"Head Hunters" by HERBIE HANCOCK – October 1973 US Album on Columbia Records, March 1974 UK LP on CBS Records – featuring Bennie Maupin, Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason and Bill Summers (February 2011 UK/EUROPE Columbia CD Reissue and Remaster - Original COLUMBIA Jazz Classics Series) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Vein Melter..."

Jazz had been morphing into a new kind of instrumental Funk since 1970 and Herbie Hancock knew it. 

In truth - Funk had been permeating into Rock and Soul stretching as far back as 1967 (or maybe even further back) – but the construct of Jazz Funk had taken its sweet old time. Oiling those acceptance wheels was Miles Davis on Columbia, George Benson on CTI, Earth Wind & Fire on Warner Brothers, Phil Upchurch on Blue Thumb and so many more. But it was the sexy groovy nature of 1973's "Head Hunters" by keyboard whizz-kid Herbie Hancock that made it famous. Recorded in only one day (1 January 1973) – it has been a touch-point for Jazz-Funk nutjobs ever since.

Although it doesn't state who remastered what and where anywhere – I think it's safe to say that this February 2011 variant in the 'Original Columbia Jazz Classics' Series is technically a reissue of the 25 March 1997 CD Remaster done by MARK WILDER for Legacy. And what a glorious racket it makes too – a beautifully full transfer that thumps out those amazing keyboard and percussive grooves across its four full-on cuts. Let's get melted people...

UK/EUROPE released 7 February 2011 - "Head Hunters" by HERBIE HANCOCK on Sony/Columbia/Legacy 88697843472 (Barcode 886978434722) is a straightforward CD Transfer and Remaster (part of the Original COLUMBIA Jazz Classics Series) that plays out as follows (41:47 minutes):

1. Chameleon (15:41 minutes) – Side 1

2. Watermelon Man (6:29 minutes)

3. Sly (10:15 minutes) – Side 2

4. Vein Melter (9:09 minutes)

Tracks 1 to 4 are the album "Head Hunters" – released October 1973 in the USA on Columbia Records KC 32731 and March 1974 in the UK on CBS Records S 65928. Produced by DAVID RUBINSON - Tracks 2, 3 and 4 written by Herbie Hancock with Track 1 being a Herbie Hancock, Paul Jackson and Harvey Mason composition – Track 2 arranged by Harvey Mason.  

HERBIE HANCOCK – Fender Rhodes Electric Piano, Horner D6 Clavinet, ARP Odyssey Synthesizer, ARP Soloist Synthesizer and Pipes

BERNIE MAUPIN – Soprano and Tenor Saxophones, Saxello, Bass Clarinet and Alto Flute

PAUL JACKSON – Electric Bass and Marimba 

HARVEY MASON – Drums 

BILL SUMMERS – Congas, Shekere, Balafon, Agogo, Cabasa, Hindewho Whistle, Tambourine, Log Drum, Surdo, Gankoqui Bells and Beer Bottle

Despite the flashy logo of 'Original COLUMBIA Jazz Classics' on the see-through spine, the gatefold slip of an inlay is a huge disappointment for such an important album.  It lists the individual players and instruments for all four tracks, but precious little else. No history, no appreciation, no involvement from the artist. What isn't a let down however is the truly awesome audio. We're not talking loudness wars here, just muscle and clarity in spades. The album was beautifully produced in the first place, but this Remaster has brought out the stunning playing even more. 

At just under sixteen minutes, you might think that "Chameleon" overstays its welcome as entry point number one - but not so. The groove is fantastic and allows the players to solo and return to it - synth notes dancing around your speakers - the rhythm section of drums and bass whacking and thumping with equal clarity. His remake of "Watermelon Man" takes it in another direction. It's hard not to overstate the fact that this is Jazz-Funk as opposed to just Jazz - "Head Hunters" actually feeling a little at times like a mission statement - here is the future pal - get used to it. 

Jabbing brass notes and drums open the suitably slick "Sly" before it settles into a sort of Miles Davis smooze - the Remaster just amazing as the Bass and Drums do Funk battle. Love that Clavinet break too where it feels like their rehearsing for Todd Rundgren's Utopia and sort Prog Rock opus. Their is a small amount of hiss at the beginning of the bass note intro to "Vein Melter" but it soon disappears as the trippy Saxophone Jazz phrases build - Hancock floating notes across the soundscape as Mason plays that marching drum - so sexy too. 

I haven't listened to "Head Hunters" in years - bit of a mistake that - what a belter it is. It was one of the biggest selling Jazz albums for Columbia Records outside of you know who – two innovators – hardly any surprises there then...

"Darkness, Darkness" by PHIL UPCHURCH - July 1972 US 2LP Studio Set on Blue Thumb Records (March 2008 Japan-Only Universal/Geffen SHM-CD Remaster in a Jewel Case) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Inner City Blues…"

Chicago-born session guitarist Phil Upchurch had put out two albums on Cadet Records - "Upchurch" in 1969 and "The Way I Feel" in 1970 - when he then signed to Tommy LiPuma's new label - Blue Thumb. "Darkness, Darkness" was his debut for that record label and is quite rightly considered by many to be a masterpiece of Jazz-Funk and Soul.

