HERBIE HANCOCK — V.S.O.P. the Quintet (review)

HERBIE HANCOCK — V.S.O.P. the Quintet album cover Live album · 1977 · Post Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
js
If you enjoy the music of the Miles Davis Quintet recorded during the 60s, then you might enjoy checking out this reunion of sorts recorded in 1977. This isn't a full reunion because our main man Miles has been replaced by Freddie Hubbard, and that one replacement makes quite a difference. The band on here is not as tentative and cautious as the original Quintet, they are all older and more confident and Freddie's bold brassy attack on the trumpet is far different from Miles more relaxed and almost mysterious approach. Consequently, this version of 'The Quintet' is much more assertive and explosive than their original version. Tony Williams in particular doesn't mind showing everyone that he has been playing a lot of rockin jazz fusion since the last time they were together. Although the music on here tends to be loud and aggressive, don't expect 70s jazz-rock. This is post bop, but with a drummer as free and inventive as Tony Williams, this bop often teeters on the edge of chaos. Also, not everything on here is fireworks, there are also two nice ballads ('Jessica' and 'Little Waltz') which bring back the quiet mystery of the original Quintet. On these two tunes Hubbard does a nice job of somewhat imitating Miles' quirky idiosyncratic trumpet playing.

All of the players on here are absolute masters on their instrument, some of the best talent in jazz ever, and they all sound like they are having a blast getting together again without their stern yet beloved taskmaster keeping them in check. This record's new way of looking at post-bop stood alone at the time of its release during the last days of a dying rock influenced fusion scene. It had been a long time since anyone had looked at the swinging yet abstract qualities of this great 60s borne acoustic jazz genre. Because this record came out of a unique and creative vacuum might help explain why this sort of ultra aggressive almost avant-garde style of post-bop hasn't caught on as much as today's more relaxed 'contemporary' sound.
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