Many people are familiar with Herbie Hancock’s famous album Head Hunter’s, few however few are familiar with many of the albums proceeding it. One of the best of these albums is the follow up to Head Hunter’s, Thrust. Although this album has many similarities to the Head Hunter’s, it has a number of differences that set it apart. At the same time Thrust still contains many of the elements that allowed Head Hunter’s to be an amazing album. This album is accomplished due to the fast that it is very similar in many good ways to Head Hunter’s, while at the same time being different enough to please the listener.
Thrust is a Jazz-fusion album that mixes Jazz with elements of Funk, to create a seamless blend of the two styles. The style of this album is very similar to that Hancock’s that of his previous album Head Hunter’s or Mile’s Davis’s Bitch’s Brew (which inspired Hancock strongly). This album can be counted as both as Jazz and Funk album due to the elements it borrows from both. At the same time it carries a unique sound style of later Hancock work’s, which set it apart from other fusion albums of it’s kind.
The instrumentation of Thrust as with Head Hunter’s sets Hancock’s albums is one big element that differs from most other fusion albums. To create his layered grove Hancock appoints roles to various instruments much like in Funk album. The bass line is typically played by Paul Jackson’s funky electric bass, the tasty percussionist Bill Summers and, the grooving drummer Mike Clark. The bass groove sets up the setting and, feel of the piece. The next level up is usually a series of harmonic hits, usually played by Bennie Maupin and/or Hancock. Then there is a melody that occurs most often at the beginning and ending of the piece, which consist once again of either Bennie Maupin and/or Herbie Hancock. Lastly there is a soloist parts played by Hancock or Maupin playing over this groove and, many times accompanied by the harmonic hits. It is clear that there is a lot of use of overdubbing to cover all the parts. There is also a wide variety of synthesizers (many of which were different from those in Head Hunter’s) and, keyboards used by Hancock as well as a number of various reeds played by Maupin. Without this complex system of layering it would be difficult to make sense of the various parts and get the same effect during the solo breaks.
This combination makes for a wild and, sometimes raw with mix of complex rhythms and ideas developed over a Funk groove. The groove lines are so strong that they can act on their own or, can underline a solo as background (Hancock does both frequently). They are so much a part of the songs that they many times are used in the melody and, that the entire piece relies upon them to function. In Thrust there is a much strong emphasize on form and, melody then there is in Head Hunter’s. The melody of Thrust is usually based upon the rhythm lines, with perhaps the exception of Butterfly. This both has the effect of organizing the piece a bit more for the listener and, at the same time reducing the wild nature of the music a bit. Hancock likes to use a lot more cosmic sounding like synth. to transition or as background in this album then in his previous works. Perhaps the most interesting element to this album is how solos are handled, solo breaks are (or at least feel) very extended and, solos are given time to develop as far as the soloist wishes for them to. At the same time the constant rhythm lines and the added in dubs all works support the power and, intensity. This has the effect of making the groove during the backgrounds just as important if not more important then the actual solos themselves and, makes the solo feel much more like group interaction.
This album I feel is every bit as good as Head Hunter’s and, has many features of it’s own merit. What sets this album apart really comes from it’s ability to mix elements of Jazz and Funk, taking layering approaches and, groves from Funk and, complex rhythm of and sound qualities from Jazz and, mix of chord changes from both genera’s. It would be hard for me to recommend this album more then Head Hunter’s, but it is clearly at the same level as Head Hunter’s. It surprises me that this album is so much less discussed about then Head Hunter’s. This is the type of album that you’ll love if you’re a big fan of groove Jazz or, Funk.
