Herbie Hancock Live 2017

[Hot Ptah]

I saw Herbie Hancock live in Kansas City on August 12, 2017. With Herbie were Lionel Loueke--guitar (mostly highly altered with electronics); James Genus--electric bass; Terrace Martin--alto saxophone, synthesizers, electronically altered vocals; Vinnie Colaiuta--drums.  Herbie played some acoustic piano, a lot of synthesizers and other electronic keyboards, and electronically altered vocals.

It was a wild, scorching concert, an all-out intensity blast. I never got to see the Miles Davis electric band of the mid-1970s, the band that recorded "Agharta" and "Pangea". This is about as close to that as I am likely to ever get.

It was without a doubt highly successful for what they were trying to do. There was literally no lyricism or swing. It was an electronic jamming explosion, from start to finish.

Herbie is not retreating to a rocking chair in his old age, that is for sure. He is getting more intense and abrasive in his music.

About eleven years ago I saw Herbie live with Michael Brecker, Roy Hargrove, Scott Colley and Terri Lyne Carrington. At the time I thought that the concert was energetic and innovative in its use of electronics. Now it seems quaint and restrained, compared to this year's tour.

Edited August 17, 2017 by Hot Ptah

[kh1958]

Last year, he played at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in duet with Wayne Shorter--a fantastic concert.

He's  playing in Dallas in October and I'm going. Looking forward to it. Thanks for the report.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

 

[CJ Shearn]

Would have loved to see him in NYC August 6th.  I believe a lot of that live music is a preview of his new album which will feature among others Thundercat, Robert Glasper, Snoop Dogg and others.  Even with the hindsight we have Complete Columbia Album Collection, who knew from "Sextant" where Herbie would go in electronic music?  There were signs but he's pushing the envelope, and truly into mainstream hip hop collaboration.  "Rockit" and "Future Shock" did have an impact on hip hop, but not in the truly integrated way Herbie is approaching now.  Great to see a balanced view of  the music.  Getting that box set really made me look at his music differently than I had before, I always favored the acoustic and early electric periods.

[Hot Ptah]

It will be interesting to hear Herbie's upcoming album. His recent concert was not  especially hip hop oriented.

[CJ Shearn]

I think so.  If you were to use a precedent in Herbie's catalog, would you say it's closer to the sonic explorations of Mwandishi?

[Hot Ptah]

It would be more like a combination of Sextant and the Headhunters album. Sextant is more aggressive than Crossings or the other Mwandishi group albums.

It really reminded me of a combination of Miles Davis' Agharta album mixed with Sextant and Headhunters. The electronically altered, screeching extended guitar solos, and the relentlessly pounding wall of rhythm drumming, was more like Agharta than anything Herbie has recorded himself.

[CJ Shearn]

Oh wow.  Sucks I missed the Beacon theater gig, sounds great.

[mikeweil]

In case he takes this band over the pond, I'll go - if it's not too expensive. Always been a big fan or Herbie - great to hear he's kind of remembering the progressive side of his career.

The tickets for Diana Krall in September are too costly for my budget (and I don't like the acoustics of the venue).

[Hot Ptah]

Tickets to see Herbie were not especially expensive in the 1,500 seat classical concert hall in Kansas City. You could get a ticket for under $40.

Edited August 19, 2017 by Hot Ptah

[Cyril]

3 hours ago, mikeweil said:

In case he takes this band over the pond, I'll go - if it's not too expensive. Always been a big fan or Herbie - great to hear he's kind of remembering the progressive side of his career.

He did, he was at the NSJF 2017, with the same musicians.  

[mikeweil]

Thanks - I looked at his website for other dates, but they're all too far from where I live. He tours Europe again in November. When he was here in July I was on vacation on the other end of the country. 

https://www.herbiehancock.com/tour/

Edited August 19, 2017 by mikeweil

[JSngry]

1974:

First time I heard this, I thought it was a remix by some really open-minded techno geek or something. But no, it's real-time solo playing. Not that it has anything to do with the music of the current band, but Herbie...assume nothing with this guy, good or bad!

 

 

[Cyril]

2017