Death Wish

Herbie Hancock stands as one of the 20th century’s most prolific jazz pianists. A child prodigy, he played with greats including Donald Byrd and Miles Davis. A self-confessed gadget lover, he was an early master of the electric piano while always keeping one foot firmly in acoustic jazz.

That balance shaped his whole career. Hancock moved freely between electronic and acoustic sounds, touching R&B, funk and jazz while holding onto a voice that stayed unmistakably his own.

Released in 1974, Death Wish arrived close on the heels of Headhunters. Written as the soundtrack to the infamous Charles Bronson revenge film, its understated orchestrations reflect the quiet, desperate brooding of Bronson’s character, a role defined by few words and a lot of violence.