Herbie Hancock-Crossings (1972)

"Crossings" was Herbie Hancock's tenth album and the second of his "Mwandishi" period, his era of experimentation with electronica and funk. It was also the first album to feature a new member in the Chicago-born musician's band: keyboardist Patrick Gleeson, an experienced player with synthesizers, mini-Moogs, and cutting-edge electronics. Considered one of the best albums of abstract jazz fusion, it features electronic sounds, African polyrhythms, and superb psychedelic production that pays meticulous attention to detail, creating a futuristic jazz style. An album that, four decades later, still sounds incredibly ahead of its time. Composed of only three tracks, the first side focuses on the expansive "Sleeping Giant", a vast, futuristic African suite that alternates intense avant-funk improvisations with darker passages. Herbie Hancock's performance during the abstract improvisations is incredibly intense, showcasing his mastery in constructing cohesive and original sounds. He also demonstrates his genius for composition and modern orchestration, utilizing his horn section and electronics to build mini-orchestral textures reminiscent of classics like Stravinsky and Ravel. The ability to compose at such a sophisticated level is one of the things that sets Hancock and the members of his band, The Sextant, apart from other psychedelic ensembles of their time. The second side is dedicated exclusively to the virtuoso wind instrument player Bennie Maupin, who also demonstrates his writing and orchestration skills, transforming two incredible and superb pieces into delightful melodies. The first track is the tense and mysterious "Quasar", featuring a futuristic soprano melody similar to the classic Star Trek theme. Much of the performance of this song is abstract and improvised, but the musicians remain calm and focused, avoiding indulgent improvisational clichés. The resulting music is delicate and sensitive, far removed from the 'freak out' avant-jazz cliché, with melodies that often recall Mussourgsky, Stravinsky, and many others from the sound of early 20th-century Russian or French chamber music. The second side closes with "Water Torture", in which a deep, slow bass line doubled on the bass clarinet sounds like a cross between a slow funk rhythm and a dark Russian composition, highlighting Hancock's Mellotron electronics and a carefully orchestrated trumpet section, achieving a futuristic orchestral sound. However, despite the superb instrumental performances and the enormous composition, it is the producer David Rubinson who is the true protagonist of this album, one of the most meticulously produced with every single note, reverberation, echo, and volume carefully considered… a titanic work of millimeter-by-millimeter attention to detail, resulting in an absolute sonic masterpiece