LOS ANGELES — A few songs after Herbie Hancock’s concert at the Hollywood Bowl on Wednesday night, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Headhunters, he went into a hidden gem from that album, a song called “Vein Melter.” His band didn’t play the song often in concert during its heyday, so I was thrilled to hear Harvey Mason’s familiar bass drum pulse for the groove. As on the record, an electric bass melody gave way to a swirling atmosphere created by the great Bennie Maupin on bass clarinet, which followed Hancock’s embellishments on the Fender Rhodes. It was a subtle musical statement, but a highlight of the concert and a powerful musical reckoning for me; I heard the sound that shaped my life in real time.
Hancock, 84, is Creative Chair for Jazz at the Hollywood Bowl and has organized other special programs there, including an all-star tribute to his friend Wayne Shorter last year. This was a different kind of tribute that recognized a milestone in his own work.
As soon as the Headhunter When the tribute was announced in February, I decided to attend. I’ve often said that Hancock and his bands from the early to mid-’70s formed the basis of my socialization as a listener, musician, broadcaster and curator. For fans of jazz, funk, rock and more, these albums represent the best marriage of deep groove vocabulary with world-class improvisational artistry. And on this occasion, Hancock has reinstated the Fender Rhodes and Clavinet, two of the key keyboard voices that gave him and the original Headhunters their sonic identity.
My excitement and anticipation had been building over the last few weeks, and I had somehow managed to temper my expectations by the time I arrived at the Bowl. Along with Mason and Maupin and drummer Bill Summers, Maestro Hancock released Headhunter half a century ago. This exact line-up had not been together in a studio or on stage for just as long.
In addition, two important players were missing – especially Paul Jackson, the band’s inventive and hard-grooving bassist, who died in 2021. Another electric bass master, Marcus Miller, had filled in, and I wondered how much he would indulge Jackson’s basic fingerstyle groove, as opposed to his usual droning style. The other missing person was the drummer closest to that band, Mike Clark. Fifty years ago, he got the Hancock gig on Jackson’s recommendation, just weeks before the album’s release, because Mason had decided to stay in Los Angeles and continue his active studio career. (Clark and Summers are very active today as The Headhunters, playing the classic material along with new music. It’s hard to see how having both of them available isn’t an advantage.)
I shared a box on the terrace with KKJZ radio host and musician José Rizo and his wife Leticia. I knew Rizo, but this was our first face-to-face meeting. The couple welcomed me immediately, and José and I shared a few stories from the show and thoughts on Hancock’s music. Somehow the conversation turned to NBA legend and jazz lover Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: The six-time NBA champion is a frequent listener of Rizo’s show and had become a friend. As Rizo showed me a photo from a recent listening session they had in his home music library, we were interrupted by the announcer’s greeting and the introduction of a previously unannounced guest host: none other than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The enthusiastic laughter was in order.
Abdul-Jabbar’s brief remarks provided historical context and personal reflections, reflecting the excitement of the event. He called each band member to the stage and hugged Hancock, who then tried to reach the wireless microphone set up for the 7-foot-tall former NBA center. Everyone laughed as Hancock called for a round of applause for Abdul-Jabbar and re-introduced the Headhunters band, as well as young altoist Devin Daniels and assistant keyboardist Julian Pollack.
After blessing the crowd with a short Yoruba prayer and translation, Summers began with the well-known ‘hindewer’ Whistling vocal intro to “Watermelon Man.” While I’ve seen him play this live a few times, the crowd reaction was the most electrifying I’ve ever experienced. In fact, at various points throughout the evening and as we left the Bowl, I could hear concertgoers singing Summers’ intro from this iconic arrangement.
Next came “Sly” – a high-energy dedication to Sly Stone, whose music was a muse for Hancock to find his own way into the groovy landscape of the 1970s. Since each solo section of the tune largely floats on one chord, its success depends primarily on energy and skillful listening; each section ends with a three-note cue repeated three times. I knew this tune would be the most difficult for the ensemble to tackle. While the opening melody was delivered tentatively, Maupin quickly caught fire during the solo and managed to get everyone to a hard stop, drawing applause from the crowd.
Then it was Hancock’s turn. As the iconic album version tried to force its way into my consciousness, I wondered how he would tackle the Fender Rhodes solo. After four bars of bass, percussion and drums, he began weaving together fresh lines and chord signs in his signature style. Although the energy was at its peak, this “Sly” solo was more about riding with and against the rhythmic backdrop of Miller, Summers and Mason playing at full tempo. It seemed as though Hancock and the rhythm section were playing beyond their cue, but that was actually a set-up for Daniels, who played a respectful but haunting alto saxophone solo. Since he’d recently scheduled a few dates with the current Hancock group, Daniels’ stage time with this group of veterans helped convey the message of his illustrious rise.
“Sly” was followed by “Vein Melter”, followed by a short medley of “Palm Grease” and “Butterfly” from the band’s follow-up album, thrust. It was interesting to hear Mason and Miller play these songs. While they were excellent and spoke the original grooves, this was where the rhythm section of Jackson and Clark was most missing. I liked what I heard, but I knew it couldn’t match the harmony and brotherhood of the two Bay Area jazzmen who were equally pioneers of the ’70s groove revolution. The only regret of the show was that they weren’t mentioned or acknowledged by name at some point during the evening. I’m sure it was an honest oversight – the entire show was prepared down to the last detail – but Hancock, Maupin, Mason, Summers, Jackson and Clark all contributed to this musical history.
Hancock’s new band played the second movement and amazed us with their precision and wizardry. I will definitely see them again when they visit the East Coast in the fall. I left the Hollywood Bowl satisfied and with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. To hear this music reinterpreted by these masters in one evening in my lifetime was incredible.
