Herbie Hancock - The Prisoner (1969, 1995, Blue... «2025-2027»

: Hubert Laws (flute), Jerome Richardson (bass clarinet/flute), Tony Studd and Jack Jeffers (bass trombone), Romeo Penque (bass clarinet). Track Listing

: Composed by Buster Williams, representing the duality of "fire" (violence/oppression) and "water" (the calming presence of Dr. King).

At the time of its release, Hancock remarked that he felt closer to his "real self" through this music than on any previous recording. Musical Direction and Personnel Herbie Hancock - The Prisoner (1969, 1995, Blue...

: A reflection on the atmosphere of the civil rights struggle.

is the seventh studio album by jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, recorded in 1969 and released in early 1970. It stands as his final project for the Blue Note label before he transitioned to Warner Bros. and later explored avant-garde fusion with his Mwandishi group. A Concept of Freedom and Tribute At the time of its release, Hancock remarked

Building on the orchestral textures of his 1968 album Speak Like a Child , Hancock expanded his palette into a nonet (nine-piece band). The ensemble features an unusual combination of woodwinds and brass, including bass clarinet and alto flute, which provided a rich, dark tonal color. : Piano, Electric Piano Johnny Coles : Flugelhorn Joe Henderson : Tenor Saxophone, Alto Flute Garnett Brown : Trombone Buster Williams : Bass Albert "Tootie" Heath : Drums

The album is a poignant social concept piece dedicated to the memory of , who was assassinated just a year prior to the recording. Hancock used the metaphor of "the prisoner" to express the long-standing social and psychological imprisonment of Black people in America. It stands as his final project for the

The album consists of five primary tracks, with several reissues including alternate takes: