Village Life
{{for|the newspaper|Daily Republic}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Village Life
| type = Studio album
| artist = Herbie Hancock and Foday Musa Suso
| cover = Village Life (album).jpg
| alt =
| released = December 1985 (Japan)
| recorded = August 7–9, 1984
| venue =
| studio = CBS/Sony Shinanomachi Studio, Shinanomachi, Tokyo
| genre = Jazz fusion, Mandé music
| length = 40:38
| producer = Bill Laswell, Herbie Hancock
| chronology = Herbie Hancock
| prev_title = Sound-System
| prev_year = 1984
| next_title = Round Midnight
| next_year = 1986
}}
Village Life is an album by jazz pianist Herbie Hancock and Mandinka griot Foday Musa Suso.{{cite news |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Fernando |title=World Music: Whose Is It? |work=The Boston Globe |date=2 Apr 1989 |page=B1}}{{cite news |last1=McCracken |first1=David |title=Return of the griot |work=Chicago Tribune |date=18 Aug 1989 |department=Tempo |page=3}} It was recorded in Japan and released in 1985. Hancock and Suso had worked together as part of a larger ensemble for Hancock's 1984 album Sound-System, and Village Life was recorded shortly after a world tour. There are no overdubs, Village Life was recorded live in the studio. The album was coproduced by Bill Laswell.{{cite news |last1=Catlin |first1=Roger |title=Herbie Hancock's latest album... |work=Omaha World-Herald |date=October 6, 1985 |department=Entertainment}}
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/r140181 |title=Village Life - Herbie Hancock | AllMusic |first=Richard S. |last=Ginell |work=allmusic.com |year=2011 |access-date=18 July 2011}}
| rev2 =
| rev2Score =
}}
The Globe and Mail wrote that "Hancock generally adds color in four pieces that move lightly when they move at all... Pretty, but ultimately a curio."{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Mark |title=Village Life Herbie Hancock & Foday Musa Suso |work=The Globe and Mail |date=24 Oct 1985 |page=D5}} The Christian Science Monitor wrote that "Hancock traces lacy patterns around Suso's native vamps, underscoring the latter's vocals."{{cite news |last1=Duncan |first1=Amy |title=Jazz/Pop/Rock |work=The Christian Science Monitor |date=February 12, 1986 |department=Arts and Leisure |page=24}}
Track listing
- "Moon/Light" (Hancock, Suso) - 7:57
- "Ndan Ndan Nyaria" (Suso) - 9:50
- "Early Warning" (Hancock) - 2:52
- "Kanatente" (Hancock, Suso) - 19:59
Personnel
Musicians
- Herbie Hancock - detunable Yamaha DX1 synthesizer, Yamaha RX-11 drum machine programming
- Foday Musa Suso - kora, talking drum, vocals
Production
- Herbie Hancock - producer
- Bill Laswell - producer
- Tony Meilandt - associate producer
- Dave Jerden - engineer (recording)
- Tomoo Suzuki - engineer (recording)
- Tetsuro Tomita - engineer (digital editing)
- Wally Traugott - engineer (mastering)
- Nobuhisa Kawabe - assistant engineer
- Shinichi Miyoshi - assistant engineer
- Adam's Dad Management Co. - management
- David Rubinson - management
- Prince Twin-Seven Seven - cover illustration
- Geoffrey Thomas - photography
- Roger Steffens - liner notes
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Herbie Hancock}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Herbie Hancock albums
Category:Foday Musa Suso albums
Category:Columbia Records albums
Category:albums produced by Bill Laswell
{{1980s-jazz-album-stub}}