Experienced enough almost to be considered a grand old man of jazz piano, Herbie Hancock can be a maddening performer, sometimes sculpting pieces of rare beauty, sometimes giving the impression that he is going through the motions with one eye on the meter. A rarity from the archives, this solo album was recorded for the Japanese market a quarter of a century ago, when he was almost as well known as the thinking person’s funk merchant as a straightahead pianist. Mixing enigmatic originals with standards as well worn but rewarding as On Green Dolphin Street, the session gives him room to weave a musical autobiography, a hint of the blues juxtaposed with controlled forays into the fringes of the avant-garde. Mannered at times, perhaps, but a rare glimpse of a player alone with his own thoughts. Three stars