* * * (OUT OF FOUR) GLOBAL HARMONY
Herbie Hancock is one of the rare artists on the planet with sufficient vision and artistic standing to execute something this ambitious.
The legendary jazz keyboardist hooked up with nearly two dozen notable musicians from around the world -- India Arie, Jeff Beck, Pink, Seal, John Legend, Juanes, Anoushka Shankar, Dave Matthews, The Chieftains and K'Naan among them -- for an album of songs espousing peace and responsibility.
Performances were recorded in a half-dozen cities, and Hancock's arrangements of the songs, including warhorses such as Imagine," A Change Is Gonna Come" and The Times They Are A-Changin'," reflect the guest artists' native culture.
Though it sounds touchy-feely, the performances are deeply felt and Hancock displays impeccable taste and creativity in reinventing the standards.
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