Gershwins World CD

MUSIC

JAZZ

Song Listing

Disc 1

Song Title

1. Overture (Fascinating Rhythm) ~ Herbie Hancock

2. It Ain't Necessarily So ~ Herbie Hancock

3. Man I Love, The ~ Herbie Hancock

4. Here Come De Honey Man ~ Herbie Hancock

5. St. Louis Blues - (with Stevie Wonder) ~ Herbie Hancock

6. Lullaby ~ Herbie Hancock

7. Blueberry Rhyme ~ Herbie Hancock

8. It Ain't Necessarily So (Interlude) ~ Herbie Hancock

9. Cotton Tail ~ Herbie Hancock

10. Summertime ~ Herbie Hancock

11. My Man's Gone Now ~ Herbie Hancock

12. Prelude In C# Minor ~ Herbie Hancock

13. Concerto For Piano And Orchestra In G, 2nd Movement (Ravel) ~ Herbie Hancock

14. Embraceable You ~ Herbie Hancock

Album Notes and Credits

Notes & Personnel Info
	GERSHWIN'S WORLD won the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual Or Group. "St. Louis Blues" won the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s).
	Personnel: Herbie Hancock (piano, organ); Herbie Hancock; Bakithi Kumalo (guitar, bass instrument); Eriko Sato , Eric Wyrick, Renee Jolles, Asmira Woodward-Page, Richard Rood, Ellen Payne, Clavin Wiersman, Ronnie Bauch, Naoko Tanaka, Martha Caplin, Catherine Cho, Jennifer Frautschi, Joanna Jenner, Todd Phillips, Peter Winograd, Nicolas Danielson (violin); Toby Appel, Katherine Murdock, Ahling Neu, Nardo Poy, Sarah Clarke, Karen Dreyfus (viola); Susannah Chapman, Melissa Meel, Mina Smith (cello); Elizabeth Mann (flute); Charles Neidich (clarinet, e flat clarinet); David Singer (clarinet); Brian Greene (oboe); Matthew Dine (English horn); Cynde Iverson, Michael Finn (bassoon); Chris Komer, William Purvis (horns); Ira Coleman, Alex Al (bass instrument); Gene Jackson (drums); Madou Dembelle (djembe); Cyro Bapista, Bireyma Guiye (percussion); Robert Sadin (programming, drum programming, percussion programming); Kathleen Battle (vocals, soprano); Stevie Wonder (vocals, harmonica); Joni Mitchell (vocals); Marlon Graves (guitar, percussion); Charles Curtis (cello); James Carter , Wayne Shorter (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Kenny Garrett (alto saxophone); Eddie Henderson (trumpet, flugelhorn); Chick Corea (piano); Terri Lyne Carrington (drums); Massamba Diop (talking drum); Cyro Baptista, Cheik Mbaye (percussion); Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
	Audio Mixers: Marlon Graves; Brian Vibberts; Bruce Swedien.
	Liner Note Authors: Herbie Hancock; Robert Sadin.
	Recording information: HIt Factory (03/1998-06/1998); Master A Work Studios (03/1998-06/1998); Masters At Work Studios (03/1998-06/1998); Ocean Way Recording (03/1998-06/1998); O'Henry Sound Studios, Los Angeles, CA (03/1998-06/1998); Right Track Recording (03/1998-06/1998); RPM Sound Studios, New York, NY (03/1998-06/1998); RPM Studios, NY (03/1998-06/1998); sony Music Studios (03/1998-06/1998); The Hit Factory, New York, NY (03/1998-06/1998).
	Author: Duke Ellington.
	Illustrator: Istvan Banyai.
	Photographers: Robert Zukerman; James Minchin; Jimmy Katz.
	Unknown Contributor Role: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
	Arrangers: Herbie Hancock; Stevie Wonder; Robert Sadin.
	The epitome of a 20th Century musician, Herbie Hancock has always traversed wildly divergent stylistic paths, finding his way easily into jazz, funk, fusion, dance-pop and more. His ability to make valid individual statements in all these genres is part of what makes his compositions and performances so rich. So it doesn't seem at all incongrous for Hancock to interpret the work of George Gershwin, redefining much of the Gershwin canon in the process (with assistance from some world-class compatriots). Hancock's stated aim for GERSHWIN'S WORLD is to get inside the pieces, illustrating their essence rather than knocking off rote versions of these standards. Towards that end, "St. Louis Blues" is transmogrified by the soulful vocals and funky chromatic harmonica of Stevie Wonder; "It Ain't Necessarily So" becomes an ominous, angular jazz vamp, with saxmen James Carter and Kenny Garret trading arch, sly interjections. Another genre-buster, Joni Mitchell, makes a case for a potential career as a jazz vocalist via her performance on "The Man I Love" and "Summertime."
Producer: Robert Sadin; Michael Etchart; Robert Sadin
Engineer: Rob Eaton; Clark Germain; Todd Whitelock; Dave Darlington; Rob Rapley; Rob Eaton; Clark Germain; Todd Whitelock
Musical Guests
	Chick Corea
	James Carter
	Joni Mitchell
	Kathleen Battle
	Wayne Shorter
	Kenny Garrett
	Stevie Wonder
	Eddie Henderson

Artist Overview

One of the most open-eared and forward-thinking jazz musicians of his day, Hancock has, more than just about anyone else, consistently tried to broaden the music's horizons by mixing it with the most interesting elements of contemporary pop. Hancock has consistently pushed the envelope, from his earliest days with Miles Davis to his jazz-rock fusion of the early '70s and his early embrace of synthesizers and electronic instruments, his early-'80s experiments with hip-hop and sampling, or more recently, his acoustic piano reinterpretations of songs--the new standards, in his parlance--by everyone from Don Henley to Nirvana.

Compilation Appearances

	Ken Burns Jazz-Story Of America
	Soul Hits Of 80s
	Givin It Up
	Awake
	Goin Home:tribute To Fats Domingo
	Now That's What I Call Music: 80's
	Impressions
	Desfado

Associated Artists and Works

	Brown, James
	Corea, Chick
	Ears, Rabbit
	Elias
	Elias, Eliane
	Eric Dolphy Quintet
	Hampton, Lionel
	Heath, Albert "Tootie"
	Jones, Quincy
	McBride, Christian
	Original Soundtrack
	Rabbit Ears
	White, Lenny

Technical Info

	Release Date : 10/12/1998
	Original Release Date : 1998
	Catalog ID : 5577972
	Label : Verve
	Number of Discs : 1
	Studio/Live : Studio
	Mono/Stereo : Stereo
	SPAR Code : n/a
	UPC : 00731455779721

Professional Reviews

Entertainment Weekly (10/9/98, p.85)
- "...Herbie Hancock's striking tribute runs deeper and wider than most, clearly revealing Gershwin's cross-stylistic imprint, from jazz to pop to classical...a feat Hancock is familiar with--and adding snippets of Ellingtonia and other seminal jazz references for historical resonance..." - Rating: A-

The Wire (1/99, pp.51-2)
- "...the album works, mainly because old rogue Hancock is copping the latest trends injazz rhythm....Hancock is totally at ease...playing pleasantly clanging chords, his sophisticated timing and dissonance signalling a pert intelligence..."

Rap Pages (5/99, p.146)
- 4 (out of 5)
- "...Hancock has always been one to do what he wants musically....you're liable to find Hancock stretching out in just about every direction you can think of..."