For Herbie Hancock, this Head Hunters album was a breakthrough. Stripping down the music to the bare essentials, Hancock created an album that featured a tight, funky groove, over which his keyboards soared. Back in the day, it was a commercial success for Hancock, and opened the doors for a wave of similar funk-jazz recordings. I’d heard both “Chameleon” and “Watermelon Man” on our local jazz radio WJZZ back in the 70s and 80s, but had forgotten about them. It wasn’t until I got this SACD that I got to hear them again, and also found an unexpected surprise on the disc.

I bought the SACD mainly because it was a high-resolution version of the album, and it should have sounded better than the CD. In that respect, I’m sure it does sound better! But my surprise was, one day, playing the disc and noticing that it did not sound right. That was shortly after I’d set up my makeshift surround system. Well…I turned on my rear amp, and a few seconds later, heard what I was missing. I had never known it, but this recording was in surround! There is no surround mix credit in the SACD booklet, so I’m guessing this is probably an old quad mix resurrected from the vaults. No fault in that either, since this is a fun surround mix, with sounds often moving between various speakers.

Musically it has been a treat also. Hancock’s improvising is what keeps this project firmly rooted in jazz, as are the solos from other band members (including Bennie Maupin on woodwinds). The rest of the rhythm section, though, keeps the project funky. You’d think this would sound dated, but it’s remarkably fresh today, and you hear a lot of Harvey Mason’s rhythms showing up in modern music today. And thanks to its crossover success, it is one of the best selling jazz albums ever, having reached platinum status. I give this one a hearty recommendation, especially for the surround mix! But if you can no longer find it, at least grab the CD version of this classic.

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