Takin' Off (Red Vinyl)

Description

Description

"As one musician of the time put it, once that record came out, you heard 'Watermelon Man' everywhere; kids were playing it on jukeboxes, it was on the radio, guys were trying to do it in the subway. You knew at once it was special." - Penguin Guiude To Jazz

"Very few jazzmen have had the chance to score such a tremendous hit with their first album as Herbie Hancock did with Takin' Off. It presented the bluesy hit 'Watermelon Man' to the world. The song would be covered by countless bands and performed in every imaginable style, subsequently becoming one of the most famous jazz standards. This is an album whose contrasts announce the exceptional diversity of an unparalleled career." - Jazz Magazine

Description

The producer Alfred Lion (co-founder of Blue Note Records) was known for spotting young talent and giving them creative freedom: he bet on Herbie Hancock, who was mostly a sideman (he'd played with Donald Byrd and Coleman Hawkins) until this point and was only 22 years old at the time of this recording. 'Takin' Off', recorded on May 28, 1962 at Van Gelder Studio in New Jersey, sign his debut as a leader. The record was a landmark recording not only because it introduced Hancock as a major new jazz pianist and composer, but also because it featured a track that became a jazz standard: "Watermelon Man". This composition often considered one of the strongest jazz debuts of the 1960s and became an unexpected hit, crossing over into popular music; it was later reimagined by Mongo Santamaria and reached the pop charts, helping establish Hancock's reputation early in his career.

With an incredible all stars as Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon, Butch Warren and Billy Higgins this album blends hard bop with catchy, soulful grooves: all the compositions already show Hancock's gift for memorable melodies, rich harmonies, and rhythmic inventiveness, qualities that would define his career in both acoustic and electric jazz.

Description

Limited edition pressing on 180g red vinyl - unique artwork with photos by renowned French jazz photographer Jean-Pierre Leloir.

Takin' Off was pianist Herbie Hancock's first album under his own name. Released in 1962 by Blue Note, the album features his own compositions, including the iconic Watermelon Man, which made it to the Top 100 in the singles pop charts. The tune became a jazz standard covered by countless musician, including the great Cuban percussionist Mongo Santamaria, among others.

Freddie Hubbard: trumpet
Dexter Gordon: tenor saxophone
Herbie Hancock: piano
Butch Warren: bass
Billy Higgins: drums

Recorded Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, May 28, 1962.
Original sessions recorded by Rudy Van Gelder and produced by Alfred Lion.
Originally issued as Takin' Off (Blue Note BST-84109).