Thrust
Freshly remastered and reissued with all its pop and zip enhanced, here is one of the stellar recordings of the jazz-rock fusion era. Underpinning this jumping, multirhythmic, fathoms-deep groove music is the percussive power that Herbie Hancock, on squawking, scratching, stuttering, pulsing electronic keyboards, and Paul Jackson on thrumming, wah-wahing bass, add to Mike Clark's straight-up, rock-solid, propulsive drumming. From there, any band member can swoop and dive in celebration of Hancock's vibrant compositions. Bennie Maupin brilliantly deploys several horns in spare, soulful, and otherworldly ways. But listen carefully, too, for the broad palette Hancock employs in lead and comping roles. He augments the streak of Bill Evans melodicism evident in earlier, acoustic years with sustained funk fire and shuddering R&B; drive.--Peter Monaghan