Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage

This was the first Herbie Hancock recording I purchased after The Essential Herbie Hancock. I love everything Blue Note and Rudy Van Gelder, and since I was working on learning the title track, I decided to see what other sorts of tunes Herbie was composing at the time. I think this is probably one of Hancock's most approachable recordings, and while not all five tracks are sparkling lyrical wonders, there's nothing here that might be considered a "throw away track". The title track and Dolphin Dance will stay with you all day after just one listening. This is classic jazz and a great starting point for jazz and Hancock fans.

Great jazz album from the '60s. This one belongs high up in the pantheon of jazz albums that include Miles Davis's Kind of Blue, John Coltrane's Blue Train, and Speak No Evil by Wayne Shorter. If you feel that these other albums are essiential jazz listening, then you will certainly enjoy 'Maiden Voyage' by Herbie Hancock, and you will see why people still rave about this album today.
If you are an experienced jazz fan then you will most definately already have an opinion on this album, but if you are just getting into jazz then this album should certainly be on your 'to buy' list. Firm five stars from me!

What we have here is an album that fails to live up to the standards that the first two and last tracks set. I'd rather hear Miles Davis' version of Little One found on E.S.P. - this one just plods along for a seeming eternity. So does Survival of the Fittest. Both okay songs - neither of them are bad, that's for sure - but they could've seen to be shorter. That's why I don't see Maiden Voyage as being on the same level of Empyrean Isles. It's just not.
Now for the good news. The three well-known pieces on this album make it worth the buy. The title track is the token easygoing blues groover (i.e. Watermelon Man and Canteloupe Island) with a simple theme that's hard to get out of your head nonetheless. Next up is the frenetic Eye of the Hurricane, which provides a perfect contrast. Third and final is the quiet ballad Dolphin Dance, a gorgeous thing that rules as much as the other two I mentioned. And that Hancock covers such a wide range of emotions on this record is another point towards it.
So I like this album, and like many others this was my first exposure to Herbie Hancock. But he's put out at least one better record, arguably two (Headhunters also makes the list).

I feel the salty smell of the sea when I listen to this album.

My family and myself heard an interpretation of the title
track in a cafe, in a small town on the "Pacific Coast Frontier".
The wave of the melody swept over me like the evening fog.

Absolutely amazing..

Why go to a lot of trouble to discuss in depth one of the greatest jazz albums ever crafted?

Well, let me just say:

If you consider yourself a Jazz Fan. . .then you NEED this album.

It is not the ONLY ALBUM . . .or anything like that. . .but this continues to be an influence on anyone serious about jazz.

It is one of the twenty greatest jazz albums of all time.

Chris Tune

"The emperor has no clothes!" There, I said it - finally. I have been wanting to say that about Rudy Van Gelder's stereo recordings for quite some time now. His stereo recordings lack ambiance and have very small soundstages with no depth. This should come as no surprise since most were recorded in his parents living room, but even those that were recorded in a proper studio are no better. Of all the jazz available on CD today, the Blue Note label represents the bottom of the sonic barrel. That's too bad since Blue Note owns most of the greatest jazz performances ever put to tape.

This album was recorded in a real studio, but it suffers the same problems as most of Rudy's other stereo recordings. To make matters worse, it has distortion that isn't normally present in RVG's work, perhaps it's due to problems related to the tape's magnetic coating flaking off. Suffice it to say this is no audiophile quality CD.

All ranting about the sound quality aside, this is an excellent jazz performance. I don't need to tell you how good it is - just read all the other reviews.

I think Herbie Hancock has been the one of most influential men in jazz scene after Miles.

His music is very variable just like 'Chameleon' one of his hit tracks in another album 'Head Hunter'

May be, you think about the Herbie's Music that is Fusion & Electric Sound. Or his careers with Miles and many more Musicians in the mainstream Jazz.

But Herbie's music is Herbie Hancock himself!
It is a Chameleon 'who' can change his colors easily on surrounded environment.

Herbie's music colors were the same things chameleon's

He has taught us his amazing abilities that were most becoming to all of jazz Genre through many marvelous album & music.

this record Maiden Voyage is also qualified as something else.

The album Genre was called Modal Jazz.
The song - same name of album title - the 1st track "Maiden Voyage" was typical of Modal Theory.

Just like many men loving Jazz, I don't know Jazz Theory well either.

But a true attraction of this piece is a beautiful melody.

