Product Description

Providing a look at the working process of one of jazz's most innovative performers this documentary traces the making of Herbie Hancock's 2005 album POSSIBILITIES. On it the keyboardist collaborates with such unusual suspects as Christina Aguilera Sting Brian Eno Damian Rice and Carlos Santana.System Requirements:Running Time 90 Mins.Format: DVD AUDIO Genre: MUSIC DVD/CONCERTS Rating: NR UPC: 876964000086 Manufacturer No: 10008

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #59434 in DVD
• Brand: MAGNOLIA FILMS
• Released on: 2006-04-18
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 90 minutes

Features

• Providing a look at the working process of one of jazz's most innovative performers, this documentary traces the making of Herbie Hancock's 2005 album, POSSIBILITIES. On it, the keyboardist collaborates with such unusual suspects as Christina Aguilera, Sting, Brian Eno, Damian Rice, and Carlos Santana. Format: DVD AUDIO Genre: MUSIC DVD Rating: NR Age: 876964000086 UPC:&n

Amazon.com
The notion of keyboardist Herbie Hancock working with the likes of Christina Aguilera, John Mayer, and Joss Stone is bound to give jazz purists the willies. But Hancock, like fellow Miles Davis piano alumnus Joe Zawinul, long ago stepped way outside jazz's strict parameters, and with Possibilities, a DVD chronicling the making of his 2005 CD of the same name, his refusal to be pigeonholed has produced some surprising, occasionally extraordinary musical moments. Duets with Aguilera (a typically overwrought version of Leon Russell's "Song for You") and Mayer (less a tune than a funky, studio-conceived jam) may not be among them, but several of these collaborations verge on genuine brilliance, more than making up for the missteps. A few involve re-imaginings of a guest artist's own material (Paul Simon's "I Do It for Your Love" and Sting's "Sister Moon" both benefit from thoroughly new arrangements with heavy African and Latin touches); some focus on pop-jazz standards (Irish singers Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan's touching version of "Don't Explain," most closely associated with Billie Holiday), while others feature newer songs, like Annie Lennox's gorgeous rendition of Paula Cole's "Hush Hush Hush." Unlikely partnerships with Brian Eno, Trey Anastacio, and guitarist Jonny Lang (who joins Stone for U2's "When Love Comes to Town"), as well as Carlos Santana with Angelique Kidjo, yield uneven results but are never less than intriguing; there's also some all-too-brief footage of the classic Davis '60s quintet (with Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams), as well as recent film of Hancock and Shorter in Japan. Hancock, of course, is the glue that holds it all together, and despite his insistence that this is a not a jazz record, a certain jazzy element in his improvisations and harmonizations is both unavoidable and welcome. In the end, the Possibilities DVD is essentially a promo for the CD--if you want to hear complete versions of these songs, you'll have to buy the record. If that seems cynical, well hey, it works. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews

Excellent Artistry
Watch this and be inspired by the awesome Herbie Hancock. The recording sessions are great. The music and the movie flow along like a terrific jazz solo, riffing on all kinds of themes but Herbie brings it together into a whole. Just watching him play on the piano is a treat. If you're not that familiar with this living jazz legend, check this out and you'll admire both the man and his music.

Hancock's life and friends
Herbie Hancock is a man who embraces all kinds of people and experiences, an explorer in many cultural and musical fields. This DVD is a good introduction to him and his life, featuring snippets from his early quartet years with legends Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter to his forays into electronic funk with the Headhunters to his most recent collaborations.

Some of these sessions are more successful than others, but all are interesting. Hancock performs with great stars like Annie Lennox, Carlos Santana, and Paul Simon, makes international connections with singers like Angelique Kidjo and composers like Brian Eno, and concludes with a trip to Japan where his spiritual side is revealed. The disc presents many enjoyable and insightful moments in the creative process.

I have to point out, however, that this film is primarily a making-of documentary. It doesn't present finished, polished work, serving instead as an invitation to listen to the Possibilities CD as well as to those recordings produced during Hancock's earlier incarnations. As such, I would say it's more of a DVD to rent than one you need to own, even if you are a big Hancock fan.

Not what I expected
I read the only review for this item and ordered it, expecting to see a fantastic display of sound and some of the interaction of these artists with Mr Hancock as they created music, each colaborating to have a unique blend of sounds.
Actually this is only a documentary showing this interaction, and as such is very interesting.
But if you are looking to see an hear the full length videos of these great colaborations you will be disappointed, that is not included in this dvd. Only small samples are there for you to see.
This was a real disapointmet because the quality of video and audio are fantastic.