Big Al Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 With an emphasis on the FAT!!! When recently putting together a Herbie comp for the car, I came across this album which I hadn't listened to in a long time. Boy, did I forget how unbelievably GROOVY this album is. It doesn't take long for the grooves to start, either! "Wiggle-Waggle" lives up to its name. For that matter, a lot of the names of the tunes live up to their names: "Fat Mama" sounds just like that! "Oh Oh Here He Comes" probably has the greasiest groove on the record, and all of this without a B3! The bulk of this record was recorded with Hancock's working group at the time, which included Johnny Coles on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor sax and flute, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums. They had recently recorded and released THE PRISONER on Blue Note, which would be Hancock's last BN released. That album is championed by a lot of people, but it's always left me cold. FAT ALBERT, OTOH, is right up my alley, jam-packed with delicious grooves from start to finish. This was another album that caused me to continue to warm up to Joe Henderson. At the time I first heard this (2001), I was still getting used to his playing; THE PRISONER sure didn't make it any easier. His solos here ride the groove so nicely, but they never become rote. They still remain personally Joe's; I mean, you hear a Joe solo, you know right off it's Joe Henderson and nobody else! Herbie mainly sticks to electric piano for this album, to wonderful effect IMO. He plays acoustic piano on "Jessica," which kinda drags for me. This track seems to foreshadow the long drawn-out spaced-out forays that would follow on Mwandishi and Crossings. For me, only "Ostinato (Suite for Angela)" was the only remotely interesting track from either set; however, a few listenings of getting used to that 13/4 meter made me see how groovy that tune is as well. (In fact, it wasn't until Sextant that Herbie seemed to find his groove again, with "Hornets" seeming to be the seed that would eventually flower into the full-blown Headhunters) Finally, after hearing this album on CD for the longest time, I bought a nice clean vinyl copy from another board member. I know you vinyl-heads will roll your eyes and say "Duh!" when I say this, but what a wonderful difference that vinyl is! The sound (and the groove) is even fuller than I'd ever heard! Great music made even more enjoyable! (Thanks, Slide!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 Nice choice, Al! Haven't listened to it for a while, time to give it a spin again. My favorite tune from this one is Tell Me A Bedtime Story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted September 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 I'm ashamed I neglected to mention that one! An absolutely beautiful tune, one that stays in your head for days if not weeks! Good catch there, FFA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 Nice choice, Al! Haven't listened to it for a while, time to give it a spin again. My favorite tune from this one is Tell Me A Bedtime Story. My sentiments exactly, on all counts. Don't have particularly "exciting" memories of this one, though, preferring the more "spacey" WB sides that followed to this one (although preferring the two Eddie Henderson Capricorn sides even much more better to them). But it's been over 20 years since I've really listened to this one, and my impression then - that it was a collection of good, funky material in search of - in need of, actually - an equally funky band to make it work, may well have changed in the interim. What was the deal with this side in the first place again? Herbie scored some Fat Albert shows or something, right? But this was before the Saturday morning classic show, right? I dunno, somthing like that, or not. But yeah, "Tell Me a Bedtime Story", that's a stone classic that you can play all kinds of ways. I still remember the Pieces Of A Dream version that was a hit right when "Quiet Storm" was transitioning into "Smooth Jazz". That version played to the "pop song" angle of the tune, and did so very nicely (have heard nothing else by that band that pleased me, though...). Pretty sure that it's picked up lyrics over the years, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Clugston Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 "Wiggle Waggle" -- what a great opener. I've always really enjoyed this album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 (edited) My favorite tune from this one is Tell Me A Bedtime Story. WORD ! That was my favourite track when I bought a vinyl of this one back in about 1978 on the Atlantic 'That's Jazz' series (RIP). What a beautiful performance - marvellous combination of Coles on flugel and Henderson on what must be alto flute, very sensitively scored by Herbie. Johnny Coles has a fabulous tone on this one (hasn't he always though). Some of the album is a bit boogaloo early 70s 'of its time' but enjoyable, nevertheless. I have to admit though that on the whole I prefer 'The Prisoner'. Must dig out that Atlantic UK vinyl. Over the years I've tended to play this one more on the 'Mwandishi Recordings' Warner Brothers 2CD set. Edited September 17, 2007 by sidewinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 I like this album quite a bit, but am saddened by the offhand dismissal of 'The Prisoner'!. The first two jazz albums I ever bought (got them at the same time) were Lee Morgan 'Live at the Lighthouse' and a Best of Herbie Hancock collection. Both were Blue Notes, two LP's for the price of one. "Absolutions" on the Morgan and "King Cobra", "I Have a Dream", and "He Who Lives In Fear" on the Hancock changed my life (or at least my ears) forever. 35 years ago this month, and I remember it almost like it was yesterday. It hurts to hear the last two titles (both from 'The Prisoner') called "cold"! Not an objective, measured response, to be sure, but one I had to share! