So, what did we all think?
Well, there can’t have been many gigs on in Birmingham tonight – all the musicians were at Symphony Hall for the Herbie Hancock Sextet! I spotted not only most of Birmingham’s well-known jazz players – Chris Bowden, Edgar Macias, Sara Colman and the city’s own Sly and Robbie (Ben Markland and Neil Bullock) – but also Londoner Phil Robson at the front of a healthily well-occupied hall.
We certainly had value for money with a near three-hour set and the old favourites saved for last. One thing you have to say about Herbie – he doesn’t make concessions. So some said they found it a bit strenuous in parts – especially early on.
My review will be in The Birmingham Post on Monday (not because I’m a slow writer but because it is too late for Friday’s paper and there is no Saturday Post any more). I’ll post it here after it’s been in the old print medium, but in the mean time I’d love to hear your views. Please Comment below.
I really enjoyed it but I did feel it was a bit long. There was a steady stream of people leaving from about an hour onwards. I can only guess that they might have come expecting Herbie to do a greatest hits set, and of course he doesn’t really do that.
I loved the way he had recomposed numbers from his past and from Wayne Shorter and made them all have a new sound but still have some unity of feel.
The harmonica player was amazing but I can’t help feeling that having got Terence Blanchard in his band it might have been nice if he’d given him a bit more to do during the almost three hours!
I really liked the early bits of the concert. Those people who left might kick themselves though if the ever hear a recording of the last hour.
I’ve seen Herbie three times in the last few years and each time it’s been totally different. Given that no one would blame him for sitting back on his laurels I think he should be commended for not doing so and being willing to keep rewriting his classics and trying new things
Well a Herbie Hancock concert is always a major event and I have found that the Birmingham concert, and I suspect the other concerts on this short UK tour, has generated a lot of discussion. Most of the students on the Conservatoire jazz course seemed to love it, whereas those regulars at the Friday Rush Hour Blues session who came to the gig had their doubts. I am going to remain on the proverbial fence; I enjoyed it, but felt that it was more of an ‘event’ than a totally satisfying concert. There was quite a bit of interesting playing, and it is great that Herbie is still experimenting, but I felt that the length of many of the solos was too much and often self-indulgent. I was impressed by Lionel Loueke on guitar and the harmonica player, but would have liked more of Terence Blanchard on trumpet. I was delighted by the response at the end, but ended up feeling that a more focussed 90 min set might have been more satisfying.
It was a fantastic gig. Some of the solos were unreal. The best player there was Herbie himself. His chords are unique and the solos are a lesson in themselves. clearly he does have 2 special style of writing music which few can emulate. For some good examples of those who can listen to Wynton Marsalis’s early material, its not funk but im talking about the chords. (Black codes) back to HH. Terence played out of his skin and so did the other. Some of the solos went on a bit. But anyway VFM (value 4 money)