Title: One of the greatest "trio" records ever
Product review: "Trio" in quotation marks, of course, because there are actually two percussionists on this date, working as a single Afro-Cuban unit. I've always thought that Hancock's piano work is often overshadowed by the musical contexts he chooses to work in; this record is a rare example of Hancock alone at the helm, and it's a pure joy to listen to--an approach to "free" jazz that is relaxed and loose, critiquing jazz traditions without tearing them apart, as in the best work of Eric Dolphy (whom Hancock played with shortly before this recording). In some ways this record is similar to McCoy Tyner's "Plays Duke Ellington," especially in the mixture of Latin textures with jazz harmonies and structures. This is an overlooked gem which belongs in any Herbie Hancock collection.
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