Herbie Hancock is one of the most prolific jazz pianists of the 20th century. A child prodigy, he played with the greats such as Donald Byrd and Miles Davis. As he was a bit of a geek, he enjoyed gadgets and buttons, and he was one of the first to embrace and master the electric piano, while always staying true to the acoustic sound. In fact, he always bounced back and forth between his electronic and acoustic sound, touching upon almost every development in R&B, funk, and jazz while retaining an original and distinctive voice.
Death Wish from 1974 followed closely upon the success of Head Hunters, and was the soundtrack to the infamous Charles Bronson-starring vengeance vehicle that preyed upon urban paranoia. The understated orchestrations mirror the quiet, desperate brooding of Bronson's character; rarely had a leading role contained fewer words or more violence.