THE BEST OF HERBIE H

Personnel includes: Herbie Hancock (vocals, electric piano, Clavinet, keyboards, synthesizer); Ray Parker Jr., Carlos Santana (vocals, guitar); Gavin Christopher, Greg Walker (vocals); Benny Maupin (soprano & tenor saxophones, flute, alto flute, bass clarinet); Michael Beinhorn (keyboards); Wah Wah Watson, Ray Obiedo (guitar); Paul Jackson, Byron Miller, Freddie Washington, Bill Laswell, Eddie Watkins (electric bass); Harvey Mason, Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, James Gadson, Alphonse Mouzon (drums); Bill Summers, Raul Rekow, Sheila Escovedo (percussion); Daniel Ponce (bata drum); Grand Mixer D.S.T. (turntables); John Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Oren Waters, Luther Waters (background vocals). Producers: David Rubinson, Herbie Hancock, Material. Compilation producer: Bob Belden. Recorded between 1973 and 1983. Includes liner notes by Tom Terrell. Digitally remastered using 20-bit technology by Mark Wilder (Sony Music Studios, New York, New York). Long past the classicism of his acoustic Blue Note/Miles Davis Quintet period of the '60s, and just beyond his unique take on free improv, rhythmic exaltation and electric fusion with the Mwandishi band, keyboardist Herbie Hancock struck his most commercially potent moment with 1973's HEADHUNTERS. For the next decade, the period documented on THE HITS!, Hancock was the epitome of the crossover. Bookended by historic stylistic breakthroughs that helped redefine pop--HEADHUNTERS being massive, thinking-man's funk and '83's FUTURE SHOCK bringing early techno and hip-hop under the jazz umbrella--THE HITS! isn't above getting into smarmy R&B styles. It is indeed a long way from the electronic groove, freaky-stylee take on the timeless "Watermelon Man" and the great electro-pop abortion of "Rockit" to the smattering of disco-fied vocal tunes (augmented by such prime-time players as Carlos Santana, the pre-E Sheila Escovedo, and Ray Parker Jr.) that for a few years became Hancock's forte. But the groove never did escape him, THE HITS! is a testament to that.