This album was Herbie Hancock's last for Blue Note Records. He was a rising star as he had been part of Miles Davis' ground breaking "second great quintet" for 7 years and had just formed his own sextet. He had just signed a very lucrative contract with Warner Bros.Records but owed Blue Note one more and Blue Note went out of their way to provide Herbie with everything he needed. His new sextet consisted of Johnny Coles on trumpet and flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Buster Williams on bass and Albert "Tootie" Heath on drums. The band was augmented by three more horns for a larger ensemble sound....bass trombone, bass clarinet and flute and alto flute....Tony Studd, Jerome Richardson and Hubert Laws were the extras. All of the compositions were in honour of the African-American people and the civil rights movement but the music is not overtly militant. It was recorded in 1969 during a turbulent time in US History. Four of the five pieces are by Hancock and one by bassist Williams. "The Prisoner" stands on it's own and has never been revisited by Herbie Hancock yet it is one of his finest and most eloquent musical statements. You are in for a treat!

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