![]() ![]() Wolff in turn was impressed by the naivety and innocence in it, so he promptly chose it as the cover. Hancock was so enthralled by it that he brought the photo to Wolff for use as the cover album. The title for "Speak Like a Child", the haunting title track that represents the summa of this concept album, came from Francis Wolff who designed much art for Blue Note, and it was suggested by the cover photograph taken by Bythewood. Moreover, even though it contains "an element of turmoil", it is there "more as an undercurrent than on the surface." Hancock first wrote the melody, then added the harmonies he wanted underneath. Hancock, though, points out that the arranged version on Speak Like a Child is less riotous than Davis'. Indeed, he concludes saying "certainly, one of the ways I'm going to go from here on is writing for large groups I feel I have to go on and write more for horns, explore more possibilities of textures." More recently, Hancock commented "Once I made that album, there was no doubt in my mind that, when I organized my own band, it would be a sextet." Music Ī different take of "Riot" was recorded originally by Miles Davis on his Nefertiti. Also, the pianist was becoming really captivated by ensembles. I tried to give the horns notes that would give color and body to the sounds I heard as I wrote." Hancock says this way of thinking partially came from listening to Gil Evans, Oliver Nelson and Thad Jones. Similarly, in those tracks with the horns, I was more interested in sounds than in definite chord patterns. I'm more concerned with sounds than chords, and so I voice the harmonies to provide a wider spectrum of colors that can be contained within the traditional chord progression. For the most part, the harmonies in these numbers are freer in the sense that they're not so easily identifiable chordally in the conventional way. What's different in Speak Like a Child as a whole has to do, first, with harmony. I've been trying for a long time to work on swinging, and of all the albums I've done, this to me swings the most. "This album is an extension of Maiden Voyage in terms of use of simple, singable melodies. In the liner notes, Hancock further points out his approach to the album, recalling his previous efforts: "What I was into then, and have been thinking about more and more, was the concept that there is a type of music in between jazz and rock." In fact, in 1966 Hancock tried to record a funk album with a nine-piece ensemble - an attempt that failed and never made it to release: "I was trying to make a funk record without knowing a thing about funk." Hancock also referred to himself as a "jazz snob" and stated the date didn't turn out as he expected. When they do return to us, we're at our best." Therefore, "Speak Like a Child" translates as "think and feel in terms of hope, and the possibilities of making our future less impure". Hancock rather wanted to picture a more upbeat, brighter future, or, as he says, "a forward look into what could be a bright future." More so, Hancock wanted to go back and rediscover certain childhood qualities "we lose and wish we could have back - purity, spontaneity. He felt this music didn't reflect the social turmoil of the late 1960s in America, that is riots and problematic economy. The pianist wanted to represent here a childlike, but not childish, philosophy. The photo depicts Hancock in silhouette kissing his wife-to-be, Gigi Meixner. The cover photograph was taken by David Bythewood, an acquaintance of Hancock. The rhythm section is bassist Ron Carter and drummer Mickey Roker. Critic Nat Hentoff described the album as an "impressive further stage in the evolution of Herbie Hancock as writer and player," saying it is characterized by a "singular quality of incisive, searching lyricism." Unusually, none of the wind players perform solos on any song. Speak Like a Child, the sixth album by American jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, which was recorded and released by Blue Note Records in 1968, features Hancock's arrangements for an unusual front line of Jerry Dodgion on alto flute, Peter Phillips on bass trombone, and Thad Jones on flugelhorn. ![]()
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