The shadow of Herbie Hancock is well cast over this excellent 2 cd collection. The Blue Note All-Stars consists of the strong team of Lionel Loueke/g, Ambrose Akinmusire/tp, Marcus Strickland/ts, Kendrick Scott/dr, Robert Glasper/key and Derrick Hodge/b produce and impressive collection of originals that give a 21st Century feel to Hancock’s Blue Note and Miles-ESP era of sound. The title refers to one of The Chameleon’s classic lps, and the pose of the artists is reminiscent of Inventions and Dimensions as well.
As for the music, after the foul-mouthed intro, there isn’t a nanosecond of uninspired performance. The team delves into vintage Blue Note hard bop a la Art Blakey, but with a millennial mode on Wayne Shorter’s “Witch Hunt,” and Akinmusire delivers a gorgeously muted “Kenya” with support by a richly textured “Enya.” A hip hop groove that hints to Hancock’s later years mixes synth and tenor sax on “Bayyinah” and some African folk moods are presented by Loueke on both guitar and vocals on “Message of Hope” and “Freedom Dance.” Shorter and Hancock even team up for a guest appearance as Shorter’s soprano shines on the exotic “Masquelero” and the team lands the plane deftly on a soft “Bruce, The Last Dinosaur.” This is an album that is a testament to the current generation of artists. Check it out.