SEXTANT

Third and last Hancock album recorded with the Mwandishi line-up and probably the most experimental and hermetic one. Still, it's not so elitist as to deserve a meager 19 ratings (as opposed to over a 1000 for CTTE). So high time to try and change the trend here.

With Rain Dance we don't get an easy start. It's 9 minutes of bubbling sequenced synths with metallic sound effects. There's only a short section where the drums and bass join to add a funkier touch. As pointed out in other reviews this piece sits quite close to what Can was doing around that time on Future Days.

Hidden Shadows is a more accessible piece and probably the best on the album. It's driven by a very intricate funky beat that is so thoroughly syncopated that it creates a very nervous tension, constantly searching to find resolve that never comes. Layers of psychedelic sounds round off this simply brilliant piece of music.

Also Hornets is a very psychedelic jazz-rock piece reminiscent of Miles Davis and Weather Report in those days. The rhythm grooves more easily then on Hidden Shadows and allows for a fine 20 minute psych-jazz jam session.

Original, intense, intricate, mesmerizing. Those are the main adjectives that pop up while experiencing this brilliant music. It's just a bit behind Sextant for me but in fact it's equally impressive and recommended. 4.5 stars

PS. For admires of this period of Hancock's music there are two more Mwandishi albums out there that were recorded with the same band and released under the name of featuring trumpet-man Eddie Henderson.