Hancock, Herbie - Sunlight (Vinyl)

Herbie Hancock - Sunlight (Vinyl)

When Sunlight hit the stores in June 1978, it had been more than two years since Hancock last recorded a funk album under his own name. And whereas his early albums on Columbia had spearheaded the involvement of studio postproduction in the creative process, his albums with the V.S.O.P. band and Chick Corea had all been recorded live.

For Sunlight, Hancock returned to the studio and spent almost a year working on the album between August 1977 and May 1978. Most strikingly, it is Hancock’s first vocal album, facilitated by the use of a vocoder, which combines the individual characteristics of a voice with the pitch and phrasing of a synthesizer.

All tracks are meticulously arranged and seamlessly blend the orchestral instruments with the rich synth textures and colors afforded by a panoply of synthesizers (shown on the back cover). The personnel differs on every track. The disco-infused “I Thought It Was You” features George Duke’s principal rhythm section, bassist Byron Miller and drummer Leon “Ndugu” Chancler, while the ensuing songs were largely recorded with various former Head Hunters cohorts. The final track, “Good Question,” showcases bassist Jaco Pastorius, with whom Hancock had briefly toured in February 1977 when Paul Jackson was not able to make two weeks of gigs.

Tracklisting:

1. I Thought It Was You
2. Come Running to Me
3. Sunlight
4. No Means Yes
5. Good Question