Sold Date: June 29, 2023
Start Date: June 22, 2023
Final Price: $19.99 (USD)
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HERBIE HANCOCK 'SPEAK LIKE A CHILD' BLUE NOTE BST 84279
HERBIE HANCOCK "SPEAK LIKE A CHILD" LABEL: BLUE NOTE BST 84279 RELEASED: AUGUST 1968 RECORDED: MARCH 6th-9th, 1968 ~ VAN GELDER STUDIOS NJ EDITION: 1973 STEREO REISSUE w/ GATEFOLD UNIPAK LABELS: DARK BLUE LABELS w/  BLACK 'b' AND WHITE LETTERING RECORD COMPANY: UNITED ARTISTS RECORDS LINER NOTES: NAT HENTOFF PHOTOGRAPHY: FRANK KOLLEOGY & DAVID BYTHEWOOD MATRIX (SIDE A): [Etched] BNST-84279-1-X UA NO RVG or VAN GELDER STAMP
CONDITION:  VINYL: EX-   JACKET: EX- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I've been going thru my massive vinyl record collection this summer and pulling out some LPs that I thought that someone else would want for their collection. I've been collecting records for over 40 years and it's time to pass some of them on to the next generation of collectors.
This week on EBay I am offering up my nice, clean, 1973 reissue copy of Herbie Hancock's 'Speak Like A Child.'
This is my original copy that I purchased 'new' way back in the day and I've taken great care of it for many years. Clean, crisp, one owner.
CONDITION:  VINYL EX-  JACKET: EX-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Musicians on this recording include:
Herbie Hancock - Piano Ron Carter - Bass Mickey Roker - Drums Thad Jones - Flugelhorn Peter Philips - Bass Trombone Jerry Dodgion - Alto Flute
~~~~~~ The tracks on this album include:
Riot Speak Like A Child First Trip Toys Goodbye To Childhood The Sorcerer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This album, 'Speak Like a Child' was the follow up to Hancock's classic 1965 release, 'Maiden Voyage.' In the several years since that album, much had changed in Herbie's career. He was busy playing with Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter and Tony Williams as part of Miles' Second Great Quintet.
He was also heavily influenced by the work of Gil Evans who taught him how to arrange and compose for a larger group of musicians. 
By early 1968, when this session was recorded, Herbie Hancock was brimming with new ideas about improvisation, arrangements, and harmonies.
This album is a result of all that. The album opens and closes with two older Hancock tunes, "Riot" and "The Sorcerer" that were originally worked out and recorded with the Miles quintet.
By this period, Hancock's creative and compositional skills were at their peak but he also wanted to experiment with new sounds, textures and elements of harmony.
As Hancock says in the liner notes, "All the sounds in these pieces are a product of everything I've learned, particularly in recent work with Gil Evans, and, of course, in the five years I've been with Miles...I feel I have to go on more and write for horns, explore more possibilities of textures."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For this album, Hancock adds an unusual, unconventional, trio of instruments; Thad Jones' flügelhorn, Peter Phillips' bass trombone, and Jerry Dodgion's alto flute, for their tonal texture and melodic statements, not for their ability to blow or solo.
Don't be driven away by this. There's no trombone or flute solos on this LP. The horns are used to add a bit of colour, some atmospheric shading, tonal depth and harmonic texture to the simple, melodic themes of the songs. It's Hancock’s clear nod towards Gil Evans. 
All of the Solo time is strictly for Herbie's piano. Everyone else is there for support. Herbie's piano is clearly at the centre of everything. 
It's more like a solo piano record, or trio record, but with with big-band arrangements. On most songs, the horns state the melody, but then get out of the way for some lengthy trio improv, and then come back to put a finishing touch on things. The result is that it all creates a warm ambience in the background around Herbie's delicate playing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Like 'Maiden Voyage' before it, this album is laid-back, melodic, and quite beautiful.
The track “Toys” is a good example. It's a sophisticated, melancholy composition, with the horns playing background support, very much like a Gil Evans tune. Hancock describes it as “a tune with the colors of the blues but not the form”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The horns are not on every track. There are several tracks that are performed as just a a trio, with the amazing rhythm section of bassist Ron Carter, drummer Mickey Roker, and Herbie Hancock at the peak of his powers.
The first trio track, "First Trip," written by Ron Carter and the only non-Hancock penned song on the album, is a terrific, complex and swinging blues number. A lesson in upbeat hard bop, with Carter's bass pushed to the front. It's my favorite song on the record. 
You almost never get to hear Herbie strictly in a trio setting, and he really shines. 
The other Trio piece is the album closer, "The Sorcerer," Hancock’s tribute to Miles. It's an amazing post-bop excursion that manages to sustain the vitality and inventiveness of the original, but also points to the funky future that Herbie was headed for after this album.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The album's opening track, 'Riot', is a fun and adventurous romp—very different from the Miles Davis version.
Another standout track is definitely the title track. The beat is slightly bossa nova and has some Brazilian influences. It has to be one of the most beautiful, mellow, and understated compositions that Hancock ever wrote.
The centerpiece of the album, and the absolute highlight here, is "Goodbye To Childhood." The song is framed by the brass section's statement of the theme, but then the trio evolves into a profoundly melancholic, emotional, almost meditative take on the loss of childhood and innocence.
It features a rare, long, extended solo by Herbie which sets the mood for the rest of the album.
The other songs on 'Speak Like a Child' contain Hancock's graceful, lyrical playing and compositions, which are lovely on the surface and provocative and challenging upon deeper, closer listening.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This album is definitely one of the gentler, more romantic Hancock recordings, full of mellow songs with childhood themes. 
A very pleasant listening experience. The simplified yet strongly lyrical melodies show the balance Herbie found while playing with Milles, the ability to combine accessible themes with searching improvisation. His playing is mostly soft, contemplative, delicate, piano jazz, but emotionally resonant enough to keep things entertaining.
The overall mood of the album is warm, intimate and introspective. It all sounds very relaxed, natural and timeless. Every note, chord and beat oozes soul and class.
This music can be enjoyed on so many different levels by so many different people.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This album, 'Speak Like a Child' was Hancock's second to last release on Blue Note and is arguably the last 100% straight jazz album he did for a long, long time. 
He would soon embark on the second stage of his long and illustrious career, exploring the fusion of jazz and funk that would come to define his 70's albums.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONDITION: I tried to show good hi-resolution photos of the cover, labels and vinyl in my pictures.
I purchased this copy 'new' back in the early 70s, nearly 50 years ago now, in Greenwich Village, on one of my regular digs in those days, and have taken great care of it since. Basically fantastic condition.
VINYL: The vinyl looks great. Clean and Bright. This is from the early United Artist era of Blue Note. The vinyl looks fantastic. I'll say conservative EX-, no scuffs or scrapes. It could use a good cleaning as I don't think I've ever cleaned this in all the years I've owned it.
The DeadWax has the UA pressing stamp and NO mention of Van Gelder.
I tried to show some close-up pictures of the vinyl to show how good it looks. I'm sure you'll be happy with it.
LABELS: This has the Dark blue labels with the black 'b' at the top and white lettering. The lower rim text says "Manufactured By United Artists Music And Records Group, Inc... Los Angeles"
The labels are clean and bright. No marks or damage. The spindle holes are still sharp and clean, suggesting minimal playing and my careful handling over the years.
JACKET: As you can see, this one still looks great. Clean and bright. Sharp corners, straight spine. No ring wear, scuffs or damage. Comes with the original poly-lined Blue Note inner sleeve, which is also excellent.
This has been sleeved and stored properly for years, and is still fantastic. Clean and bright. The corners are sharp and crisp. You can see from my pictures it's quite nice.
Overall, a very nice crisp, clean, early 70s pressing of this classic Herbie Hancock album. In my opinion, about as good as you'll ever find 'used'. I'm sure you'll love it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** NOTE: I'm selling this rare 'Collector' record "AS IS" and "NO RETURN". It's rare and as described and I'm sure you'll be very happy with it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Add this classic Herbie Hancock Blue Note album to your collection today. It would make a great addition to any jazz or vinyl record collection. 
~~~~~ I’m recently retired and downsizing and letting go some gems and rarities from nearly 45 years of vinyl record collecting. Check out the many other fantastic 45s and 33s coming soon to my page!
All records have been carefully evaluated and graded by me. I visually inspect all records under bright light, personally gently clean them with a cloth and then, if unsure, play them on a modern high-end turntable to get a true picture of condition. Please look at all the high-resolution pictures I added. They are all my own and are of the actual record being sold. The pictures are part of the description and can show small details, label variations, and condition better than I can put into words. 
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THANK YOU for looking and reading if you got this far.  -- JOHN