The Imagine Project

Last updated
The Imagine Project
Herbie Hancock - The Imagine Project cover.jpg
Studio album by
Herbie Hancock
ReleasedJune 22, 2010 (2010-06-22)
Studiovarious
Genre Jazz
Length66:11 [1]
Label Hancock
Producer
Herbie Hancock chronology
River: The Joni Letters
(2007)		The Imagine Project
(2010)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All About Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Entertainment Weekly B+ [4]
Jazzwise Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Metro Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
PopMatters 5/10 [8]
Tom Hull B [9]

The Imagine Project is the forty-first studio album by American jazz pianist Herbie Hancock released on June 22, 2010. [10] Prominent guests include John Legend, India Arie, Seal, Dave Matthews, Jeff Beck, Chaka Khan, Tedeschi & Trucks, The Chieftains and Los Lobos.

Contents

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. [11] 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. [12] 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". [13] 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". [14]

Track listing

[15] [16] [17]
No.TitleWriter(s)Featured artist(s)Length
1."Imagine" John Lennon
7:18
2."Don't Give Up" Peter Gabriel
7:26
3."Tempo de Amor"
 Céu 4:41
4."Space Captain"Matthew Moore
6:54
5."The Times, They Are A' Changin'" Bob Dylan
8:04
6."La Tierra" Juan Esteban Aristizábal Juanes 4:50
7."Tamatant Tilay / Exodus"
4:45
8."Tomorrow Never Knows" Lennon–McCartney Dave Matthews 5:21
9."A Change Is Gonna Come" Sam Cooke James Morrison 8:46
10."The Song Goes On" Larry Klein
7:48
Total length:66:11

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic [18]

Charts

Chart (2010)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA Charts) [19] 94
Austrian Albums Chart 53 [20]
Dutch Albums Chart 35 [21]
German Albums Chart 27 [22]
Greek Albums Chart 40 [23]
Norwegian Albums Chart 25 [24]
Polish Albums Chart 12 [25]
Spanish Albums Chart 43 [26]
Swiss Albums Chart 29 [27]
Billboard Jazz Albums2 [28]

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Poland (ZPAV) [29] Gold10,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. ↑ "The Imagine Project - Herbie Hancock". AllMusic . Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  2. ↑ Kelman, John (June 21, 2010). "Herbie Hancock: The Imagine Project". All About Jazz . Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  3. ↑ Jurek, Thom (2010-06-22). "Allmusic review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-08-09.
  4. ↑ Wood, Mikael (June 16, 2010). "The Imagine Project". EW.com . Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  5. ↑ Graham, Stephen (July 29, 2010). "Herbie Hancock The Imagine Project ***". Jazzwise . Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  6. ↑ Fordham, John (29 July 2010). "Herbie Hancock: The Imagine Project". The Guardian . Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  7. ↑ Murphy, Siobhan (1 August 2010). "Herbie Hancock's Imagine Project needed more imagination". Metro . Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  8. ↑ LAYMAN, WILL (13 October 2010). "Herbie Hancock: The Imagine Project". PopMatters . Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  9. ↑ "Tom Hull: Grade List: Herbie Hancock". Tom Hull . Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  10. ↑ "May 13, 2010 Press Release". Herbiehancock.com. Retrieved 2012-08-09.
  11. ↑ "April 1, 2010 Press Release". Herbiehancock.com. Retrieved 2012-08-09.
  12. ↑ Blumenfeld, Larry (June 22, 2010). "A Journey Across Borders". The Wall Street Journal . p. D8.
  13. ↑ Varga, George (10 August 2010). "Herbie Hancock: The Imagine Project". JazzTimes . Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  14. ↑ Eyles, John (2010). "Herbie Hancock The Imagine Project Review". BBC. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  15. ↑ "Album page". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-08-09.
  16. ↑ Official Herbie Hancock page
  17. ↑ Cosores, Philip (2010-05-31). "Herbie Hancock records with artists around the world". Consequence of Sound magazine. IndieClick Music Network. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  18. ↑ "The Imagine Project - Herbie Hancock | Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  19. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 124.
  20. ↑ Steffen Hung (2008-02-22). "Austria Top 40 - Hitparade Österreich". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  21. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Dutch charts portal". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  22. ↑ ":: MTV | Album Top 50 KW 8 | charts". Mtv.de. 2011-09-22. Archived from the original on 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  23. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Greek charts portal". greekcharts.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  24. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  25. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. 2012-02-19. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  26. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Spanish charts portal". spanishcharts.com. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  27. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade und Music Community". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  28. ↑ "Jazz Albums". Billboard.com. 2012-08-04. Retrieved 2012-08-09.
  29. ↑ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2010 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved March 27, 2021.
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