CD Reviews

Herbie Hancock, et al.

Hear O Israel, A Prayer Ceremony In Jazz | Jonny

By GUSTAVO TURNER | July 1, 2008

4.0 Stars

English master of obscure reissues Jonny Trunk strikes again: his latest discovery is a 1968 recording of a Jewish prayer service composed as a jazz suite by Jonathan Klein, a 17-year-old rabbi’s son. Although this type of arcana always has its fans among crate diggers and lovers of outsider art, what widens the record’s appeal is that for some reason — and gossipy conjectures abound — young man Klein secured the services of Herbie Hancock for a star-studded session featuring Thad Jones, Ron Carter, and other hip luminaries. And these cats are definitely not slumming, especially Hancock, who is captured right around the time of the transition between his solo masterpieces for Blue Note (and his life-changing gig with Miles) and the exploratory funk of the Mwandishi band. “Micho Mocho” has a strange modal sound enhanced by plaintive Hebrew chanting; “Sh’ma” and “Torah Service — Adoration” provide a driving background to the more exultant moments of worship. A worthy, if peculiar, addition to the Hancock canon, and a companion piece of sorts to David Axelrod’s contemporary reinvention of the Kol Nidre as the Electric Prunes’ “Release of an Oath.”

Herbie Hancock
River: The Joni Letters | Verve
The Eclectic Collective
Time Flies | self released
Skimming the cream
Jazz: 2007 in review
More

Topics: CD Reviews , Herbie Hancock , Herbie Hancock , Entertainment , More

Comments

Add a Comment

ARTICLES BY GUSTAVO TURNER

JOBRIATH | JOBRIATH + CREATURES OF THE STREET | October 07, 2008
Collectors’ Choice (2008)

KOUSHIK | OUT MY WINDOW | September 23, 2008
Stones Throw (2008)

LALO SCHIFRIN | September 16, 2008
Mannix | Collectors’ Choice

VARIOUS ARTISTS | JUMP BACK | September 10, 2008
LSD

SCOTT WALKER | August 26, 2008
’Til The Band Comes In | Water

See all articles by: GUSTAVO TURNER

Most Viewed

Most Emailed

I HAD AN ABORTION
Forty percent of American women have abortions by the time they're 45. I'm one of them.

BULL DISCLOSURE
As the candidates prep for the final debate, it’s a fitting time to ask: why do some journalistic conflicts of interest become scandals, while others get almost no attention at all?

THE MELTING POT
Dip into confusing dining

HOT LOVE
Taste the flames inside Boston's secret world of fire artists

SCHLEPPING FOR OBAMA
The Boston roots of Sarah Silverman's Jewbama crusade

HOOVER? DAMN!
George W. Bush’s failures may have set off a tectonic shift in US presidential politics, commencing a Democratic Party reign

SCHLEPPING FOR OBAMA
The Boston roots of Sarah Silverman's Jewbama crusade

STAR FUCKING HIPSTERS | UNTIL WE’RE DEAD
Fat Wreck Chords (2008)

BULL DISCLOSURE
As the candidates prep for the final debate, it’s a fitting time to ask: why do some journalistic conflicts of interest become scandals, while others get almost no attention at all?