Empyrean Isles
1964 studio album by Herbie Hancock
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Empyrean Isles is the fourth studio album by American jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, released on Blue Note Records in November 1964.[2][3] The album features Hancock alongside trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams.
| Empyrean Isles | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 1964[1] | |||
| Recorded | June 17, 1964 | |||
| Studio | Van Gelder Studio (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 35:20 | |||
| Label | Blue Note | |||
| Producer | Alfred Lion | |||
| Herbie Hancock chronology | ||||
| ||||
Recording and composition
Empyrean Isles was recorded at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on June 17, 1964.[4] Freddie Hubbard played cornet rather than his typical trumpet on the session.[4] The four compositions on the album, including the future standard "Cantaloupe Island", are Hancock originals written over a two-year period.[5]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  [5] |
| Down Beat |  [6] |
| Jazz Journal |  [7] |
| Jazzwise | [8] |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | [9] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz | [10] |
The Penguin Guide to Jazz awarded Empyrean Isles four out of four stars.[10]
AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album five out of five stars, calling it "a record that officially established Hancock as a major artist in his own right."[5]
Track listing
Original release
All tracks are written by Herbie Hancock.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "One Finger Snap" | 7:20 |
| 2. | "Oliloqui Valley" | 8:28 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cantaloupe Island" | 5:32 |
| 2. | "The Egg" | 14:00 |
| Total length: | 35:20 | |
1999 CD reissue
All tracks are written by Herbie Hancock.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "One Finger Snap" | 7:20 |
| 2. | "Oliloqui Valley" | 8:28 |
| 3. | "Cantaloupe Island" | 5:32 |
| 4. | "The Egg" | 14:00 |
| 5. | "One Finger Snap" (alternate take) | 7:37 |
| 6. | "Oliloqui Valley" (alternate take) | 10:47 |
Personnel
- Herbie Hancock – piano
- Freddie Hubbard – cornet
- Ron Carter – double bass
- Tony Williams – drums
Technical personnel
- Alfred Lion – producer
- Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
- Reid Miles – design
- Francis Wolff – photography
- Nora Kelly – liner notes
Charts
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[11] | 67 |