Sound-System (album)


Sound-System is the thirty-sixth album by jazz pianist Herbie Hancock and the second of three albums with the Rockit Band.

Background

The second of the three Rockit band albums, Sound-System was another smash for Herbie Hancock. Winning his second Grammy award for Best R&B Performance, this album tried to capture the success of the previous Future Shock, with some more twists and turns.
"Junku" for instance, featured Foday Musa Suso and also was written for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. It served as the "Field" theme. It also was used during Hancock's appearance on the long-running NBC Saturday Night Live.
"Sound System" sounded like "Junku" in many ways, while "Karabali" featured Wayne Shorter and went back to the days of Hancock's African themed Mwandishi band.

Reception

commented "Future Shock was a pretty good album despite its dink quotient; this is a better album despite its schlock quotient. Where's-the-melody is beside the point, because even when they're just hooks the melodies seem a little obvious, without the physical or intellectual bite of the rhythm tracks. And me, I doubt Herbie should be playing more "jazz"--several of the false moments here are provided by Saint Wayne Shorter himself. The African exotica of Foday Musa Suso and Aiyb Dieng, on the other hand, sounds right at home. As does the South Bronx exotica of D.St." Richard S. Ginell of AllMusic noted "In the grand tradition of sequels, Sound-System picks up from where Future Shock left off -- if anything, even louder and more bleakly industrial than before... Hancock's electric music still retained its adventurous edge.

Track listing

  1. "Hardrock" - 6:10
  2. "Metal Beat" - 4:56
  3. "Karabali" - 5:17
  4. "Junku" - 5:32
  5. "People are Changing" - 6:05
  6. "Sound System" - 5:55
Bonus Track from CD reissue
  1. "Metal Beat " - 6:44

    Personnel

Production
Band
;Studios