Sound-System (album)


Sound-System is the thirtieth album by jazz pianist Herbie Hancock and the second of three albums co-produced by Bill Laswell with the ‘Rockit’ Band. Guest artists include saxophonist Wayne Shorter, guitarist Henry Kaiser, kora player/percussionist Foday Musa Suso and drummer Anton Fier.

Background

The second of the three Rockit band albums, Sound-System was another smash for Herbie Hancock. Winning his second Grammy award for Best R&B Performance, this album tried to capture the success of the previous Future Shock, with some more twists and turns.
"Junku" for instance, featured Foday Musa Suso and also was written for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. It served as the "Field" theme. It also was used during Hancock's appearance on the long-running NBC sketch comedy Saturday Night Live.
"Sound System" sounded like "Junku" in many ways, while "Karabali" features Wayne Shorter on soprano saxophone and evokes Hancock's African themed Mwandishi band from the early 1970s.

Reception

Robert Christgau commented "Future Shock was a pretty good album despite its dink quotient; this is a better album despite its schlock quotient. Where's-the-melody is beside the point, because even when they're just hooks the melodies seem a little obvious, without the physical or intellectual bite of the rhythm tracks. And me, I doubt Herbie should be playing more "jazz"—several of the false moments here are provided by Saint Wayne Shorter himself. The African exotica of Foday Musa Suso and Aiyb Dieng, on the other hand, sounds right at home. As does the South Bronx exotica of D.St." Richard S. Ginell of AllMusic noted "In the grand tradition of sequels, Sound-System picks up from where Future Shock left off – if anything, even louder and more bleakly industrial than before... Hancock's electric music still retained its adventurous edge.

Track listing

  1. "Hardrock" – 6:08
  2. "Metal Beat" – 4:53
  3. "Karabali" – 5:17
  4. "Junku" – 5:30
  5. "People are Changing" – 6:03
  6. "Sound System" – 5:51
Bonus track from CD reissue
  2. "Metal Beat " – 6:44

Personnel

Musicians

Production

  • Herbie Hancock – producer
  • Bill Laswell – producer
  • Material – producers
  • Tony Meilandt – associate producer
  • Rob Stevens – engineer, recording
  • Lawrence A. Duhart – engineer
  • Billy Youdelman – engineer
  • Carolyn Collins – assistant engineer
  • Sam Fishkin – assistant engineer
  • Haun Rowe – assistant engineer
  • Lothar Segeler – assistant engineer
  • Dave Jerden – mixing
  • Howie Weinberg – mastering
  • David Em – cover image artwork
  • Norman Seeff – photography
Studios