I've always loved Takin' Off. It wouldn't be my favourite Hancock album, true, but still, one of the key ones.

I hadn't heard it in quite a while, though. I didn't own a copy either, so when I heard about the latest transfer from HDTT, I immediately jumped in.

I hit play and ... felt like a kid again. It actually made me dizzy.

In my head, I went back to really old days. I felt how I felt back then, sitting in my room, practically devouring Davis' Miles Smiles (my favourite jazz album growing up), and trying to recreate Tony Williams' parts on my drum kit.

And it's all because the drums on this edition of Takin' Off sound exactly like I remember them sounding on my old copy of Miles Smiles.

I know, this short intro probably requires a little backstory.

The first jazz album I heard was Coltrane in Birdland. I was 11, figured out that listening to jazz would make me look smart, found it in my brother's collection, put it on and ... didn't get it at all.

The record that helped me get jazz was actually Metheny's Question and Answer.

But the record that turned me into a devotee was Miles Smiles.

I used to listen to it religiously. All. The. Time.

It even got me to buy a drum kit and practice.

But that is, probably, not a huge surprise. If you've heard it, you know that Miles Smiles is quite a drum showcase. Plus, and this is where the story gets relevant to Takin' Off, it has quite a captivating drum sound.

Toms and snare are slightly distorted. Just a touch, but enough to make them sound really harsh and raw. Cymbals have a long echo. However, the ride does not have that ping so common in jazz.

HDTT's Takin' Off features the exact same drum sound. It is amazing. And quite unique to this edition. I compared the sound to the Blue Note hi-res edition (2007 Remaster) and the drum sound isn't as prominent.

Takin' Off is obviously a wonderful album.

It's the one with Watermelon Man on. It has a stellar lineup, too. Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Dexter Gordon on sax, Butch Warren and Billy Higgins on bass and drums respectively.

Takin' Off is Hancock's debut as a leader, but it doesn't show any insecurity. Hancock's playing brims with confidence throughout the album. And it introduces him as a serious composer.

He composed all six pieces on the album with one becoming quite known over the years - Watermelon Man.

Interestingly, when researching the album, I learned that Hancock based the theme on a childhood memory of a watermelon seller calling his wares throughout the streets of Chicago's South Side. He specifically recalled the wagon wheels beating against the cobblestones as well as the seller's call. I don't hear it but then again, how could I? It is his memory, after all.

Driftin' has a wonderful drive. Its theme is based on a lovely loop. And that gentle tom in the drum part makes the song for me. I can hear Higgins deliberately hitting it gentler to avoid any echo, and because of that, you can hear the air bouncing within the drum after each hit. It's marvellous.

Empty Pockets is a strong hard bop, and Higgins' drum sound is so evident here. The ride doesn't have the ping, which makes the overall group sound darker. And you can hear that gentle distortion in snare rolls, which he plays often.

Alone and I is a perfect ballad to close the record with just gentle accompaniment of brushes and hi-hat. And again, you can hear how dark drums sound here.

Unlike Miles Smiles, the music on Takin' Off is easier to listen to. You won't hear the craziness of Circle or Orbits here. Or the complexity of Freedom Jazz Dance.

Hancock's first solo outing is a straightforward hard bop record, with a touch of blues and gospel (Watermelon Man, Empty Pockets) and strong emphasis on rhythm. Then again, what else to expect from such a lineup?

And then, there's that drum sound. Oh dear...

Check out this edition here