Synth pioneer Jan Hammer (Miami Vice soundtrack, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jeff Beck) has released his latest album, Seasons Pt. 1.
Hammer cites influences as far ranging as the varied strains of the music he grew up with to what he calls “the elephant in the room” – his four seasons scoring Miami Vice.
Hammer himself describes the new album as “cinematic.” The opening track, Miami – Night, was inspired by Miami Vice director Michael Mann’s technique of spraying the streets with water when taping at night to set the mood for a scene.
“When I wrote Miami – Night, explains Hammer, “it felt like I was creating an opening scene in a screenplay.”
Hammer’s Seasons Pt. 1 is available via Amazon and other retailers.
For more on Hammer, see our Jan Hammer Interview: Mahavishnu, Miami Vice and More.
I miss those instantly recognizable tones and bends, can’t wait to hear this !
It’s different to his previous work, but still delicious as ever
Music is funny… This might sound like out-dated background music or game music etc. if you didn’t know it was Jan Hammer’s, ”great pioneer”. Someone might say he left to 80s, others might say it’s a style. Personnally I am not saying this or that, I am just little surprised. On the other hand it’s kind of nice that he did not go with mainstream flow. Probably this album won’t be my personal favorite after all, I am not that much fan of 80s sounds and distorted guitar solos…
Sounds horrible but „Jan Hammer Group – Don’t you know“ will be a perfect tune forever, thank you.
I agree, it really doesn’t sound good at all. I was a fan of his earlier stuff from forty plus years ago, I saw him live at Toad’s Place many years ago. I know musicians try to progress and not stay in the past, but there are relatively few who could actually do that. Radiohead is an example of a band that is more experimental and progressive now than they were in the early nineties, I can’t think of anyone else off hand.
Scott Walker
Seconded, Scott’s recent work may be ‘difficult’ listening for many, but makes more mainstream music sound like the tired litany of cliches that it is.
It ain’t Blue Wind!