Jazz review: Dazzling diversity in Herbie Hancock marathon, Royal Festival Hall, London

Herbie Hancock was, naturally, the biggest star of the 10-day London jazz festival's opening weekend. But his deceptive affability camouflages a stubborn determination to make his fans work for payoffs such as the classic riffs of Canteloupe Island or Headhunters' Chameleon. For about a third of Saturday's marathon three-hour set, his powerful sextet whirled off into dense, crescendo-building group-improvising, or floated into abstract synth-dreamscapes, with the latter almost hiding the poignan...

Read full article Share article