of Matthew Shipp talking about Herbie Hancock as I am of Herbie Hancock playing about Herbie Hancock.