For example, the first and the last track, "Maiden Voyage" and "Dolphin Dance" have been most perfomed jazz standard.

Sometimes, Because of its beautiful Melodies this record is more relaxant & easy to appreciate rather than hard bop or funky jazz, etc...

Though you are not hard Jazz Cat, this "Maiden Voyage" can bring a great inspiration to you.

If you begin a hearing this music, you might be under a delusion about that you are in a Quiet Sea.

This is a Great & most beautiful album.

Don't hesitate to buy something else.

What an incredible cd. With Freddie Hubbard on the trumpet to bring in the rhythm you cannot go wrong.

"Maiden Voyage" in my opinion, is one of the best jazz albums I've ever heard. I rank this album right there alongside of Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" or McCoy Tyner's "The Real McCoy." But what really brings my ears into focus on this album is how subtle yet complex these songs are. All of these songs demonstrate strong melody, harmony, rhythm, and structure, while also having a very loose and spacious feeling. The interplay on this album is astonishing and all the soloists are accomplished and don't overplay each other. George Coleman on saxophone and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet were great choices, while Tony Williams on drums and Ron Carter on bass were obvious choices. Herbie Hancock couldn't ask for a better rhythm section than Williams and Carter.

The music on this album is timeless and speaks for itself. All I can say is that any serious jazz musician or listener should pick this album up right now.

I would like to make a comment to a reviewer who said that Dexter Gordon on saxophone would have been better than George Coleman for this session, Dexter Gordon couldn't play this kind of jazz, in fact, if the reviewer would do his research and listen to Dexter Gordon's album "Go!," he'll soon realize that Gordon's style of playing wouldn't work with these songs. I think of Dexter Gordon as kind of a jazz standard saxophone player. His style just wouldn't work with this group at all. He stays in one place too long, and he wouldn't be able to keep up with the forward-thinking musicians like Hancock, Hubbard, Carter, and Williams who all would easily leave Gordon in the dust.

Having said all of that, this album is beautiful and should be apart of everyone's jazz collection.

First of all, be aware that this Herbie solo record features none other than his Miles Davis quintet bandmates on bass and drums - Ron Carter and Tony Williams respectively. Anyone who loves the second great Miles quintet and their most prized recordings (MILES SMILES, E.S.P., SORCERER, and NEFERTITI,) should also appreciate MAIDEN VOYAGE. Filling the soloist voids here are the prolific trumpet player, Freddie Hubbard, and George Coleman on tenor sax, the latter being an early favorite of Miles Davis during his years on Prestige.

Fans of Miles will immediately recognize the track 'Little One' which also appears on Miles's E.S.P. album. This, like all the tracks on MAIDEN VOYAGE, are Herbie Hancock originals. Hancock is obviously calling the shots in this group, and his playing is downright scary at times. Mr. Hancock sounds like he is controlling the tempo, almost like Thelonius Monk, while at other moments, he sounds closer to a nice mix between Bill Evans and McCoy Tyner.

The title track on this album would almost immediately become a major standard of the time, along with the less popular 'Eye of the Hurricane' and 'Survival of the Fittest' which I look at as being the most intense moments of this record. On 'Eye of the Hurricane' Hancock is perfect at using his left and right hands to keep a hard swinging rhythm in tow, while presenting some of his most crisp and clear soloing as well. This rhythm section will never cease to amaze me, and because of this, one of my planned future endeavors is to explore the entire Tony Williams catalogue. He was only in his early 20's at the time of this recording and he is possibly the most grossly overlooked drummer of his time.

'Survival of the Fittest' is the most progressive and experimental track, with the song divided up into what I see as distinct blocks. The songs begins with an almost free-jazz feel, and Hancock even begins to sound like Cecil Taylor. Just seconds later, the quintet builds a groove and then Ron Carter follows suit. Carter helps keep the flow going through most of the song while the other guys appear to be improvising 90% of the time, with some hard swinging solos from George Coleman as well. Finishing up is the track 'Dolphin Dance' which is similar to 'Little One' - both are much slower paced, but lyrically, I'd say it is Freddie Hubbard's high point. Hubbard obviously cannot replace Miles Davis, but who can? I've heard too many jazz purists toss aside MAIDEN VOYAGE because they didn't like Hubbard.

