August 14 2024 By Andy J. Gordon
In 1973, pianist and composer Herbie Hancock wanted to create something different from the contemporary jazz style. He came up with something funkier, that people could dance to while still rooted in jazz. To record songs with that new sound, he pulled together a stellar group of players and the album Head Hunters came to define what became jazz fusion. Hancock brought most of that lineup to the Hollywood Bowl on August 14, 2024, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its release. The one time gathering not only included a performance of the album in its entirety, but the Headhunters lineup joined forces with Hancock’s current band, including the brilliant trumpeter Terence Blanchard, to explore more of the music that the legend has presented to audiences over his 60-year career.
The 84-year-old Hancock has won an Academy Award and 14 Grammy Awards. Since 2012, he has been a professor at UCLA, where he teaches at the Herb Alpert School of Music. He is also the chairman of the school’s Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. The musicians that recorded Head Hunters included drummer Harvey Mason, saxophonist Bennie Maupin, percussionist Bill Summers, and bassist Paul Jackson. All except Jackson, who died in 2021, performed with Hancock at the Hollywood Bowl show. Bassist Marcus Miller filled in for Jackson. Two additional musicians supplemented the Headhunters quintet. Julian Pollack played a second set of keyboards while Devin Daniels (a graduate of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz) played alto sax. The show was divided into two parts – the first half was a re-creation of the famous album and the second half included Hancock’s current bandmates plus sit ins by the Headhunters on a selection of songs from Hancock’s extensive catalog.
NBA Hall of Famer and former Los Angeles Laker great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar introduced the band. When he walked onstage, Jabbar waited for the thunderous applause to end before he told the audience about his lifelong love for jazz music and his excitement upon first hearing Hancock’s innovative and danceable Head Hunters album. Each of the band members came out of the wings and embraced Jabbar before setting up with their instruments. Hancock came out last and talked a bit about the anniversary of the album and how thrilled they were to play it at the Hollywood Bowl.
Percussionist Bill Summers got the ball rolling with the distinctive notes of “Watermelon Man” that he played by blowing into a beer bottle. The band joined in and the night of exceptional music was underway. The band rolled through the other tracks from the historic album, plus two additional songs from their album Thrust, that they recorded in1975. Hancock and Bennie Maupin spearheaded the creative solos while Miller, Summers and Mason delivered complex, rhythmic beats. One of the Thrust tracks called “Palm Grease” featured a slow, sultry Maupin sax solo and a complicated, but sonically beautiful Hancock organ solo. Miller played a massive, double bass sax during “Butterfly” before switching back to his electric bass guitar. The set finale was a raucous version of “Chameleon” from Head Hunters. Hancock strapped on his keytar and moved across the stage blasting wild, electronic notes as a counterpoint to Devin Daniels’ sax notes.
The second set opened with all the Headhunters joining Hancock’s current band for a version of “Actual Proof,” another track from Thrust. The additional musicians that hit the stage included Terence Blanchard on trumpet, Lionel Loueke on guitar, Julian Pollard on keys, James Genus on bass and Jaylen Petinaud on drums. It was a loud wall of sound that filled the Bowl as Hancock led the band through the complicated, pleasing tune that concluded with a drum and percussion battle between Petinaud, Mason and Summers. The Headhunters musicians left the stage while Hancock explained that the next song called “Overture” is “bits and pieces of some things I’ve recorded before.” Blanchard’s blaring horn was prominently featured as the band transitioned through segments of several old tracks. The loudest applause occurred when they launched into the familiar riff for “Rockit,” the 1983 track that won a Grammy, crossed over into mainstream pop radio and was in regular rotation on MTV.
Hancock then introduced the next song by talking about his closest friend and occasional bandmate, the brilliant saxophone player and composer Wayne Shorter, who died in 2023. The band played the Shorter composition called “Footprints.” Once again Blanchard was amazing as he blasted out a lengthy solo that intertwined with Hancock’s electric piano work. The members of the Headhunters came back out for the finale, which was a reworking of “Chameleon.” Once again Hancock played his keytar and this time stood at center stage with Blanchard, Maupin, Loueke, Genus, Miller and Daniels. Breathtaking solos were exchanged as each artist contributed to the exceptionally coordinated, overlapping sounds that wrapped up the show.
It is sad for all jazz and fusion fans around the world that this was a standalone show that won’t be repeated. It was most likely the only time anyone could see and hear these songs performed by the artists that created them. While Hancock is still sharp and talented, his advanced age and that of his Headhunters bandmates make it unlikely that a version of the show will ever be repeated. For the few thousand in attendance at the Hollywood Bowl, it was a night of historic music that they will never forget.
Photos courtesy of Andy J Gordon ©2024
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Check out the full gallery of photos from this night by Andy J. Gordon here.
Head Hunters 50th
First Set:
Watermelon Man
Sly
Vein Melter
Palm Grease
Butterfly
Chameleon
Second Set
Actual Proof
(With both the Head Hunters band and Herbie’s current band.)
Overture
(Included snippets of Rockit, Chameleon, and other songs)
Footprints
(Wayne Shorter cover)
Secret Sauce
Chameleon
(Second performance of night; with both the Head Hunters band and Herbie’s current band.)
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