Empyrean Isles

Empyrean Isles is the fourth album by American jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, recorded on June 17, 1964 for Blue Note Records. It features the debut of two of his most popular compositions, "One Finger Snap" and "Cantaloupe Island".

From the original liner notes by Duke Pearson: "This is a quartet album for trumpet and rhythm section. In this circumstance, a problem was created for the composer-arranger, in that the lack of another instrument supporting the lower, richer register, such as a tenor saxophone, might result in a shallow sound. With this problem in mind, Herbie Hancock, who composed and arranged all the tunes, wrote them to sound more like improvisations than ensemble melodies, so that the warmth and fullness of a supporting melody would not be missed. Free sketches were written in such a way that each instrument is allowed great flexibility of interpretation. In many cases, no melodic line was laid out over the chords nor atonal clusters written, so that the trumpeter could supply any melody he wished."

From the 1999 reissue liner notes by Bob Blumenthal: "If someone had ordered up a program that explored four distinct areas of jazz expression with equal brilliance, they could not have done better than Empyrean Isles. It is as if Hancock had set out to present 'changes,' modal, funk and free playing and delivered each at its apex."

The album was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder.

One Finger Snap

This composition features a short melody played in unison (which is only used as an intro, an ending and to tie between solos), followed by a chord progression without a written melody, going straight to improvisation. The Real Book has the first chorus of Freddie Hubbard's solo written as if it were the head.

Track listing

All compositions by Herbie Hancock.

"One Finger Snap" – 7:20
"Oliloqui Valley" – 8:28
"Cantaloupe Island" – 5:32
"The Egg" – 14:00

Bonus tracks on 1999 CD release:

"One Finger Snap" (Alternate Take) – 7:37
"Oliloqui Valley" (Alternate Take) – 10:47

Personnel

References

↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2011). "Empyrean Isles - Herbie Hancock | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 26 June 2011.

v t e Herbie Hancock

Discography

Studio albums	Takin' Off My Point of View Inventions and Dimensions Empyrean Isles Maiden Voyage Speak Like a Child The Prisoner Fat Albert Rotunda Mwandishi Crossings Sextant Head Hunters Dedication Thrust Man-Child Secrets Third Plane Herbie Hancock Trio Sunlight Directstep The Piano Feets, Don't Fail Me Now Monster Mr. Hands Magic Windows Herbie Hancock Trio Lite Me Up Quartet Future Shock Sound-System Village Life Perfect Machine A Tribute to Miles Dis Is da Drum The New Standard 1 + 1 Gershwin's World Future 2 Future Possibilities River: The Joni Letters The Imagine Project

Live albums	Hear, O Israel - A Prayer Ceremony in Jazz Flood V.S.O.P. The Quintet (V.S.O.P.) Tempest in the Colosseum (V.S.O.P.) An Evening with Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea: In Concert CoreaHancock Live Under the Sky (V.S.O.P.) Jazz Africa Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall Live: Detroit/Chicago

with Bob Brookmeyer	Bob Brookmeyer and Friends

with Donald Byrd and Pepper Adams	Out of this World (Pepper Adams Donald Byrd Quintet) Chant Royal Flush Free Form A New Perspective

with Miles Davis	Seven Steps to Heaven My Funny Valentine Four & More E.S.P. Miles Smiles Sorcerer Nefertiti Miles in the Sky Filles de Kilimanjaro In a Silent Way Jack Johnson On the Corner Big Fun Get Up with It Water Babies

with Jack DeJohnette, Pat Metheny and Dave Holland	Parallel Realities

with Joe Farrell	Moon Germs Penny Arcade Upon This Rock Night Dancing

with Freddie Hubbard	Hub-Tones Straight Life Red Clay

with Joe Zawinul	Zawinul

Soundtracks	Blow-Up Death Wish Round Midnight

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