With that time of year right around the corner, the gift-giving clamor has risen in volume. Sure, everyone likes to unwrap and unravel the mystery. But what makes the experience magical is not the act, nor the wrapping, nor the contents inside the box. It's the thought that went into the gift, which is a very personal thing that only friends can share.

We admit that we're more than a bit sentimental about the holidays. This month and next we'll feature a number of reviews of music for the occasion, traditional tunes that jazz musicians have reinvented through the art of improvisation. It never hurts to have something festive on the CD player.

When we wrap up material for publication at All About Jazz, we always strive to make it as complete as possible. That's why it's particularly exciting when we can cover the music from many angles.

And that's exactly what we've done this month with legendary pianist Herbie Hancock. Hancock, who has been active in recording and performance since the '60s, has shown no signs of slowing down. As musical culture has grown up over the years, he has grown with it. Head Hunters, Herbie's masterpiece from 1973, was a fusion of funk styles and jazz improvisation that has never been matched. Trevor MacLaren looks back at this record with history in mind, probing its strengths and looking at its influences on today's music.

Of course Hancock has made a number of records since then in which he's fused popular music with jazz. But he's also done some very fine work in the jazz idiom alongside old friends as well as talented younger musicians. We tracked the busy pianist down for an interview, and R.J. DeLuke asks some hard questions about who's moving the music forward, what inspires Hancock's continual development, and what he's up to right now.

And for listeners interested in the big picture, Chris Hovan took the time to carefully listen to the brand new Herbie Hancock Box, which includes material from 23 different albums recorded during the artist's tenure with Columbia Records. Chris's observations highlight the presentation and content of the box, and (ahem) we think it would make a fine gift for someone you love. (Or, for the self-indulgent, there's nothing wrong with giving yourself a gift once in a while.)

Another jazz great who has continually reinvented himself over the years is guitarist John McLaughlin. Instrumental in the development of fusion, he's also recorded improvised Indian music, flamenco, jazz standards, and even a concerto. We take all our hats off to Walter Kolosky, who has spent years studying the guitarist and shares his reflections with us this month. Walter reviews nearly 40 recordings spanning McLaughlin's entire career, catalogues the highlights of the artist's work alongside other players, and ruminates on the relevance of the Mahavishnu Orchestra to modern music. Now if that isn't the total package, we suggest you make sure you looked everywhere inside the box.

Finally, a little something from off the beaten track. Music from the continent of Africa has long been ignored, largely because it doesn't get the kind of corporate attention that sells records. We devoted a whole area of the site to South African jazz in April, and this month we present a collection of eight reviews covering diverse music from Nigeria and West Africa. You may not have heard Fela Kuti's invention called Afrobeat, but we recommend you put some in your ears right away. (Or perhaps the ears of someone you love. Hmmm.)

News just in from the site development squad: the All About Jazz Musician Directory is now fully back up to speed. If you'd like to learn more about an artist, whether famous or obscure, we suggest you visit and explore this resource. Our directory offers information on jazz players and their music, plus links to sites all over the web. As of now, we feature 1,000 entries, and the number is growing all the time.

While the home page is the most-visited part of the site, we continually fine-tune all the destinations from there. That's our goal: to present the big picture... the total package, if you will.