Wow

So a blog I started following (http://elasticrock.blogspot.com/) has tons of bootleg recordings of the Mwandishi band led by Herbie Hancock in the early 1970's. Now anyone who knows me well knows how much I love this group. I became obsessed with them when I first heard their first self titled album. Once again, I first heard their 3rd release, Sextant and had no clue what I was hearing, so immediately I went back in their discography and listened to their first work and loved it. I even played the first track, Ostinato on my senior recital in college (unfortunetly i was unable to get as many vintage keyboard sounds as i wanted).
What makes this band stand out for me, is its searching, jam filled vibe. Listening to this band is like watching a transformer in slow motion. Every little change has so much meaning for the whole.
Mwandishi comprises a 6 piece band that features Hancock on various keyboards, Buster Williams on acoustic and electric bass, Billy Hart on drums with one of my compositional heroes, Bennie Maupin on reeds, Julian Priester, alto and tenor trombone, and my hero and mentor, Dr. Eddie Henderson on trumpet and flugelhorn with a guest appearence by Dr. Patrick Gleason on Moog and ARP synthesizers.
This band was the Mars Volta of their time. What they did in the jazz world was incredible. A unit that stretched every boundry and form.
They even play one of my favorite Hancock compositions, Toys which I recent put in my band's live book, and of course Ostinato which I only have heard on their studio release.

Also these past two weeks I bought alot of new albums including MMW's newest Radiolarians II and so reviews are heading the breadstick way.