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel A Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 'Tell Me a Bedtime Story' is wonderful, I think of it as one of Herbie's best compositions. It really has a special vibe to it. BTW, is there any other recording of Henderson playing alto flute, or even flute? There's a big difference between the tracks with Bernard Purdie and those with Tootie Heath. I can see why Purdie was hired for a couple of the cuts, but I much prefer Heath. The groove he gets on 'Bedtime Story' is amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel A Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 Johnny Coles has a fabulous tone on this one (hasn't he always though). It's as good as it ever got! The sound is a lot fuller than he got on "The Prisoner" - it can't just be the miking, can it? I agree with felser about "The Prisoner", BTW. I think "Rotunda" and "Prisoner" make up a great pair of recordings, and ever since having them on the same cassette tape I sometimes go directly from one of them to the other. But I have to say that the latter is marred a bit by badly rehearsed ensemble playing. (Try "Firewater") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 BTW, is there any other recording of Henderson playing alto flute, or even flute? Joe and Pharoah Sanders play flutes on Alice Coltrane's Ptah the El Doud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 OH YEAH!!! VERRRRRY Nice Choice! I will play this LOUD!!!! tomorrow when everybody is out of the house! I LOVE Tootie's groove with Buster on the title track, and Herbie's dry Rhodes sound that's close to an African balaphone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 (edited) BTW, is there any other recording of Henderson playing alto flute, or even flute? He also overdubbed some flute on his album "The Elements" on Milestone, and on "Multiple". Edited September 17, 2007 by mikeweil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niko Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 BTW, is there any other recording of Henderson playing alto flute, or even flute? Joe and Pharoah Sanders play flutes on Alice Coltrane's Ptah the El Doud. iirc i read somewhere that he also plays flute somewhere on Andrew Hill's Point of Departure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 I like this album quite a bit, but am saddened by the offhand dismissal of 'The Prisoner'!. The first two jazz albums I ever bought (got them at the same time) were Lee Morgan 'Live at the Lighthouse' and a Best of Herbie Hancock collection. Both were Blue Notes, two LP's for the price of one. "Absolutions" on the Morgan and "King Cobra", "I Have a Dream", and "He Who Lives In Fear" on the Hancock changed my life (or at least my ears) forever. 35 years ago this month, and I remember it almost like it was yesterday. It hurts to hear the last two titles (both from 'The Prisoner') called "cold"! Not an objective, measured response, to be sure, but one I had to share! You're not alone, felser. I've always liked The Prisoner too, but I can see where it might not be for everyone. I've always liked that little Herbie trifecta that included Speak Like A Child, Prisoner and Fat Albert Rotunda. Different music each, but with a similar concept IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted September 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2007 I like this album quite a bit, but am saddened by the offhand dismissal of 'The Prisoner'!. It hurts to hear the last two titles (both from 'The Prisoner') called "cold"! Not an objective, measured response, to be sure, but one I had to share! I just reread my original post, and don't know where you got this opinion from. First, the whole album in general, not just the two songs, left me cold. Second, it's not an "offhand dismissal" for me to say it "left me cold." An offhand dismissal would be if I said "This album isn't worth your time" or "THE PRISONER is one of Herbie's weakest works." Far from it! I understand why people prefer it over FAT ALBERT; I'm just not one of those people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted September 18, 2007 Report Share Posted September 18, 2007 I think the two albums The Prisoner and Fat Albert Rotunda are stepsisters that share only one parent: Herbie Hancock. The other parents are modern jazz arrangement in the first case (many hear a Gil Evans influence), and in the second case, some souljazz and funk. I always found the album a little disparate, because you get Jessica and Bedtime Story, which are in line with his last two Blue Notes, and then the funky beats. I understand some of the music was done for a TV series, and I guess the remainder was recorded as a filler. I prefer to listen to these two types of tracks from that album separately. From a jazz point of view, The Prisoner is the superior album. But Fat Albert Rotunda marks Herbie's first successful steps among the booby traps of funky jazz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montg Posted September 21, 2007 Report Share Posted September 21, 2007 This is a really fun album. Joe Henderson plays beautifully on it (dig his solo on the title track). The combo of Joe Henderson and Herbie on the Fender was wonderful during this period---Fat Albert, Power to the People, Red Clay--what a trifecta! I've never understood how this music fits into the cartoon. Was it a soundtrack? The only music I remember from the cartoon was at the end when Fats and the gang would get together to sing a song about the lesson they all learned that day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted September 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2007 This is a really fun album. Joe Henderson plays beautifully on it (dig his solo on the title track). The combo of Joe Henderson and Herbie on the Fender was wonderful during this period---Fat Albert, Power to the People, Red Clay--what a trifecta! You got THAT right, and I can't believe I didn't notice that before! Add STRAIGHT LIFE to that mix and you've got a grand slam! Thanks for reminding me of that lineup; I've got 'em all programmed to listen for the rest of the day! I've never understood how this music fits into the cartoon. Was it a soundtrack? The only music I remember from the cartoon was at the end when Fats and the gang would get together to sing a song about the lesson they all learned that day Yeah, I've wondered that as well. The only music I remember from Fat Albert was the opening theme with the "Hey Hey Hey! It's Faaaaaaat Albert!" and the closing theme with "Na na na na, gonna have a good time!" Neither sounded like Herbie to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted September 21, 2007 Report Share Posted September 21, 2007 One of the few Herbie records that is conspicuously absent from my collection. Guess I'll have to pick this up as it sounds like it would be right up my alley. DAMN YOU AL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted September 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel A Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 BTW, is there any other recording of Henderson playing alto flute, or even flute? Joe and Pharoah Sanders play flutes on Alice Coltrane's Ptah the El Doud. iirc i read somewhere that he also plays flute somewhere on Andrew Hill's Point of Departure I just listened to Freddie Hubbard's 'Red Clay' and noted that Henderson plays some flute on one track (but does not solo). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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