1+1

Released in 1997, '1+1' represents a significant moment of acoustic purity in Herbie Hancock's discography. Recorded as a series of duets with his longtime collaborator Wayne Shorter, the album was a critical success, winning the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Jazz Composition for the track 'Aung San Suu Kyi'. The recording is notable for its lack of any accompaniment beyond Hancock's piano and Shorter's soprano saxophone, a stark contrast to the fusion and pop-inflected projects both artists were involved with during the 1980s and 90s. The tracklist includes several compositions dedicated to or inspired by contemporary figures and themes, such as the Burmese activist Aung San Suu Kyi and the Hale-Bopp comet. Sonically, the album leans into the 'chamber jazz' aesthetic, characterized by complex harmonic interplay and a meditative, almost classical approach to improvisation. It remains one of the most intimate and vulnerable recordings in either artist's extensive catalog.