Mr. Hands (album)

Mr. Hands
Studio album by
Herbie Hancock
ReleasedSeptember 1980
Recorded1980
StudioThe Automatt, Filmways/Heider, The Village Recorder
GenreJazz fusion
Length39:55
LabelColumbia
ProducerHerbie Hancock, David Rubinson
Herbie Hancock chronology
Monster
(1980) 		Mr. Hands
(1980) 		Magic Windows
(1981)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings[2]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide[3]

Mr. Hands is the twenty-fourth album by Herbie Hancock. Unlike the preceding album, Monster, which was conceptualized as a dance album, Mr. Hands is a collection of different musical styles with distinct groups. It features bass guitarist Jaco Pastorius on the track "4 A.M.," plus multiple guests including Bennie Maupin, Sheila E. and Ron Carter, plus an all-synthesizer track ("Textures") performed entirely by Hancock. "Shiftless Shuffle" (originally released on the 1979 Japan-only album Directstep) was recorded by the members of the Headhunters quintet in 1973 during the sessions for the album Head Hunters. This album was the first on which Hancock used a computer, an Apple II. He continued his relationship with Apple Computer for many years.

Overlooked when it was originally released, this was Hancock's last outing of "straight" electric jazz for some time, as he began to focus more on his R&B influences.

  1. ^ Ginell, Richard S. (2011). "Mr. Hands - Herbie Hancock | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  2. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 643. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
  3. ^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 94. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.