5 Key Facts About Herbie Hancock’s 1971 Album Mwandishi
- Mwandishi was Herbie Hancock’s ninth studio album, released in March 1971 on Warner Bros.
- The album marked a shift toward experimental jazz-funk and electronic sounds, moving away from his earlier hard bop style.
- Hancock adopted the Swahili name “Mwandishi” for this project, which translates to “composer” or “writer.”
- The record features a core sextet including Hancock on piano and electric keyboards, plus innovative use of synthesizers and tape effects.
- Mwandishi is the first in a trilogy of albums that defined Hancock’s early 1970s avant-garde period, followed by Crossings and Sextant.