The Piano (Herbie Hancock album)

The Piano is the twenty-first album by Herbie Hancock.

The Piano
Studio album by
ReleasedLP: June 21, 1979
CD: 2004
RecordedOctober 25–26, 1978
StudioCBS Studios, Tokyo
GenreJazz
LengthLP: 31:26
CD: 52:04
LabelLP: CBS/Sony
CD: Columbia
ProducerDavid Rubinson
Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock chronology
Feets, Don't Fail Me Now
(1979)
The Piano
(1979)
Monster
(1980)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Tom HullB[2]

About the Album

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As with Directstep (recorded one week previously), this album was recorded, and originally only released, in Japan. It was one of Hancock's most successful albums in Japan, perhaps because it was entirely solo piano. Hancock tackles jazz standards such as "My Funny Valentine", "On Green Dolphin Street" and "Some Day My Prince Will Come" while also performing four original compositions.

This album was initially released exclusively in Japan and first issued there on CD in 1983. In 2004, over 25 years after its recording, the album was released with four additional alternate takes of the same session. It was the first and only (until 2014) of Hancock's Japanese releases available internationally.

Track listing

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Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Harvest Time"Herbie Hancock4:48
2."Sonrisa"Herbie Hancock3:40
3."Manhattan Island"Herbie Hancock3:56
4."Blue Otani"Herbie Hancock3:24
Total length:31:26
CD Reissue bonus track (Columbia – CK 87083)[4]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
8."My Funny Valentine" (Take 3)Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart6:08
9."On Green Dolphin Street" (Take 2)Bronisław Kaper, Ned Washington4:04
10."Some Day My Prince Will Come" (Take 3)Frank Churchill, Larry Morey5:16
11."Harvest Time" (Take 3)Herbie Hancock5:10
Total length:52:04

Personnel

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  • Herbie Hancock – acoustic piano
Production credits
  • David Rubinson – producer
  • Fred Catero – engineer, mixing
  • Mikio Takamatsu – mastering
  • Yasohachi "88" Itoh and Keiichi Nakamura – production coordination
  • Yusaku Nakanishi – art direction
  • Kazumi Kurigami – cover photo
  • Akira Aimi – photography

References

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  1. ^ "Herbie Hancock – The Piano (Review)". AllMusic. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  2. ^ Hull, Tom (May 2005). "Recycled Goods (19)". A Consumer Guide to the Trailing Edge. Tom Hull. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  3. ^ "Herbie Hancock – The Piano (LP)". Discogs. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  4. ^ "Herbie Hancock – The Piano (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved April 7, 2017.