Herbie Hancock released several amazing records on Blue Note during the 1960's, including MAIDEN VOAYGE, TAKIN' OFF, SPEAK LIKE A CHILD, and EMPYREAN ISLES. Most casual jazz fans are more familiar with his later electric and funk work like HEADHUNTERS and THRUST, but I urge you to give his acoustic work a fair listen. MAIDEN VOYAGE is a great place to start, and should be welcomed with open arms by fans of mid-60's Miles Davis.

"Maiden Voyage" appears on innumerable lists of jazz masterpieces, and it is clear from the first listen that both the composition and the playing are at a level of technical proficiency unmatched on most albums of this era or any time afterward. Nevertheless, the finished product is not one that all listeners will find appealing. To these ears, this album seems aimless and even somewhat annoying. The songs meander without clear structure and Tony Williams' drumming seems at times to be going in a direction opposite that of the rest of the band. The influence of this album is indisputable, but its enjoyability is a more subjective matter. If you enjoy groundbreaking, cerebral jazz such as the music made by Miles Davis' second quintet, then this album will probably work for you. If, on the other hand, you favor Hancock's earlier and more accessible albums "Takin' Off" and "My Point of View," this album may be a bit of a letdown.

One of the best albums from my favorite period in jazz history. Put it in your collection.

Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage remains a classic in the jazz genre. At the time of its release, he was also playing with the Miles Davis Quintet and the maturity he gained in working with them is in full evidence here. Its legend is such that two tracks, the title song and "Dolphin Dance", still receive generous airplay on jazz radio. The album begins with the aforementioned title track, one of the best and most recognizable songs in the genre. Hancock's simple yet melodic piano line provides the mood for excellent solos from both trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and saxophonist George Coleman. Despite its mellow theme, drummer Tony Williams, then only 19, is creative throughout, sometimes throwing in loud quick fills, while other times playing very understated. Yet, it's still Herbie's show here as his solo is truly a thing of beauty. "The Eye Of The Hurricane" is a great hard bop tune featuring very busy playing from bassist Ron Carter and stellar interplay between Herbie and both Coleman and Hubbard. "Little One" is a very somber piece that features a cool solo from Carter along with Herbie's quiet and reserved playing. The band's performance of this track, which Herbie would also record that year with Miles on the E.S.P. album, matches its solemn mood perfectly. "Survival Of The Fittest" is most dramatic song here as it moves from hard bop in its first half to a showcase for Herbie's lightning fast runs, while also spotlighting Tony Williams, who has no less than three solos in the track alone. Finally, "Dolphin Dance" is a mellow ballad, featuring a memorable horn line as well as great solos from both Hubbard and Coleman. A classic in the genre and arguably his best album, Maiden Voyage established Herbie Hancock as one of the premier composers in jazz. Highly recommended.

This classic from 1965(not the early 60's as one reviewer is mistaken), is the best from the Great Herbie Hancock and it also features the late Great Tony Williams(1945-1997)on drums
You got a Winner Here!

I don't think I could name a more perfect album than this one, if I tried! That's just how amazing Herbie Hancock's best-known acoustic work is, especially due to the amazing personnel of Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, the terribly underrated George Coleman on tenor sax, and the magnificent rythymn team of Ron Carter and Tony Williams, who, along with Herbie, make up the impeccable rhytymn section of Miles's second great quintet. The underwater/out to sea theme of the album is kept throughout, which I'd say is mainly due to Tony Williams's awesome wash and ebb effect he gets through his cymbals for the duration of the album. Of all the tunes, I can't pick a favorite, since it is all five of these amazing Hancock compositions that make this album spectacular. I think that this cd shows both Hubbard and Hancock at the top of their game, and that's saying a lot since I own a lot of magnificent gems that feature these two giants. This is definitely one of the most essential jazz albums ever, so if you don't already own this, do yourself a favor and order it right now!

Pianist Herbie Hancock took the sea as a theme, composed five outstanding pieces, invited an all-star cast of musicians to join him, and created a masterpiece. Each of the compositions, the lilting "Maiden Voyage," the turbulent "Eye of the Hurricane," the moody "Little One," the complex "Survival of the Fittest," and the lovely "Dophin Dance," can either stand alone or fit perfectly together as a suite. Herbie Hancock is quite simply one of the best pianist of all time. Every solo I have ever heard him play is logically, meticulously constructed, but played with passion. George Coleman is an underrated tenor saxophonist who amply displays his talent here. Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard plays with his usual fire and clarity. Rhythm sections don't get any better than Ron Carter and Tony Williams. When this music was first released on LP it proved to be very popular. I believe it still is. It deserves to be!