Fat Albert Rotunda

Fat Albert Rotunda is the eighth album by jazz keyboardist Herbie Hancock, released in 1969. It was Hancock's first release for Warner Bros. Records after his departure from Blue Note Records. The music was originally done for the TV special Hey, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert, which later inspired Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids TV show. Fat Albert Rotunda, along with Mwandishi and Crossings was reissued in one set as Mwandishi: The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings in 1994 and as The Warner Bros. Years (1969-1972) in 2014.

About the Album
On this album Hancock changes his style radically and takes instrumental soul music rather than jazz as the basis of his compositions. Many songs also hint at his forthcoming jazz-funk style that he fully approached a few years later. Quincy Jones recorded "Tell Me a Bedtime Story" for his 1978 album, Sounds...and Stuff Like That!!, while Hancock revisited "Jessica" on the 1977 Hancock album VSOP: The Quintet.

Track listing
All Songs composed by Herbie Hancock. (Copyright Hancock Music Company-BMI)

Personnel

 * Herbie Hancock — piano, electric piano
 * Joe Henderson — tenor sax, alto flute
 * Garnett Brown — trombone
 * Johnny Coles — trumpet, flugelhorn
 * Buster Williams — electric & acoustic bass
 * Albert "Tootie" Heath — drums
 * George Devens - percussion


 * Joe Newman, Ernie Royal — trumpet (tracks 1&7, uncredited in original LP release)
 * Joe Farrell — tenor sax, alto saxophone (tracks 1&7, uncredited in original LP release)
 * Arthur Clarke - baritone saxophone (tracks 1&7, uncredited in original LP release)
 * Benny Powell - trombone (tracks 1&7, uncredited in original LP release)
 * Eric Gale, Billy Butler — guitar (tracks 1&7, uncredited in original LP release)
 * Jerry Jemmott - electric bass (tracks 1&7, uncredited in original LP release)
 * Bernard Purdie - drums (tracks 1&7, uncredited in original LP release)

Production

 * Arranged and conducted by Herbie Hancock
 * Produced by Herbie Hancock
 * Recorded and engineered by Rudy Van Gelder

Later Samples

 * "Wiggle-Waggle"
 * "Back by Dope Demand" by King Bee
 * "Fat Mama"
 * "If My Homie Calls" by 2Pac from the album 2Pacalypse Now
 * "Jessica"
 * "Shook Ones Pt. II" by Mobb Deep from the album The Infamous