Herbie Hancock made his debut on the Blue Note label in 1962 and quickly established himself as a remarkable pianist and a brilliant composer. He released three exceptional albums ('Takin’ Off' in 1962, 'My Point Of View' in 1963, and 'Inventions & Dimensions' in 1964) before making what is generally acknowledged as his first masterpiece: 'Empyrean Isles' in 1964.
The album was recorded on June 17, 1964. It was produced by Alfred Lion, and engineered by Rudy Van Gelder at his studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The cover was designed by Reid Miles, and the photos were taken by Francis Wolff.
Each of the four distinctive original pieces composed by Herbie for the album occupies its own unique space. The quartet launches into the album opener, "One Finger Snap", which features a single opening line that leads directly into blistering improvisations by Freddie Hubbard and Herbie. "Oliloquy Valley" has a mysterious and mystical vibe. "Cantaloupe Island" with its undulating groove and unforgettable melody, would later become a jazz standard. "The Egg" is an expansive 14-minute epic that flirts with the avant-garde, providing ample space for the musicians to let their imaginations run wild.
Blue Note Japan, in the UHQCD format, from masterings that Kevin Gray did for the Tone Poet and BN Classic LP releases. And they sound sweet! If you freeloaded the previously posted 'Blue Note 85 Reissues', you know what I'm talking about.
In ancient cosmologies, The Empyrean Isles are a mythical archipelago; the subject of legends and lore inspired by Aristotle.
For the freeload, tell us what your favorite mythical place is.
An America that embraces equality for all peoples.
ReplyDeleteGbrand
Great answer. I´ll go for Lovecraft's R'lyeh in terms of something accesible.
DeleteBat
And one persons 'equality' is nothing but another's privilege or entitlement. Equality certainly is a myth.....
DeleteAs a kid I was taken by the community of creatures living along a river in The Wind in the Willows. Reading that book to my children, then later to my grandkids, I came to fully appreciate how the book cannily reflects all the shades of human nature and behavior in a form relatable to all of us.
ReplyDeleteBig fan of 'The Wind in the Willows', and anthropomorphic creatures in general. 'The Wind in the Willows' is also a generational thing in my family too.
Delete"Hail Atlantis! Waaayyy down, under the ocean, where I want to be, she may be...."
ReplyDeleteTwo of my favorite mythical places are from books I've read numerous times, as a child and adult.
ReplyDeleteWonderland from 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'. Fly agaric and mathematics. Been in Wonderland countless times…
Shangri-La from 'Lost Horizon' a happy place where you can live for hundreds of years. What's not to like?
Maybe over the rainbow, somewhere. Thanks Babs
ReplyDeleteWhere skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true?
DeleteIndeed...
Deleteunless the skies have gigantic crystals hovering above as in the Broken Earth Trilogy by N. K. Jemisin. Thanks Babs
Well it has to be Middle-Earth although it can get a wee bit dangerous - BTW it's a good thing the album wasn't recorded where I live as 'cantaloupe island' would be 'rock-melon island'.
ReplyDeleteWell it could be:
ReplyDelete"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.…"
or maybe:
"Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before!"
And of course :
'Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.'
has got to be up there (I really do need to go to New Zealand on holiday one time)
Not forgetting:
'I was there at the dawn of the third age of mankind'.
But my current favorite and the one I need to finish reading is:
'The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again.'
Visited the Hobbiton 'movie set' last time I was there - unfortunately of course the hobbit holes are just facades but definitely worth a look. What I didn't realise is the party tree is entirely artificial.
DeleteI'd submit The Lost Continent of Mu, except Churchward (not his real name, maybe?) just made that shit up. On a similar note, I worked one summer with a fellow who was involved in geological surveys in the Sahara. Apparently, he witnessed Erich von Daniken ("Chariots of the Gods") visit a cave art site and proceeded to touch up the images to support his claims. And then there's Carlos Castaneda who reportedly never left UCLA. There are, however, many real myths around. My favourites are indigenous creation stories.
ReplyDeleteI too love the indigenous creation stories of the southwest. Rudolpho Anaya has written several children's books about the southwest and it's ancestry, folklore & legends, all in my opinion, very good. Thanks Bombshelter Slim & thanks Babs
DeleteDarillium, with the music of the wind through the Singing Towers And a night lasts 24 earth-years.
ReplyDeleteLink
ReplyDeletehttps://workupload.com/file/yQNRD7QpYDt
Taylor Camp - 1969 - on the island of Kauaʻi, Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I was born too late to be a naked hippie...
https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17974825505395901/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_Camp
Nowhere Land, with all the nowhere people there!
ReplyDelete