# The Imagine Project

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| All About Jazz | |
| Allmusic | |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+ |
| Jazzwise | |
| The Guardian | |
| Metro | |
| PopMatters | 5/10 |
| Tom Hull | B |
The Imagine Project is the forty-first studio album by American jazz pianist Herbie Hancock released on June 22, 2010. Prominent guests include John Legend, India Arie, Seal, Dave Matthews, Jeff Beck, Chaka Khan, Tedeschi & Trucks, The Chieftains and Los Lobos.

## Background

The album, which was recorded in many locations throughout the world and features collaborations with various artists, was complemented by a documentary about the recording process. Hancock's interpretations of these songs are cross-cultural. His version of "Imagine" was inspired by the Congolese group Konono N°1, and won the 2011 Grammy Award for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals" (the final year that that award was given). The instruments used on "The Times, They Are A' Changin" combine the West African kora with the Celtic flute, fiddle and Uilleann pipes. It was released in CD, digital download and vinyl.

## Reception

George Varga of JazzTimes noted "This hit-or-miss quality is present throughout the album, which-despite its diverse lineup and lofty ambitions-too often errs on the side of caution and politeness, when risk-taking and surprise would have made this a recording truly worthy of Hancock's expansive skills and imagination". John Eyles of BBC wrote "Ironically, in 2005 Hancock was elected to the Jazz Hall of Fame, since when the jazz aspects of his music have waned. Although The Imagine Project is entertaining and engaging, its jazz content is limited. Fans will hope that the 70-year-old still has another great jazz album in him – preferably alongside Shorter".

## Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic
* Herbie Hancock – arrangement, keyboards, piano, prepared piano, production, background vocals
* Alex Acuña – percussion
* John Alagia – production
* Ibrahim Ag Alhabib – background vocals
* Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni – acoustic guitar, background vocals
* Saïd Ag Ayad – djembe, background vocals
* Lawrence Azerrad – design
* Danny Barnes – banjo, bass, guitar
* Jeff Beck – guitar
* Chris Bolster – assistant engineering
* Richard Bravo – percussion
* Kofi Burbridge – Hammond B3, vocals
* Oteil Burbridge – bass, vocals
* Rodrigo Campos – percussion
* Denis Caribaux – engineering
* Céu – vocals
* Matt Chamberlain – drums
* Michael Chaves – guitar
* The Chieftains – featured artist
* K.S. Chithra – vocals
* Vinnie Colaiuta – drums, tambourine
* Kevin Conneff – bodhran
* Rodrigo "Funai" Costa – assistant engineering
* Curumin – drums
* Paulinho Da Costa – percussion
* Toumani Diabaté – kora
* Yaya Diarra – engineering
* Fatoumata Diawara – vocals
* Larry Goldings – Hammond B3
* Bernie Grundman – mastering
* Roland Guillotel – engineering
* Helik Hadar – engineering, mixing
* Elaga Ag Hamid – guitar, background vocals
* Jessica Hancock – production coordination, background vocals
* Lisa Hannigan – vocals
* Ken Hertz – arrangement, production
* David Hidalgo – vocals
* The Hill-Tones – background vocals
* Graham Hope – assistant engineering
* Shantau Hudikar – engineering
* India.Arie – vocals
* Anand Iyer – second engineer
* Juanes – arrangement, vocals, production
* Manu Katché – drums
* Bhawai Shankar Kathak – pakhawaj drum
* Seán Keane – fiddle
* Alan Kelly – assistant engineering
* Chaka Khan – vocals
* Abhishek Khandelwal – assistant engineering, Pro-Tools
* Douglas Kirkland – photography
* Andrew Kitchen – assistant engineering
* Larry Klein – bass, keyboards, background vocals
* K'naan – vocals
* Konono Nº1 – featured artist
* Rhani Krija – percussion
* Abdallah Ag Lamida "Intidao" – guitar, background vocals
* Eyadou Ag Leche – bass guitar, background vocals
* John Legend – vocals
* Hugo Legrand – assistant engineering
* Gustavo Lenza – engineering
* Frank Lillis – lyric translation
* Lionel Loueke – guitar
* Los Lobos – featured artist
* Jim Lowe – engineering
* Conrad Lozano – vocals
* Lucas Martins – electric bass
* Dave Matthews – guitar, vocals
* Mike Mattison – vocal arrangement, vocals
* Ndofusu Mbiyavanga – percussion
* Wagner Bigu Meirinho – assistant engineering
* Cesar Mejia – engineering
* Dani Michelle – wardrobe
* Marcus Miller – arrangement, bass, production
* Bill Mims – assistant engineering
* Mawangu Mingiedi – likembe
* Alan Mintz – executive production, background vocals
* Matt Molloy – flute
* Paddy Moloney – tin whistle, Uilleann pipes
* Mandy Montiero – groomer
* James Morrison – vocals
* Melinda Murphy – executive production, production coordination
* Áine Ní Ghlinn – lyric translation
* Chris Owens – assistant engineering, Pro-Tools
* Dean Parks – guitar
* Sridhar Parthasarthy – mridangam
* Louie Pérez – vocals
* Cindi Peters – production coordination
* P!nk – vocals
* Maria Ruvalcaba – background vocals
* Jaideep Sahni – translation
* Oumou Sangare – vocals
* Brian Scheuble – engineering
* Eric Schilling – engineering
* Seal – vocals
* Anoushka Shankar – sitar
* Wayne Shorter – saxophone (soprano)
* Jaime Sickora – assistant engineering
* Patrick Spain – assistant engineering
* Satyajit Talwalkar – tabla
* Ibrahim Tangara – engineering
* Susan Tedeschi – vocals
* Tinariwen – featured artist
* Bobby Tis – engineering
* Fernando Tobon – guitar
* Alhassane Ag Touhami – arrangement, guitar, vocals
* Derek Trucks – arrangement, guitar, production
* Visi Vincent – drums
* Marty Wall – engineer
* Pete Wallace – keyboards
* George Whitty – keyboards, sound design
* Tal Wilkenfeld – bass
* Bill Winn – engineering
* Richard Woodcraft – engineering

## Charts

| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
| Australian Albums (ARIA Charts) | 94 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 53 |
| Dutch Albums Chart | 35 |
| German Albums Chart | 27 |
| Greek Albums Chart | 40 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart | 25 |
| Polish Albums Chart | 12 |
| Spanish Albums Chart | 43 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 29 |
| Billboard Jazz Albums | 2 |

## Certifications

| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Poland (ZPAV) | Gold | 10,000$^*$ |
| $^*$ Sales figures based on certification alone. |||