record collection revisited: Herbie Hancock "Headhunters"

Herbie Hancock's album "Headhunters" is somewhat unique in the realm of fusion jazz records, because, in its recording circa 1973, there wasn't a guitar to be found on it.  All the electronic sounds come from Hancock on keyboards.  The core of The Headhunters as a band was:

Herbie Hancock: Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hohner D6 Clavinet, ARP Odyssey synthesizer, ARP Soloist synthesizer

Bennie Maupin: soprano & tenor saxophones, Saxello, Bass Clarinet & Alto Flute

Paul Jackson: electric bass & marimbula

Harvey Mason: drums

Bill Summers: percussion

Summers played these percussion instruments on the record.

Congas, Shekere, Balafon, Agogo, Cabasa, Hindewhu, Tambourine, Log Drum, Surdo, Gankogui, & beer bottle

The beer bottle was meant to imitate an instrument called the hindewho which is a papaya stem whistle that is traditionally played in the music of the Mbuti Pygmies of northeastern Zaire.  This info was discovered via Wikipedia and the article they have about this recording as a whole.

Oddly enough, there isn't a guitar to be found on the whole record, contrary to Hancock's jazz fusion contemporaries such as Return To Forever or Mahavishnu Orchestra.  Weather Report did not have guitar on their early albums.  Although, in the 1980s they did enlist the great Carlos Santana to play on some of their recordings at that time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_Hunters_%28album%29

The rhythms and melodies on this record are quite unique, and Hancock composed every piece.  Mike Clark eventually replaced Harvey Mason on drums in The Headhunters, in 1974, and the band went on to record several more albums.  Yet, this one remains Hancock's signature album, almost four decades since it was created.  The rhythmic and melodic ideas of this record inspired a lot of modern music, including jazz, funk, and even hip hop.  There is a video of the whole recording above.

Click on it, and check out the whole album.  An adventurous listen to be sure.

1. Chameleon

2. Watermelon Man

3. Sly

4. Vein Melter