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	Herbie Hancock River: Letters To Joni Verve, 2007 Prod: Larry Klein & Herbie Hancock Exec Prod: Dahlia Ambach Caplin Rated 4 out of 5

Listen to River featuring Corrine Bailey Rae

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[Note: I approach this review with less of a sense of context than most others I have written. Granted, I am familiar with Herbie Hancock's extensive catalog, but this album is not the standard jazz album mixture of originals and covers from a variety of sources. Almost all the material on this disc is written by Joni Mitchell, with whom I can't claim to be familiar. Those looking for an accurate comparison with the originals can find many such reviews online or elsewhere (I know...I've looked.), but what follows will be an overview of the album as a stand-alone work.]

This year’s Grammy award winner for best album is a cool, smoky set of ten mid-tempo tracks and ballads that stretches a bit under 70 minutes. It features Hancock on acoustic piano. He works in a quintet setting with saxophone mainstay Wayne Shorter and a very competent rhythm section, made up of Dave Holland on bass, Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, and Lionel Loueke on guitar. Eight of the tunes are Mitchell originals; two others are charts by other composers that may relate to her work indirectly. The album features four guest singers, spoken word from folk legend, Leonard Cohen, as well as an appearance from Joni herself. Hancock keeps a relatively subdued, restrained feeling throughout this album. Despite this, the disc has several commanding performances, both instrumentally and vocally, that allow it to legitimately compete with other “best album” nominees.

The set opens with a wandering, sparse Hancock solo that leads into Norah Jones’ rendition of “Court and Spark.” Jones is predictable in her delivery and doesn’t bring anything too exciting, but fits into the easy groove nicely. Shorter delivers the first of what will be several strong solos from him on the album. The first pleasant surprise on the album is Tina Turner’s feature, “Edith and the Kingpin.” Aside from sounding just fine, pushing 70 years of age, which is remarkable in itself, she definitely pulls back a bit from her usual boisterous delivery. Still, she is instantly recognizable, and takes the song in a great direction with her still-commanding vocal presence.

British neo-elevator-music singer, Corrine Bailey Rae, is greatly helped by a more textured musical backdrop than she normally gets on her solo material. Her title track is a gentle march that floats on the airy interplay of guitar, piano, and soprano sax. Rae’s supple, sweet vocals mesh perfectly, leading one to believe she may be worth a second look. Joni Mitchell shows up to perform “Tea Leaf Prophecy” redux. The effect is haunting, both in the narrative of the lyrics and the unique phrasing of her weathered voice. “Amelia” is performed by Brazilian jazz vocalist. Luciana Souza. The gentle, silky delivery of her slightly flatted vocals slinks in and out of the rhythmically unusual track. Finally, the CD ends with a gravelly spoken word performance by Leonard Cohen, backed only by Hancock’s alternately sweet and ominous modal playing.

Of the album’s four instrumental tracks, two are Mitchell originals, and two pieces by other composers. “Slow Bird” is a definite standout, with Shorter’s breathy tenor tying in perfectly with Hancock’s dynamic comping. The surprise of the set was a refresh of a signature Shorter chart, “Nefertiti.” Originally recorded by both Shorter and Hancock as members of Miles Davis’ quintet in 1967, it goes in a completely different, very exploratory direction in relation to the original. Shorter takes the lead on tenor, and the others fit themselves in around his powerful lines, collectively showing the most fire of anything on the album. It is one of the better recent tracks by either Shorter or Hancock, and the most intriguing piece on an album with no shortage of intrigue.

River is a bit of a return-to-center album for Herbie Hancock, who has experimented more and more in pop and adult contemporary territory in recent years. Certainly it keeps one toe on that ground, with collaborators like Jones and Rae, and most of it would not sound radically out of place at the average outlet mall. This is, however, an unequivocal jazz album, and has many more layers of depth than the average Brooks Brothers musical selection. Adept playing, singing, and arrangements are to thank for much of this, but obviously, Mitchell’s original work provides fertile ground for those seeds, instrumentally and lyrically. This album fully deserved the nomination for best album. Indeed, while an outsider is almost compelled to question the internal politics and ulterior motives of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in making such an unexpected choice, their decision to give it the award is a legitimate one. Maybe next year, Kanye.

Track Listing
1. Court And Spark f. Norah Jones
2. Edith And The Kingpin f. Tina Turner
3. Both Sides Now
4. River f. Corrine Bailey Rae
5. Sweet Bird
6. Tea Leaf Prophecy f. Joni Mitchell
7. Solitude
8. Amelia f. Luciana Souza
9. Nefertiti
10. The Jungle Line f. Leonard Cohen

Purchase
Amazon.com

Links
Herbie Hancock’s Official Website

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