Produced by Phil Upchurch and Tommy LiPuma - it was originally issued as a 2LP set on Blue Thumb Records BTS 6005 in July 1972 in the USA and then subsequently on Island/Blue Thumb Records ILPS 9219 in the UK.

There are two variants of the Japanese CD. First up is a 27 June 2001 standard CD jewel case edition on MCA/Universal UICY-3308 (to locate it use Barcode 4988005272263). It is not a SHM-CD but was cut using the 'Rubidium Atomic Clock' Process and sounds beautiful too (I also have that issue). But what makes this 2008 reissue 'sing' is the new 24-bit remaster combined with the Super High Materials format on which it's pressed (a SHM-CD in industry lingo). The sound quality on this disc is superlative - a truly gorgeous Audio Transfer and a very real advert for what this 'best of the best' format can do. Here are the details for that issue...

Released 5 March 2008 in Japan – "Darkness, Darkness" by PHIL UPCHURCH on Universal/Geffen UICY-93418 (Barcode 4988005506979) also comes in a 5" Mini-LP card sleeve that reproduces the original gatefold artwork front and rear - and has an OBI (different to the 2001 issue) and outer cellophane protective wrap with the SHM-CD sticker. It breaks down as follows (67:06 minutes):

1. Darkness, Darkness [Youngbloods cover, Jesse Colin Young writer]

2. Fire & Rain [James Taylor cover]

3. What We Call The Blues [Phil Upchurch song]

4. Cold Sweat [James Brown cover]

5. Please Send Me Someone To Love [Percy Mayfield cover]

6. Inner City Blues [Marvin Gaye cover]

7. You've Got A Friend [James Taylor cover]

8. Love & Peace [Arthur Adams song]

9. Sweet Chariot [Traditional Song cover]

10. Sausalito Blues [Phil Upchurch song]

PHIL UPCHURCH - Lead Guitar

ARTHUR ADAMS - Rhythm Guitar

JOE SAMPLE of THE CRUSADERS - Keyboards on Tracks 1, 2

DONNY HATHAWAY - Keyboards on Tracks 3 and 10

BEN SIDRAN - Organ on Track 8

CHUCK RAINEY - Bass

HARVEY MASON - Drums On All [except DON SIMMONS on Track 4]

As you can see from the track list and musician credits above, it's heavy on cover versions of the time (the title track itself is written by Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods) and the sessions featured the cream of musicians in the field. It was also engineered by Bruce Botnick of Elektra Records production fames (The Doors, MC5 and Love).

Musically - if you were to give "Darkness, Darkness" a comparison - it's "Breezin'" by George Benson and "Free As The Wind" by The Crusaders (both from 1976) - only 5 years earlier. Each track is a jazz-guitar-driven instrumental with a very funky and soulful feel. The quality of songs is also uniformly excellent, even if "Fire & Rain" can sound at times a little like The Shadows doing a cheesy cover version. The two Upchurch originals are superb especially the slow BB King feel of "What We Call The Blues". The playing standard is exceptional - and the warmth of the remaster only accentuates that. It's a joy to listen to - it really is. The title track "Darkness, Darkness" was written by Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods and picked up before Upchurch had a go by English Rockers Mott The Hoople who did a cover of it on their "Brain Capers" LP on Island Records in 1971. You can so hear why both like it as a song - it swings and grooves. Other faves include a Jazz-mellow cover of the old Percy Mayfield classic "Please Send Me Someone To Love" and a neck-jerking Funk-guitar work out of Marvin Gaye's wonderful What's Going On album finisher "Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)". Ben Sidran slinks about on the Organ for the Arthur Adams cover of "Love & Peace" – another fab groove and something that sounds 2016 and not 1971.

On the SHM-CD format "Darkness, Darkness" is presently a Japan-only release - and is already deleted, so it will therefore cost you to acquire it - but it's so worth it if you can. If you want a less pricey but equally worthy variant - there is also a May 2014 Higher Plane CD Reissue of the album out of the States on Higher Plane HIPE5502.2 (search Barcode 0639857550224 for that release).

Any guitar player who was the principal sideman to such soul luminaries as Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield has got to be up there. Superb stuff and big time recommended...

PS: His second LP for Blue Thumb - "Lovin' Feeling" from 1973 - was also reissued in 2008 on the SHM-CD format on Geffen UICY-93419. 

And at a budget level on the 'Chess Best Collection' Standard CD Series out of Japan - 1969's "The Way I Feel" and 1969's "Upchurch" (with Charles Stepney and Donny Hathaway) were both reissued 27 August 2014 on Universal/Cadet UICY-76555 and Universal/Cadet UICY-76556 (Barcodes 4988005840202 and 4988005840219 respectively). Unfortunately neither is reported to have been remastered and present only so-so sound...