Herbie Hancock best recordings

I asked a question years ago about great piano recordings. I was introduced to Herbie Hancock 'The Piano' and it is absolutely amazing. Google search this release but understand that Wikipedia doesn't give you much information at all. This was a direct to disc recording where Herbie only paused for the groove cut in the vinyl between tracks. It's a treasure and although Herbie has many, he's a jazz musician and this is all the standards played by Herbie all by himself. It's priceless. If you want to get to know Herbie Hancock, this is where you start. Then rewind to his early career.

Maiden Voyage is his definitive classic Blue Note recording.
His 'electric' period is eclectic and interesting. Of course it starts with Miles (as it did for SO many others!). He later called himself Mwandishi Herbie Hancock and recorded 'Crossings' & 'Sextant'. Very spacy electric experimentation. He than went back to being plain ol' Herbie and formed the Headhunters. Everyone tends to focus on Return To Forever (Chick Corea), Weather Report (Zawinul & Shorter), & The Mahavishnu Orchestra (John McLaughlin) as the heaviest hitters of the original Fusion Era. The Headhunters brought the Funk into Fusion and were equally influential, if not more so, on Electric Jazz than the others. He than started to 'cash in' playing his least enjoyable, for me, but infinitely more profitable 'Disco' 'Club' records with 'Sunlight' and the Grammy winning 'Future Shock'. My favorite later recordings of his were the duets with Chick Corea, VSOP, and 'Gershwin's World'. For me, he has an instantly recognizable sound when playing an electric piano, something he rarely does these days but was lovely to hear on Michael Breckers final recording 'Pilgramage'. A favorite story is of George Benson citing his CTI 'White Record' (Herbie did some amazing work as a sideman on CTI!) as his least-liked recording due to the session 'getting away' from him. I love this record so go figure! But his statement is understandable if you listen to one cut; 'Little Train', George basically plays the theme, solos a bit, and than Herbie and Billy Cobham take OFF!! Whew! guess you could say I'm a fan;)

+1 Chazro

Intimate live setting - no, studio - yes, incredibly well done - yes, wide soundstage - yes: HH's The New Standard. So it meets two of the original poster's four criteria. I love this one, it's as fresh as anything HH has done.