Although some 300 miles away from our normal stomping ground I think a lot of our regulars may be interested in the sole UK appearance of The Headhunters. - particularly those interested in some of the more peripheral forms of contemporary jazz.
Read what Dom Christopher has to say about the gig...
Lance.
Legendary pianist Herbie Hancock’s renowned backing band, The Headhunters, will play their first gig in the UK for over two years when they come to state-of-the-art West London venue Under The Bridge this April.
First assembled in 1973 the band marked a notable change in musical direction for Hancock. The subsequent 1973 album ‘Headhunters’ is the first album to garner gold status in jazz history. Following the release of ‘Head Hunters’ the band toured and recorded for several years with Hancock, releasing the masterpieces Thrust (1974), Flood (1975), and Manchild (1975). In 1976 the Headhunters ventured out on their own, recording the classic Survival Of The Fittest, followed by Straight to the Gate (1978), Return of the Headhunters (1998), and Evolution Revolution in 2003. Last year the band released Platinum, an album that bridges genres and generations, deftly switching between Hip-Hop, Jazz, Funk, Rap and R&B, and featuring guest appearances from the likes of Snoop Dogg, George Clinton, and Killah Priest.
Featuring original members Mike Clark (drums) and Bill Summers (percussion), the current incarnation is completed by Reggie Washington on bass, Rob Dixon on tenor sax and Rob Bargad on the keys.
Spanning the globe from Africa to Broadway, The Headhunters' music is a complex but harmonious blend of many styles and genres. From the instant funk classic “Chameleon” to the rare-groove sound of “God Make Me Funky”, one of the most sampled jazz/fusion songs in modern music history, the Headhunters have redefined modern funk, world music, and jazz as one of the most innovative groups of all time.
Dom Christophers
"The subsequent 1973 album ‘Headhunters’ is the first album to garner gold status in jazz history".
ReplyDeleteI don't think that's right, "Bitches Brew" by Miles Davis got gold a year after its released in 1970 and "Time Out" by Brubeck before that in 1959. Also it seems the first ever gold record was by Glen Miller: Chattanooga Choo Choo in 1942.
Pierre
Yes I too found this questionable. Getz/Gilberto also preceded Headhunters.
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