The Imagine Project
“Herbie Hancock’s star-studded The Imagine Project was several years in the making, recorded in seven countries with musicians from all over the globe. Hancock’s band with producer/bassist Larry Klein, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, percussionist Alex Acuña, and guitarist Lionel Loueke is a common denominator. Much of what’s here is interpretations of well-known pop, folk, and soul songs.
There’s a gorgeous reading of Baden Powell’s “Tempo de Amore,” thanks to Lucas Martins’ bassline and Céu’s singing. “Space Captain” by the Derek Trucks-Susan Tedeschi Band — with Hancock and Colaiuta — brings out a much-needed soulful grit to Tedeschi’s vocals, gospelized four-party harmony, and Trucks’ tough slide playing.
Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are a Changin’,” with Lisa Hannigan’s raw, emotive vocals, is underscored by interplay between the Chieftains, Toumani Diabaté’s kora, and Hancock’s piano. The tune moves past its American folk revival beginnings to reflect a global sentiment.
“Tamatant Tilay/Exodus” pairs the nomad Malian guitar band Tinariwen’s song with Bob Marley’s classic. K’naan, Tinariwen, and three members of Los Lobos are all featured on vocals. Tinariwen dominates with Hancock’s funky clavinet pushing against their snaky wall of guitars and ululating singing; it’s the hippest track here.
Klein’s “The Song Goes On,” features Anoushka Shankar, Wayne Shorter, Chaka Khan, and K.S. Chithra with some lyrics translated into Hindi. – Allmusic
Original Album Liner Notes by Herbie Hancock:
“This album was recorded in various countries throughout the world, in multiple languages, and with various international artists in an effort to show the power and beauty of global collaboration as a golden path to peace.
My deepest gratitude to all of you, having contributed with your hearts to this shared goal. My sincere apologies to anyone who may have been inadvertently left out” – Herbie Hancock
The Imagine Project won two Grammy Awards in 2010: ‘Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals’ and ‘Best Improvised Jazz Solo – A Change Is Gonna Come’.
- 1. Imagine 7:20
- 2. Don't Give Up 7:29
- 3. Tempo De Amor 4:44
- 4. Space Captain 6:56
- 5. The Times, They Are A Changin' 8:07
- 6. La Tierra 4:52
- 7. Tamantant Tilay - Exodus 4:47
- 8. Tomorrow Never Knows 5:24
- 9. A Change is Gonna Come 8:48
- 10. The Song Goes On 7:49
- Herbie Hancock (Producer, Keyboards)
- Herbie Hancock (Piano, Background Vocals)
- Alex Acuna (Percussion)
- John Alagia (Production)
- Ibrahim Ag Alhabib (Background Vocals)
- Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni (Acoustic Guitar)
- Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni (Background Vocals)
- Said Ag Ayad (Djembe, Backbround Vocals)
- Lawrence Azerrad (Design)
- Danny Barnes (Banjo, Bass, Guitar)
- Jeff Beck (Guitar)
- Chris Bolster (Assistant Engineer)
- Richard Bolster (Assistant Engineer)
- Richard Bravo (Percussion)
- Kofi Burbridge (Hammond B3, Vocals)
- Oteil Burbridge (Bass, Vocals)
- Rodrigo Campos (Percussion)
- Denis Caribaux (Engineering)
- Céu (Vocals)
- Matt Chamberlain (Drums)
- Michael Chaves (Guitar)
- The Chieftains (Vocals)
- K.S. Chithra (Vocals)
- Vinnie Colaiuta (Drums, Tambourine)
- Kevin Conneff (Bodhran)
- Rodrigo "Funai" Costa (Assistant Engineer)
- Curumin (Drums)
- Paulinho da Costa (Percussion)
- Toumani Diabaté (Kora)
- Yaya Diarra (Engineer)
- Fatoumata Diawara (Vocals)
- Larry Goldings (Hammond B3)
- Bernie Grundman (Mastering)
- Roland Guillotel (Engineering)
- Helik Hadar (Engineering, Mixing)
- Elega Ag Hamid (Guitar)
- Elega Ag Hamid (Background Vocals)
- Jessica Hancock (Production Coordination)
- Jessica Hancock (Background Vocals)
- Lisa Hannigan (Vocals)
- David Hidalgo (Vocals)
- The Hill-Tones (Background Vocals)
- Graham Hope (Assistant Engineer)
- Shantau Hudikar (Engineer)
- India.Arie (Vocals)
- Anand Iyer (Second Engineer)
- Juanes (Producer, Arrangement, Vocals)
- Manu Katché (Drums)
- Bhawai Shankar Kathak (Pakhawaj Drum)
- Seán Keane (Fiddle)
- Alan Kelly (Assistant Engineer)
- Chaka Khan (Vocals)
- Abhishek Kandelwal (Assistant Engineer, Pro Tools)
- Douglas Kirkland (Photography)
- Andrew Kitchen (Assistant Engineer)
- Larry Klein (Bass, Keyboards)
- Larry Klein (Background Vocals)
- K'naan (Vocals)
- Konono #1 (Vocals)
- Rhani Krija (Percussion)
- Abdallah Ag Lamida "Intidao" (Guitar, Background Vocals)
- Eyadou Ag Leche (Bass, Background Vocals)
- John Legend (Vocals)
- Hugo Legrand (Assistant Engineer)
- Gustavo Lenza (Assistant Engineer)
- Frank Lillis (Lyric Translation)
- Lionel Loueke (Guitar)
- Los Lobos (Vocals, Guitar)
- Jim Lowe (Engineer)
- Conrad Lozano (Vocals)
- Lucas Martins (Bass)
- Dave Matthews (Guitar, Vocals)
- Mike Mattison (Vocal Arrangement, Vocals)
- Ndofusu Mbiyavanga (Percussion)
- Wagner Bigu Meirinho (Assistant Engineer)
- Cesar Mejia (Engineer)
- Marcus Miller (Producer, Bass, Bass Arrangement)
- Bill Mims (Assistant Engineer)
- Mawangu Mingiedi (Likembe)
- Alan Mintz (Background Vocals)
- Matt Molloy (Flute)
- Paddy Moloney (Tin Whistle, Uillean Pipes)
- James Morrison (Vocals)
- Melinda Murphy (Executive Producer, Production Coordinator)
- Áine Ní Ghlinn (Lyric Translation)
- Chris Owens (Assistant Engineer, Pro Tools)
- Dean Parks (Guitar)
- Dridhar Parthasarthy (Mridangam)
- Louie Pérez (Vocals)
- Pink (Vocals)
- Maria Ruvalcaba (Background Vocals)
- Jaideep Sahni (Translation)
- Oumou Sangare (Vocals)
- Brian Scheuble (Engineer)
- Eric Schilling (Engineer)
- Seal (Vocals)
- Anoushka Shankar (Sitar)
- Wayne Shorter (Soprano Saxophone)
- Jaime Sickora (Assistant Engineer)
- Patrick Spain (Assistant Engineer)
- Satyajit Talwakar (Tabla)
- Ibrahim Tangara (Engineer)
- Susan Tedeschi (Vocals)
- Tinariwen (Vocals)
- Bobby Tis (Engineer)
- Fernando Tobon (Guitar)
- Alhassane Ag Touhami (Arrangement, Guitar, Vocals)
- Derek Trucks (Producer, Guitar, Guitar Arrangement)
- Visi Vincent (Drums)
- Marty Wall (Engineer)
- Pete Wallace (Keyboards)
- George Whitty (Keyboards, Sound Design)
- Tal Wilkenfeld (Bass)
- Bill Winn (Engineer)
- Richard Woodcraft (Engineer)