Future 2 Future


Future 2 Future is the thirty-eighth album by Herbie Hancock. Hancock reunited with producer Bill Laswell. The two tried to repeat the success of the three previous albums that combine jazz with electronic music.

Content

Hancock reunited with producer/bassist Bill Laswell, who had co-produced Future Shock. In contrast to their previous productions, Future 2 Future is more electronica oriented. Hancock plays conservatively, holding to chords and sweeps. The more intricate sounds on each track are the beats and the use of turntables.
Besides Grandmixer DXT, who played an eminent role in the aforementioned 1980s productions, heard here on "The Essence", the artists from the electronica club scene are Detroit techno pioneer Carl Craig, A Guy Called Gerald, a jungle and drum and bass protagonist, and another turntablist, Rob Swift. On the 'jazz side' there are contributions by long-time collaborators saxophonist Wayne Shorter and drummer Jack DeJohnette, as well as bassist Charnett Moffett. There is also a drum track by the late Tony Williams on a composition that carries his name in tribute, accompanied by a static bass guitar line by Laswell, soprano saxophone from Wayne Shorter and spoken poetry by Dana Bryant. Laswell brought in Ethiopian singer Gigi for some tracks. Another song features jazz singer Imani Uzuri. The last track, "Virtual Hornets", refers to a composition from the last album of Hancock's ‘Mwandishi’ band, Sextant, in which Hancock recreates the original sound of the initial buzzing ARP synthesizer motif.
After releasing the album, Hancock formed a band that took the tracks on tour, and a film of the tour's stop at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood was made and released on DVD as Future 2 Future Live. The concert video features also live versions of his best-known songs "Dolphin Dance", "Butterfly", "Rockit" and "Chameleon."
For the coupled-out song "The Essence", a driving drum and bass track that features Chaka Khan on vocals, several remixes were produced by DJ Krush, LTJ Bukem, and Joe Claussell. They were released on separate 12" EPs, combined with the original version, sometimes with the addition of "This Is Rob Swift."
Future 2 Future and the EP output are the only productions Hancock released on Transparent Music, a label he created in the late 1990s with Chuck Mitchell and David Passick.

Critical reception

  • AllMusic gave a positive 3/5 review, stating that while the album fails to live up to expectations, it is "an enjoyable exercise in watching one of the greats in jazz music redefine himself with the times once again."
  • Grove Dictionary of Music gave 3/5.
  • JazzTimes gave no numeric rating, stating that the album lacks focus and the performances are uninspired. The best tracks are the last four instrumentals.

Track listing

">" indicates a segue directly into the next track.
  1. "Kebero Part I" - > 3:10
  2. "Wisdom" - > 0:33
  3. "The Essence" - > 4:54
  4. "This Is Rob Swift" - 6:55
  5. "Black Gravity" - 5:29
  6. "Tony Williams" - 6:09
  7. "Be Still" - 5:12
  8. "Ionosphere" - > 3:59
  9. "Kebero Part II" - 4:47
  10. "Alphabeta" - 5:29
  11. "Virtual Hornets" - 8:51
Future 2 Future Live DVD
  1. "Wisdom" - 5:45
  2. "Kebero" - 9:59
  3. "This Is DJ Disk" - 10:10
  4. "Dolphin Dance" - 21:30
  5. "Virtual Hornets" - 14:37
  6. "The Essence" - 6:55
  7. "Butterfly" - 6:02
  8. "Tony Williams" - 5:30
  9. "Rockit" - 5:04
  10. "Chameleon" - 17:41

Personnel

;Guest musicians
Concert tour lineup