The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
The Quarantined Jazz Voyager is continuing to practice social distancing and as my personal quarantine continues, I’m selecting one of my favorite albums, Speak Like A Child by Herbie Hancock.
This is the sixth album by pianist Herbie Hancock, recorded and released by Blue Note Records in 1968. This session features Hancock’s arrangements for an unusual front line of alto flute, bass trombone and flugelhorn.
The pianist wanted to represent here a childlike, but not childish, philosophy. He felt this music didn’t reflect the social turmoil of the late 1960s in America, that is riots and a problematic economy but a picture of a more upbeat, brighter future, He wanted to go back and rediscover certain childhood qualities that are lost to adulthood. There is a purity, a spontaneity that children have and it is then they are at their best. Hence this album aims to translate as think and feel in terms of hope, and the possibilities of making our future less impure.
The cover photograph was taken by David Bythewood, an acquaintance of Hancock. The photo depicts Hancock in silhouette kissing his wife-to-be, Gigi Meixner.
Track Listing | 37:05
All compositions by Herbie Hancock, except First Trip, composed by Ron Carter.
Side A
- Riot ~ 4:40
- Speak Like a Child ~ 7:50
- First Trip ~ 6:01
- Toys ~ 5:52
- Goodbye to Childhood ~ 7:06
- The Sorcerer ~ 5:36
- Herbie Hancock — piano
- Ron Carter — bass
- Mickey Roker — drums
- Jerry Dodgion — alto flute (not on #3)
- Thad Jones — flugelhorn (not on #3)
- Peter Phillips — bass trombone (not on #3)
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