Herbie Hancock - The Best of Herbie Hancock: The Blue Note Years (1988)

To be honest, I didn't know much about Herbie Hancock until his 1983 hit, Rockit. Then one day in college, I heard Maiden Voyage and couldn't believe it was the same guy. I eventually picked up some of his earlier recordings on Blue Note compilations, but it wasn't until I purchased this CD around the year 2000 that I had heard all these great pieces. Hancock is a wonderful pianist and composer, but he's also smart enough to surround himself with quality musicians like Freddie Hubbard, Thad Jones, Dexter Gordon, and Ron Carter. These pieces were recorded during the years 1962-1968. In addition to his own solo work, Hancock was playing with Miles Davis during those years. This is a fantastic sampler of Hancock's early work.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: In addition to standards like Watermelon Man, Maiden Voyage, and Dolphin Dance, I also like Driftin' and Cantaloupe Island. Here's the breakdown:

1. Watermelon Man from Takin' Off (1962)
2. Driftin' from Takin' Off
3. Maiden Voyage from Maiden Voyage (1965)
4. Dolphin Dance from Maiden Voyage
5. One Finger Snap from Empyrean Isles (1964)
6. Cantaloupe Island from Empyrean Isles
7. Riot from Speak Like A Child (1968)
8. Speak Like A Child from Speak Like A Child
9. King Cobra from My Point Of View (1963)

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This CD kept me company on trips to and from El Maton, TX.