The Headhunters -

The Headhunters were an American jazz-funk supergroup assembled by keyboardist Herbie Hancock as a backing band for his series of albums on Columbia between 1973 and 1975. As an independent entity, the band released two albums on Arista between 1975 and 1977

Members: Herbie Hancock (keyboards, 1973-98), Bennie Maupin (saxophone, clarinet, flute), Paul Jackson (bass), Harvey Mason (drums, percussion), Bill Summers (percussion, 1973-74), Mike Clark (drums, 1975-present), Dewayne “Blackbyrd” McKnight (guitar, 1975-78)

Background

The Headhunters formed in 1973 as the backing band of keyboardist Herbie Hancock, following the disbandment of his vanguard electro-acoustic sextet Mwandishi. Hancock assembled the group as a leaner, funk-oriented outfit for his new project on Columbia Records.

The founding members were saxophonist/clarinetist Bennie Maupin (b. August 29, 1940; Detroit, MI), bassist Paul Jackson (b. March 28, 1947; Oakland, CA), drummer Harvey Mason (b. February 22, 1947; Atlantic City, NJ), and percussionist Bill Summers (b. June 27, 1948; New Orleans, LA).

Maupin studied at the Detroit Institute of Musical Arts and worked in the 1960s Los Angeles jazz scene, appearing with Horace Silver and Miles Davis. Jackson trained on upright bass and cello, studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and played locally with Eddie Henderson. Mason graduated from Berklee College of Music, became a session drummer in Los Angeles, and recorded with George Benson and Quincy Jones. Summers, trained in ethnomusicology, mastered a range of Afro-Cuban and Brazilian percussion instruments and worked in the Bay Area scene.

Maupin joined Hancock in 1970 for Mwandishi, Crossings, and Sextant. Mason joined the keyboardist during the Sextant sessions. In 1973, Hancock recruited Jackson and Summers, completing a rhythm unit with a hard, percussive pulse suitable for funk-based jazz.

The Headhunters debuted as Hancock’s band on Head Hunters, which became the biggest-selling jazz album of the 1970s. They toured internationally and appeared on multiple television broadcasts, bringing jazz-funk to wider audiences. Though initially a backing unit, Hancock encouraged the members to pursue a parallel path as an independent group. Their recording contract with Arista yielded two albums in the latter half of the decade.

Survival of the Fittest

The Headhunters released their debut album, Survival of the Fittest, in 1975 on Arista.

The album shifts Hancock’s fusion template toward percussive funk with atmospheric passages, expanded rhythmic textures, and ensemble vocals. Guitarist DeWayne “Blackbird” McKnight joined the group for this album, replacing Hancock’s keyboard voice with a guitar-heavy harmonic base. The rhythm section—Jackson, Clark, and Summers—operates at the core, with Maupin as the primary melodic lead on reeds.

Primary songwriting is credited collectively to Maupin, Jackson, Clark, Summers, and McKnight. Pointer Sisters provide guest vocals on one track.

The opening cut, “God Make Me Funky,” layers rhythmic chants with an accelerating pulse and a saxophone break that veers into dissonant territory. “Mugic” opens with a percussion fanfare that recalls Hancock’s “Watermelon Man” before diverting into ambient spaces. “Here and Now” develops from a slow, tentative pace into a layered groove with guitar textures and Maupin’s alto work. The second side alternates between playful rhythmic figures (“Daffy’s Dance”) and spacious soundscapes (“Rima”), closing with the chant-driven “If You’ve Got It, You’ll Get It.”

A1. “God Make Me Funky” (9:35) — features backing vocals by the Pointer Sisters.
A2. “Mugic” (3:31)
A3. “Here and Now” (7:07)

B1. “Daffy’s Dance” (6:05)
B2. “Rima” (8:14)
B3. “If You’ve Got It, You’ll Get It” (6:26)

Sessions occurred at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco with producers Herbie Hancock and David Rubinson and engineer Fred Catero.

Arista promoted Survival of the Fittest with “God Make Me Funky,” which became a cornerstone sample source in later hip hop and R&B, notably appearing in 1980s and 1990s rap tracks by De La Soul and N.W.A.

Straight from the Gate

The Headhunters released their second album, Straight from the Gate, in 1977 on Arista.

The album expands their instrumentation, introducing keyboards by Paul Potyen and lead vocals by Derrick Youman. The material retains rhythmic intricacy while leaning further into structured funk arrangements with sitar textures, layered percussion, and Maupin’s woodwinds.

All songs are credited collectively to the band, with lyrics by Joel “Twinkles” Smith, Maurice Holloway, and Wallace Mitchell on the title track. Guitarist DeWayne “Blackbird” McKnight also plays electric sitar.

A1. “Straight from the Gate” (5:30)
A2. “Mayonnaise” (5:30)
A3. “Ms. Yum Yum” (6:47)
A4. “Don’t Kill Your Feelings” (4:32)

B1. “Descending Azzizziuh (The Beginning of a Dream)” (3:58)
B2. “I Remember I Made You Cry” (5:23)
B3. “Pork Soda” (3:57)
B4. “Dreams” (3:16)
B5. “Silhouette” (5:48)

Sessions occurred at The Automatt in San Francisco with producers The Headhunters and David Rubinson and engineers Fred Catero and Chris Minto. George Horn mastered the album at Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Santa Maria. Bruce Steinberg designed the cover art.

Postlude

The Headhunters dissolved after their 1970s Arista albums but continued working individually across jazz, funk, and fusion sessions. Maupin recorded solo and worked with Hancock on Man-Child, Secrets, and Sunlight. Jackson remained a sought-after bassist in Japan and the US. Summers collaborated widely in jazz and Latin projects. McKnight later joined Parliament–Funkadelic.

The group reunited in 1998 for Return of the Headhunters!, with Hancock guesting on keyboards alongside Billy Childs and Joel Kipnis. A larger configuration released Evolution Revolution in 2003, featuring Harvey Mason, Bennie Maupin, Donald Harrison, Wah Wah Watson, and Nicholas Payton. In 2011, they recorded Platinum with George Clinton, Patrice Rushen, Azar Lawrence, Snoop Dogg, and Killah Priest.

Summers and Clark revived The Headhunters in 2022 with Stephen Gordon and Reggie Washington for Speakers in the House on Ropeadope. The quintet followed with The Stunt Man in 2024. Saxophonist Craig Handy guested on “ESP,” and “New Levels — New Devils” featured a three-voice chorus. The band toured extensively in North America and Europe during this period.

Discography: