Originally released in 1975 as a double live album, recorded and initially released only in Japan. Flood admirably documents Hancock's Headhunters-period in a concert setting. The tunes are mostly culled from the recommended studio albums Headhunters, Thrust and Man-Child, with an excellent remodeling of 'Maiden Voyage' opening the program.

VSOP

This Amazon.com exclusive version of River: The Joni Letters includes two bonus tracks, "All I Want" featuring Sonya Kitchell and "A Case of You." The legendary pianist and innovator Herbie Hancock explores the words and music of another musical pioneer, Joni Mitchell, on his first new studio recording for Verve since 1998's GRAMMY® award-winning Gershwin's World. Inspired in equal parts by Mitchell's poetic lyrics and unique melodies, Hancock and saxophone giant Wayne Shorter play with a restraint and elegance that achieves a perfect balance between the adventurous aesthetics of jazz improvisation and the emotional directness of the finest Adult Pop music. Hancock builds upon his (and Shorter's) previous collaborations with Ms. Mitchell to create a sound that will appeal not only to fans of both artists, but to the listener familiar with the work of Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae and the other brilliant guest vocalists featured on this session. River: The Joni Letters is the perfect CD for the music fan looking for something new that's based in the familiar.

FREDDIE HUBBARD,trumpet GEORGE COLEMAN,tenor sax HERBIE HANCOCK,piano RON CARTER,bass TONY WILLIAMS,drums

Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12 1940 in Chicago, Illinois) is an award winning American jazz pianist and composer. Hancock is one of jazz music's most important and influential pianists and composers. He embraced elements of rock, funk, and soul while adopting freer stylistic elements from jazz.