Herbie Hancock is one of the most prolific jazz pianists of the 20th century. As a child prodigy, he played with legends like Donald Byrd and Miles Davis. He was one of the first to embrace and master the electric piano, yet he always remained true to the acoustic sound. In fact, he constantly oscillated between his electronic and acoustic sound, touching on nearly every development in R&B, funk, and jazz while maintaining an original and distinctive voice. "Sextant," released in 1973, was recorded shortly before "Head Hunters" and can be seen in the same vein, but it is more than just an introduction to a masterpiece. It offers a kind of post-modal, free impressionism and brushes against the boundaries of funk. Three long instrumental pieces explore how far minimalism can go in jazz.