Herbie Hancock » Tracks » Watermelon Man

Herbie Hancock – Watermelon Man (7:10)

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About This Track

“Watermelon Man” is a jazz standard written by Herbie Hancock, first released on his debut album, Takin’ Off (1962), in a grooving hard bop version that featured improvisations by Freddie Hubbard and Dexter Gordon.

A single of the tune reached the Top 100 of the pop charts. Cuban percussionist Mongo Santamaría released the tune as a latin pop single the next year on Battle Records, where it became a surprise hit, reaching #10 on the pop charts. Santamaría’s recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. Hancock radically re-worked the tune, combining elements of funk, for the album Head Hunters (1973).

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This track is taken from Cantaloupe Island and is not the funky version from Headhunters. It is a very simple number with only 3 chords in it, which makes for some really laid back soloing. Unusually for jazz of the time, the piano plays a funky riff which continues throughout, except of course where Herbie needs both hands for his own solo! It is a milestone piece from one of the world’s most influential jazzers.
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Albums featuring this track

  • Head Hunters
    Herbie Hancock Play
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  • Takin' Off
    Herbie Hancock Play
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  • The Herbie Hancock Box
    Herbie Hancock Play
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  • Cantaloupe Island
    Herbie Hancock Play
    Buy
See all 77 albums

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  • ManCalled7Sun

    10/10!

    Monday evening

  • TOMHINKLE57

    THIS GOES WELL WITH JUSTICES GROOVE BY STANLEY CLARKE FROM THE MOVIE, POETIC JUSTICE.

    last month

  • lukasz_pulawski

    check out Urbanator's version

    last month

  • richardcdowen

    this is the first herbie hancock song i ever heard, what a tune!

    last month

  • John_Spectre

    At the beginning and the ending, it reminds me of the Forest Temple theme from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. ;)

    March 2012

  • HardSAM

    Smoooooooooooth

    March 2012

  • TOMHINKLE57

    BEER BOTTLES CAN MAKE SOME FINE MUSIC.

    February 2012

  • december1968

    ahh the Head Hunters album

    February 2012

  • Aleealski

    creativity in motion.

    February 2012

  • smoothasp

    Truly a classic!

    January 2012

  • StuartHaden1

    relaxing jazz

    December 2011

  • OneBeLoTheWorld

    DOPE

    December 2011

  • GraySage

    Just layer after layer of lovely instruments

    December 2011

  • fingerrtails

    mmmmmmmm baby!

    December 2011

  • dysondyson

    This track was played at a friend's funeral this year. I was just thinking about him only moments ago and then it comes up. Telepathic last.fm!

    December 2011

  • Thinspread

    oh BABY

    December 2011

  • allsoppy4

    fucking wicked track!

    October 2011

  • zenstate08

    ..oddly.

    October 2011

  • musicmania1378

    cool

    September 2011

  • ma357

    this track is trippy ;)

    September 2011
See all 280 shouts

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