Thinly disguised as a documentary (and given a limited theatrical release), Possibilities is actually little more than a promo for keyboardist Herbie Hancock's 2005 CD of the same name, which is what folks will have to buy if they want to hear complete versions of the many collaborations featured here. Some will wonder what the heck Hancock was thinking when he entered into musical partnerships with the likes of Christina Aguilera and Joss Stone, but like fellow Miles Davis piano alumnus (and Weather Report cofounder) Joe Zawinul, Hancock long ago stepped way outside jazz's strict parameters, and his open-mindedness has produced some extraordinary musical moments. A few involve re-workings of the guest stars' own material (Paul Simon's "I Do It for Your Love" and Sting's "Sister Moon" both take on new life here with African- and Latin-tinged arrangements). Others focus on pop-jazz standards (Irish singers Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan's touching version of the Billie Holiday standard "Don't Explain" might move Lady Day herself), while still others feature newer pop songs, like Annie Lennox's lovely rendition of Paula Cole's "Hush Hush Hush." There's also some riveting but all-too-brief footage of the classic Davis '60s quintet (with Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams), as well as recent film of Hancock and Shorter in Japan. In fact, for all of Hancock's protestations that Possibilities is not a jazz record, there's a certain jazzy element in his improvisations and harmonizations that is both unavoidable and welcome. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, DVD extras include a pair of bonus performances. A strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (S. Graham)
Herbie Hancock: Possibilities
(2005) 91 min. DVD: $26.98. Magnolia Home Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. Closed captioned. Volume 21, Issue 5
Herbie Hancock: Possibilities
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: