Jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, a veteran of Blue Note Records’ classic 1960s releases and a former member of the Miles Davis Quartet, came to Portland recently to perform with his own Quartet. The Academy Award winning soundtrack composer for the 1986 movie “Round-Midnight” — not to mention composer for Bill Cosby’s TV show “Fat Albert” — was a jazz-rock fusion star in the 1970s and is still one of jazz’s most respected innovators.
On the crisp first evening of November, Hancock joined his band on the stage of Merrill Auditorium. Offering a six-tune set, encore included, the quartet played adventurous, reconstructed jazz. Facing an audience peppered with people who, apparently expecting something different, sporadically walked out during the show, Hancock, with an infectiously cheerful attitude, did what he has done for over 40 years.
He played unbeatable jazz.
The Quartet greeted the audience warmly, and Hancock playfully addressed the audience, pacing around the stage. At one point he picked up a bow and did a Zorro impression by slashing an imaginary Z onto the shirt of bass player Scott Colley. Opening with Cole Porter’s “I Love You,” Hancock laughed, “[Porter] wrote it one way and I changed it… but he’s not around to break my neck.”
He introduced “Dolphins Dance” as a tune “I put out sometime in the mid-60s.” Mention of the title brought scattered ovation throughout the audience, and Hancock amiably joked to the youth-dominated audience, “The hands get fewer as the years go down.” The band then took the song apart and reconstructed it phrase by phrase for close to an hour.
Terry Lyne Carrington, smiling from ear to ear, wailed on her drums wildly. Collected and cool, saxophonist Gary Thomas stood tall, dishing out delicious solos. And bassist Scott Colley, wired and pleasantly energetic, bounced around his instrument. This band’s talents made for an exuberant stage-show.
Most of the tunes ran over half an hour in length. I have talked to several people who found the length of the tunes inaccessible and unbearable. I disagree. Each tune Hancock played was packed with adventure and surprise. I leaned forward in my seat, and found my eyes widening and my mouth gaping open as Hancock and band explored tangents of each tune, only to bring it all full circle, returning to the point before the tangent began. Captivated by every note and awed by every number, I found myself growing apprehensive at the end of each song, afraid it would be the last.
Invited by a standing ovation to do an encore, Hancock reappeared to give a tight performance of his hit (later reinvented through samples by Us3 in 1994) “Cantaloupe Island.”
Hancock’s attitude was positive and welcoming. He never forgot we were there to have a good time and see a great show, and he always seemed to be on the same page as those enjoying the show.
It ended at 10:30 p.m., and those who stayed were treated to a phenomenal performance by one of the living legends of jazz.
Alexander Steed can be contacted at [email protected]