Herbie Hancock – Takin' Off (Vinyl LP)

Herbie Hancock – Takin' Off is pianist Herbie Hancock's debut album, recorded on May 28, 1962 at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, produced by Alfred Lion and released on Blue Note in October 1962. Hancock wrote all six tunes and plays them in a quintet with Freddie Hubbard and Dexter Gordon. The opener "Watermelon Man" became a jazz standard, and Hancock re-recorded it as a funk version for Head Hunters in 1973. This copy is a 1977 French reissue (BSTF 84109).

Pressing details

• Label / Cat. no.: Blue Note BSTF 84109
• Format: Vinyl LP, Album
• Pressing: French reissue
• Country: France
• Year of this pressing: 1977 (original: 1962)
• Genre: Jazz, Hard Bop, Soul Jazz

Condition

• Condition: Second hand
• Media: VG+
• Cover: VG+

Graded to Goldmine standard (see Vinyl Grading). The images are our own scans of the actual copy for sale.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Watermelon Man (Herbie Hancock)
2. Three Bags Full (Herbie Hancock)
3. Empty Pockets (Herbie Hancock)

Side B

1. The Maze (Herbie Hancock)
2. Driftin' (Herbie Hancock)
3. Alone And I (Herbie Hancock)

Personnel

Herbie Hancock (piano), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Dexter Gordon (tenor saxophone), Butch Warren (bass), Billy Higgins (drums). Recorded on May 28, 1962 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

Producer: Alfred Lion.

FAQ

Is this the original pressing?
No. The original was released in the US in 1962. This copy is a 1977 French reissue with catalogue number BSTF 84109.

Is this the original version of "Watermelon Man"?
Yes. Takin' Off contains the first recording of "Watermelon Man" from 1962. Hancock later cut the well-known funk version for his album Head Hunters.

What does Media VG+ / Cover VG+ mean?
VG+ (Very Good Plus) for the record means light signs of use that hardly affect playback. For the sleeve, VG+ means light wear. All grades are explained on our Vinyl Grading page.

Do you have more Herbie Hancock records?
Yes, for example Herbie Hancock – Empyrean Isles, Herbie Hancock – Treasure Chest, Herbie Hancock – The Prisoner. More titles are in our Jazz collection.