Review: Recognised as one of the most prolific jazz pianists of all time, Herbie Hancock played with greats such as Donald Byrd and Miles Davis. He was one of the first to embrace and master the electric piano. He bounced back and forth between his electronic and acoustic sound, touching upon almost every development in R&B, funk and jazz while retaining an original and distinctive voice. Fat Albert Rotunda is the eighth album by Hancock, released in 1969 and his first release for Warner Bros. since his departure from Blue Note Records. The music was originally done for the TV show 'Hey, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert' and was a noticeable change in style - incorporating soul music as the basis of his compositions.
Review: Fat Albert Rotunda represents one of Herbie Hancock's earliest forays into jazz-funk and is centred around the music he composed for the Fat Albert cartoon show. Released between his landmark album Maiden Voyage in 1965 and the classic Head Hunters from 1973, it stands out in Hancock's catalogue - despite said catalogue being so packed with gems. The album features funky tracks like 'Fat Mama' and jazz-oriented tunes such as 'Tell Me A Bedtime Story', wih Hancock supported by a stellar sextet including Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Johnny Coles on trumpet and Buster Williams on bass. Although Hancock's work spans various developments in jazz, funk, and r&b, he always maintained a unique voice, and this is a great example of it at its most distinctive.
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