Takin' Off

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  1962

  James

  Before he became one of jazz's great innovators, Hancock announced himself with a debut full of melodic imagination and rhythmic sophistication. “Watermelon Man” became a hit for good reason: its groove is irresistible, but its structure is far more inventive than it first appears. The rest of the album reveals a composer already thinking beyond standard hard-bop formulas. Hancock's piano playing is elegant and remarkably mature for a debut. The record radiates confidence without arrogance. It marks the beginning of one of the most important careers in modern jazz.