VARIOUS ARTISTS / “Tell Me A Bedtime Story” & “Chan’s Song” Mixtape

herbie hancock 29.jpg 
I’ve paid kudos before (here) to Herbie Hancock the composer. A melody got stuck in my head, but it kept alternating between “Tell Me A bedtime Story” and “Chan’s Song.” I don’t know why, but I take the ambivalence as a sign to have it both ways, hence we feature both Hancock compositions this week.

“Bedtime Story” is easily the more popular of the two tunes but I favor “Chan’s Song.” Additionally, once again I will refrain from picking a favorite version from the Mixtape mainly because if a version made the cut to be included on the Mixtape it means that there is something either distinctive or intriguing to me. If I don’t like something I don’t include it just to fill up space and if I can’t find enough versions to make a comparative Mixtape, I’ll skip it altogether.

I do want to call attention to one selection because it’s got one foot in and one foot out. John Beasley actually mashes together two different Hancock compositions: “Tell Me A Bedtime Story” (Beasley uses mainly the harmonic structure) and “Maiden Voyage” (using the melody line). The result is far beyond a formal exercise, if you didn’t know it was two different tunes, you might be forgiven for believing that “Bedtime Voyage” is the way Hancock originally wrote the song.
herbie hancock 30.jpg 
Herbie Hancock is a master at harmonic sophistication as a minimalist, meaning rather than complexity, Hancock’s forte is figuring out how to reduce complexities to their most elemental and easy to grasp level. Perhaps, it has something to do with the way Herbie’s mind works, or it could be his Buddahist life views kicking in. Whatever is the source of his inspiration and orientation, Herbie’s music is a blessing.

—Kalamu ya Salaam


Bedtime Story Mixtape Playlist


“Tell Me A Bedtime Story”
bedtime stories cover 01.jpg 
01 Mwandishi: The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings - Herbie Hancock

bedtime stories cover 02.jpg 
02 Sounds...And Stuff Like That! – Quincy Jones

bedtime stories cover 03.jpg 
03 Right Now! – Howard Johnson & Gravity

bedtime stories cover 04.jpg 
04 Faces of Eve - Eve Cornelious

bedtime stories cover 05.jpg 
05 Thermal Strut - Jay Lawrence Trio

bedtime stories cover 06.jpg 
06 Soul On Jazz - Philip Bailey

bedtime stories cover 07.jpg 
07 Live 2006: 3rd Annual Concert Tour - Sfjazz Collective

bedtime stories cover 08.jpg 
08 Windows - Marian McPartland

bedtime stories cover 09.jpg 
09 Soul's Back Again - Slow Motion Replay

bedtime stories cover 10.jpg 
10 “Bedtime Voyage” - Letter to Herbie - John Beasley


"Chan's Song (Never Said)"

bedtime stories cover 11.jpg 
11 Face Of Love - Eugene Maslov

bedtime stories cover 10.jpg
12 Letter to Herbie - John Beasley

bedtime stories cover 13.jpg 
13 My Shining Hour - Francesco Cafiso, Cinzia Roncelli

bedtime stories cover 14.jpg 
14 Skyline - Bobby Hutcherson

bedtime stories cover 15.jpg 
15 Round Midnight: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Herbie Hancock & Bobby McFerrin

This entry was posted on Monday, August 23rd, 2010 at 2:17 am and is filed under Cover. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


One Response to “VARIOUS ARTISTS / “Tell Me A Bedtime Story” & “Chan’s Song” Mixtape”

Dashing Says:
July 28th, 2015 at 1:23 pm

marvelous site


Leave a Reply



| top |