Empyrean Isles

Empyrean Isles is the fourth studio album by American jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, recorded in 1964 for Blue Note Records.[2][3]

This article is about the 1964 Herbie Hancock album. For the location in Ancient Greek cosmology, see Empyrean.

Empyrean Isles
Studio album by Herbie Hancock
Released	Late November/early December 1964[1]
Recorded	June 17, 1964
Studio	Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Genre	Hard bop, modal jazz, soul jazz
Length	35:20
Label	Blue Note
Producer	Alfred Lion
Herbie Hancock chronology
Inventions and Dimensions (1963) Empyrean Isles (1964) Maiden Voyage (1965)

Recording and music

The album was recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on June 17, 1964.[4] Pianist Hancock's quartet consisted of Freddie Hubbard on cornet, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums.[4] The four compositions were written by Hancock.[5]

Release and reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	[6]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz	[7]

Empyrean Isles was released by Blue Note Records.[7] AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine called it "a record that officially established Hancock as a major artist in his own right."[5]

Track listing

All compositions by Herbie Hancock

No.	Title	Length
1.	"One Finger Snap"	7:20
2.	"Oliloqui Valley"	8:28
3.	"Cantaloupe Island"	5:32
4.	"The Egg"	14:00

Bonus tracks on 1999 CD release

No.	Title	Length
5.	"One Finger Snap" (alternate take)	7:37
6.	"Oliloqui Valley" (alternate take)	10:47

Personnel

• Herbie Hancock – piano
• Freddie Hubbard – cornet
• Ron Carter – bass
• Tony Williams – drums

References

1. Billboard Dec 5, 1964
2. DiMartino, Dave (2016). Music in the 20th Century (3 Vol Set). Routledge. p. 273. ISBN 978-1-317-46430-3. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
3. Salzman, Jack; Smith, David L.; West, Cornel (1996). Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History. Macmillan Library Reference. p. 1185. ISBN 978-0-02-897365-4. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
4. Herbie Hancock: Empyrean Isles (CD liner notes). Blue Note Records. 98796.
5. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2011). "Empyrean Isles - Herbie Hancock | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
6. Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 93. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
7. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 641. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)