Herbie Hancock - My Point Of View

Herbie Hancock was barely into his twenties when he made My Point of View, his second Blue Note album, presented here on 180-gram vinyl.

Recorded at Van Gelder Studio in 1963 with Alfred Lion producing, it gathers a serious front line: Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone and Grachan Moncur III on trombone, with Grant Green adding guitar, Chuck Israels on bass and a 17-year-old Tony Williams behind the drums. That's a lot of firepower for a young leader, and he handles it with remarkable poise.

'Blind Man, Blind Man' rides a gospel-tinged, bluesy groove that follows on from his debut's big hit, while 'King Cobra' coils through tricky, searching changes that hint at where Hancock was heading next. 'A Tribute to Someone' is a lush, reflective ballad, and Williams already plays with the restless, crackling energy that would soon land him a place in Miles Davis's quintet.

Five Hancock originals, every one of them built to let the soloists stretch. Hancock's own piano is crisp and inventive throughout, comping with a sharp ear for colour and soloing with the clarity of someone who already knew his voice. It's hard bop with one eye on the future, and an essential early chapter for anyone tracing the path from Takin' Off to Maiden Voyage.