Two days ago was the birthday of Herbie Hancock, arguably the greatest gift Chicago has given to the world of music
Herbie went to Hyde Park High School, another bastion of talent
He pretty much did it all: was on tons of classic bop material, went modal in Miles’ band, split and did crazy wild soaring orchestral arrangements, futurism with mwandishi band, pioneered jazz funk with the headhunters
Was one of the first top-flight musicians to embrace hip hop, put out legendary dj cut Rockit with D.ST
He also traveled extensively, was into all kinds of exotic and experimental instruments and sounds
Today’s dose is from 1979, a japan-only issue from kimiko kasai
She was a jazz and pop songstress, who got one of her big breaks singing the jingle on the original cup o’ soup commercial!
Butterfly is an LP full of beautiful fusion sounds, with pop touches, r and b sensibilities, and jazzy solos
As is a Stevie Wonder cover, with a fresh reread
Lineup is basically the Headhunters, with Alphonse Mouzon on drums
Plenty of funky lines of flight, spacey electro, and vocal attacks
Kimiko later married Richard Rudolph, Maya’s dad, and Minnie Riperton’s widow
Minnie was herself a product of, yup, Hyde Park High School
(it’s also the alma mater of current CPS chief Janice Jackson)
If you’re in the mood for fusion (and like instant ramen noodles, it’s almost always satisfying even if not the most wholesome), peep the whole album
https://youtu.be/h_JwOzwdXPc
