Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, Roy Hargrove: Directions in Music

Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker/Roy Hargrove
Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall

Verve

Last year marked banner anniversaries for Miles Davis and John Coltrane, two of the most popular musicians ever to play jazz. Is it possible that the reason for their continued popularity is their constant, restless development as musicians, their refusal to play it "by the book", so to speak? Clearly Herbie Hancock, a standout among the illustrious graduates of Miles' class of '69 (musicians who went from one of his late '60s bands to become dominant forces in the development of '70s fusion and continue to influence other musicians and the direction of jazz) thinks so. He and his collaborators, Michael Brecker and Roy Hargrove, do not simply revisit the familiar versions of works by these incredible innovators, but seek to add some new twists and turns themselves.

"Directions in Music" is the rather interesting term that began to appear on Miles Davis' albums beginning with Filles de Kilimanjaro, and it was meant to represent the idea that Miles had moved beyond being defined by a single category, like jazz. Of course, it was also a way of inviting listeners who had never owned a jazz album to plunk down their cash to see what Miles was up to, but it was definitely an artistic statement, at least from Davis' point of view. Using this as the title of their recording (and tour) Hancock, Brecker, and Hargrove signal the audience that they will hear something that is much more about the spirit of these great men than about imitating their music. And they deliver on this admirably. "So What/Impressions", for example, utilizes a bass solo intro, but not the one we are all familiar with from Kind of Blue. Coltrane's "Impressions" is reworked into a sonically milder work, but one that still has plenty of harmonic adventurousness and allows the soloists to express themselves pretty freely. Interestingly, neither Brecker nor Hargrove play much like Coltrane or Davis on their respective instruments, and this is a blessing for the group, allowing it to paint the canvass with their own colors while still offering plenty of moments that somehow conjure Davis and Coltrane.

Hargrove's composition "The Poet", a bit of a tribute to the '60s Davis quintet of which Hancock was a member, is reminiscent of that group's adventurous approach to structure as well as being a very beautiful composition. In the notes Hargrove reports that Hancock completely reharmonized the tune, pointing to Hancock's indispensability to any group in which he plays and contributes. Brecker's solo playing of "Naima" is perhaps the most traditional thing here, but he does a nice job of playing both the tranquil ballad side of the tune and some Coltrane-inspired flights of modal scalar fancy.

Bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade, both of whom are used to playing with Davis alum, turn in a great supporting performance, kicking "Transisiton" and Brecker's "D Trane" into high gear. Patitucci starts "D Trane" off with a well-constructed solo of nearly three minutes before the group enters with the melody. Brian Blade is great throughout the performance as well, providing both beat and being an active member of the band, true to the standards set by Tony Williams and Elvin Jones, drummers who were never content to just keep time or even to simply "drop bombs" in what became the traditional bebop style.

In the end, I'd have to say that Directions in Music does provide a meaningful demonstration of the enduring legacy of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, but also tells us a lot about the musicians delivering the tribute as well. Hancock and Brecker have weathered many changes in the direction of jazz music and managed to remain artistically and commercially viable, while Hargrove, the youngster of the group, shows that he may well be the most interesting and ultimately influential trumpet player of our time for those who are more interested in the musical ideas presented than in the personal style or pronouncements of the player. Directions in Music is a tribute that doesn't imitate its idols so much as demonstrate the type of approach they took to playing jazz, and it will remain on CD changers long after most of the Davis and Coltrane tributes of the past few years have receded to the back of the shelf.