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Dis Is Da Drum

 
Album Review: Dis Is Da Drum
 

  • Artist: Herbie Hancock
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: 1993 -1994
  • Total Time: 54:59
  • Genre: Jazz

Review

In the 1970s, Herbie Hancock created a successful blend of jazz improvisation and contemporary funk rhythms in a succession of albums beginning with the classic Head Hunters. On Dis Is Da Drum, Hancock once again takes a dive into contemporary rhythms, in this case mid-'90s hip-hop. While the blend was not as commercially successful this time around as his crossover forays of twenty years earlier had been, the resulting music still proves to be well worth checking out. Employing cohorts like Bennie Maupin, Wah Wah Watson and multi-percussionist Bill Summers from the old days, and combining them with a huge roster of contemporary jazz, rap and hip-hop musicians, Hancock creates a surprising album full of samples, sequences, drum loops, and rhythm armies. Layered across the top are a variety of solos from Hancock himself, flutist Hubert Laws, trumpeter Wallace Roney, saxophonist Maupin and vocal snippets from various sources. The release of this album was delayed because of disagreements between the artist and his record company over the final mixes. It is, nonetheless, a recording that rewards repeated listening, from the updated version of "Butterfly," which made its first appearance on 1974's Thrust, to such irresistible gems as "Mojuba," "Bo Ba Be Da" and the title track. Not for jazzers whose ears and minds are closed to new sounds and ideas, but proof that jazz is a continually evolving music capable of absorbing the sounds of each new era and expanding its vocabulary as a result. ~ Jim Newsom, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Call It '95 Herbie Hancock, Bill Summers, Darrell Smith, Will "Roc" Griffin, Darrell Robertson Herbie Hancock (4:39)
Dis Is da Drum Herbie Hancock, Bill Summers, Mars Lasar, Will "Roc" Griffin, Darrell Robertson Herbie Hancock (4:49)
Shooz Bill Summers, Airto Moreira, Will "Roc" Griffin Herbie Hancock (1:17)
Melody (On the Deuce by 44) Chill Factor, Darrell Smith, Darrell Robertson Herbie Hancock (4:05)
Mojuba Herbie Hancock, Bill Summers, Mars Lasar, Will "Roc" Griffin, Darrell Robertson Herbie Hancock (4:59)
Butterfly Herbie Hancock, Bennie Maupin Herbie Hancock (6:08)
Ju Ju Bill Summers, Mars Lasar, Lazaro Galarraga, Will "Roc" Griffin Herbie Hancock (5:03)
Hump Bennie Maupin, Wallace Roney, Jay Shanklin Herbie Hancock (4:43)
Come and See Me Herbie Hancock, Darrell Smith, Wah Wah Watson Herbie Hancock (4:32)
Rubber Soul Herbie Hancock, Bill Summers, Darrell Smith, Will "Roc" Griffin, Darrell Robertson Herbie Hancock (6:40)
Bo Ba Be Da Herbie Hancock, Wah Wah Watson Herbie Hancock (8:04)

Credits

Herbie Hancock (Synthesizer), Herbie Hancock (Piano), Herbie Hancock (Piano (Electric)), Herbie Hancock (Clavinet), Herbie Hancock (Moog Synthesizer), Herbie Hancock (Main Performer), Herbie Hancock (Synthesizer Bass), Herbie Hancock (Rhythm Arrangements), Bennie Maupin (Sax (Tenor)), Wallace Roney (Trumpet), Bill Summers (Percussion), Bill Summers (Conga), Bill Summers (Tambourine), Bill Summers (Bells), Bill Summers (Djun-Djun), Bill Summers (Djembe), Bill Summers (Shekere), Bill Summers (Vocal Arrangement), Bill Summers (Rhythm Arrangements), Bill Summers (Cabasa), Chill Factor (Rap), Mars Lasar (Synthesizer), Mars Lasar (Keyboards), Mars Lasar (Sound Design), Airto Moreira (Percussion), Francis Awe (Vocals), Marina Bambino (Vocals (Background)), Guy Eckstine (Drums), Lazaro Galarraga (Vocals), Nengue Hernandez (Bata), Huey Jackson (Vocals (Background)), William Kennedy (Drums), Angel Rogers (Vocals (Background)), Darrell Smith (Keyboards), Darrell Smith (Piano (Electric)), Darrell Smith (Rhythm Arrangements), Ken Strong (Drums), Wah Wah Watson (Guitar), Jay Shanklin (Rhythm Arrangements), Will "Roc" Griffin (Sampling), Will "Roc" Griffin (Loops), Will "Roc" Griffin (Sequencing), Will "Roc" Griffin (Rhythm Arrangements), Skip Bunny (Djembe), Hollis Payseur (Vocals (Background)), Yvette Summers (Vocals (Background)), Frank Thibeaux (Guitar (Bass)), Louis Verdeaux (Vocals (Background)), Darrell Robertson (Guitar), Darrell Robertson (Rhythm Arrangements), The "Real" Richie Rich (Scratching)
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Wikipedia: Dis Is Da Drum
Top
Dis Is Da Drum
Dis Is Da Drum cover
Studio album by Herbie Hancock
Released 1994
Recorded 1994
Genre Jazz fusion
Post bop
Length 54:59
Label Mercury Records
Herbie Hancock chronology
A Tribute to Miles
(1994)
Dis Is Da Drum
(1994)
The New Standard
(1995)

Dis Is Da Drum is the thirty-ninth album and the first solo album since leaving Columbia Records by Herbie Hancock.

Tracks like "Bo Ba Be Da" and "Dis Is Da Drum" reflect Hancock's move towards Acid Jazz, while "Butterfly" makes a fourth appearance on a Hancock album following the original album (Thrust), a live album (Flood), and another studio album (Direct Step).

Track listing

  1. "Call It '95"
  2. "Dis Is da Drum"
  3. "Shooz"
  4. "Melody (On the Deuce by 44)"
  5. "Mojuba"
  6. "Butterfly"
  7. "Ju Ju"
  8. "Hump"
  9. "Come and See Me"
  10. "Rubber Soul"
  11. "Bo Ba Be Da"

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Dis Is Da Drum" Read more