Book excerpt: This is the story of one of the most influential and controversial jazz recordings of the twentieth century. Head Hunters captures a transitional moment in music history, a time when jazz and rock combined to create a whole new, often controversial, genre. Symbolizing that genre was Herbie Hancock's 1973 album Head Hunters, this was hancock's foray into the fusion jazz market, the first jazz album to go platinum, and the best-selling jazz album of all time to that point. The album became a flash point for a major shift, in both the production and reception of jazz; the sales numbers were unprecedented, and the music industry quickly responded to the expanded market, with production and promotion budgets rising tenfold. Such a radical shift helped musicians pry open the door to the control booth, permanently enlarging their role in production.