The Prisoner

by Herbie Hancock

Overview

As one of the first albums Herbie Hancock recorded after departing Miles Davis' quintet in 1968, as well as his final album for Blue Note, The Prisoner is one of Hancock's most ambitious efforts. Assembling a nonet that features Joe Henderson (tenor sax, alto flute), Johnny Coles (flugelhorn), Garnett Brown (trombone), Buster Williams (bass), and Albert "Tootie" Heath (drums), he has created his grandest work since My Point of View. Unlike that effort, The Prisoner has a specific concept -- it's a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, evoking his spirit and dreams through spacious, exploratory post-bop. Often, the music doesn't follow conventional patterns, but that doesn't mean that it's alienating or inaccessible. It is certainly challenging, but Hancock's compositions (and his arrangement of Charles Williams' "Firewater") have enough melody and space to allow listeners into the album. Throughout the record, Hancock, Coles, and Henderson exchange provocative, unpredictable solos that build upon the stark melodies and sober mood of the music. The tone is not of sorrow or celebration, but of reflection and contemplation, and on that level, The Prisoner succeeds handsomely, even if the music meanders a little too often to be judged a complete success. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	11/01/2024
Label:	Universal Japan
UPC:	4988031659281
Rank:	224744

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Herbie Hancock   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals,Piano (Electric)
Jerome Richardson   Guest Artist,Flute,Clarinet (Bass)
Hubert Laws   Guest Artist,Flute
Albert "Tootie" Heath   Guest Artist,Drums
Buster Williams   Guest Artist,Bass
Joe Henderson   Guest Artist,Sax (Tenor),Flute
Garnett Brown   Guest Artist,Trombone
Johnny Coles   Guest Artist,Flugelhorn,Trumpet
Jack Jeffers   Trombone,Trombone (Bass)
Romeo Penque   Clarinet (Bass)
Oren Waters   Vocals
Tony Studd   Trombone (Bass),Trombone
Charles Williams   Bass (Vocal)

Technical Credits

Rudy Van Gelder   Engineer,Recording,Remastering,Mastering Engineer,Original Recordings
Michael Cuscuna   Reissue Producer
Herb Wong   Liner Notes
Alfred Lion   Producer
Buster Williams   Composer
Herbie Hancock   Composer
Frank Gauna   Art Direction
Francis Wolff   Inlay Photography
Duke Pearson   Producer
Charles Williams   Composer
Bob Blumenthal   Liner Notes