I think part of the negative reaction to this CD is based upon a pre-conceived notion of what this CD SHOULD sound like. Obviously, it's always dangerous to assume anything, particularly with musicians such as Hancock and Shorter - they're awfully difficult to pigeon-hole musically.

This CD, I feel, more than any other I've heard, exemplifies how futile it is becoming to uphold the boundary between "jazz" and "classical." This music rings of jazz and improvisation (most audibly in the closing track, Hale-Bopp Hip-Hop). However, at other times, this music bears far more in common with the music of Erik Satie (and occasionally with Debussy) than it does with anything we might call "jazz."

I can see why some people might call this CD self-indulgent. It is extremely static and introspective...at times it sounds withdrawn and subdued. However, I just don't think that's an issue of artistic arrogance or lack of creativity. Listen to this music - it is bubbling over with creative melodies and extremely rich harmonies. The more closely you listen the more this CD will blow you away. The music presented here remains with me, and there are some days in which this is the only CD I will listen to.

This CD, simply put, is not jazz. However, I don't mean this in the same way as when I say Kenny G is not jazz. "1+1" is not any style, which is the point. Rather, it is a synthesis of the diverse musical backgrounds of Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. And it is a masterpiece

This a return of sorts for both artists...but a return to what? What we here is not the HH of Maiden Voyage, or the WS of the Miles Davis Quintet that produced such masterpieces as Nefertiti...this is music that escapes categorisation, and by that I do not mean that is 'fusion' or 'crossover.' With no support from drums or bass, the two musicians have to plumb the depth of their artisry to find compelling ways to paint beautiful pictures on blank, hostile canvases. If you've only previously experienced HH on something like 'Future Shock', or Shorter on a Weather Report album, you'll be in for quite a shock. This is music of illusion, dreams, and serenity. Familiar sounds poke there heads through the mist, then dissappear again just before you can identify them. At times, it doesn't work, but at others, notably 'Memory of enchantment', it's perfect. Is it classical...jazz...who cares. It's sublime.

This album steps outside of the familiar musical categories with which people seem so familiar. That's the crux of the matter. A lot of people get so used to feeling music a certain way that they can't shift gears.

But that's precisely what I like about this album. It doesn't have typical song structures. One of the pieces has no II-V progressions at all (but isn't that a trend in modern jazz anyway?) Hancock has presented original compositions that, yes, use development sections and other compositional techniques more associated with European Classical music. This is played by master jazz musicians with a free feel and includes some nice improvisation. (To the people who think this music is mediocre: YOU try blowing over those changes.)

It is a reminder to me that 'jazz' doesn't have to be a restrictive noun. It can be a liberating verb that allows to explore new ideas and draw inspiration from any musical idiom. It can even smash old preconceptions about what 'jazz' should be. I say bring it on.

This album is a real manifest of brilliance, two geniuses in the studio collaborating. The music is free, liquid and liberal. There is not much form, nor is there much planning. This album is mostly free jazz and I am pretty sure that much of the people who rated this recording low were probably not very appreciative of free jazz in general. Because this album is not as musically simple or structured as something like "Kind of Blue," it really requires a different listening style than most music in the mainstream. You wouldn't listen to this album in the same way that you would listen to "Kind of Blue" just as you wouldn't read Salman Rushdie the same way you would read Hemmingway. This album really requires the listener's brain to be completely engaged. Though there is much to analyze on all jazz records, many can be put on as background music and the sounds can be enjoyed and appreciated passively. That is not the case with this disc. The listener can only really appreciate this album by getting into the mindset of Hancock and Shorter and trying to figure out what exactly is going on. What the listener can discover besides the fact that both are incredible players with an incredible technical mastery of their instruments, is that this album is essentially four golden ears at work. The two players are constantly in eachother's heads. Rarely is either player soloing, instead, the two players are creating an intricate dialog of sound, chords, melodies and rhythm that requires the use of the amazing ears each player has. They make the sparse setting of piano and saxophone not just work, but engulf you. I have to disagree with reviewers who claim this album lacks emotion, shape or inspiration. I just don't understand how that accusation can be made. Listen to the brilliance, engage your brain and try to dissect the dialog Shorter and Hancock compose. The only thing simple about this album is the title. Everything else is going to require a little bit more engagement. If you are willing to take on that task, more power to you.

These two men are beyond the normal realms of jazz. And their communication on the album is astounding. Maybe this is why certain people do not feel this album is worthwhile.. Herbie's style of piano now dabbles between classic jazz and classical, while wayne shorters probing horn can be smooth, and to the other extreme painful. These two musicians bring their full palete to the forefront and only they alone support their musical statments. If you are looking for completely normal jazz look someplace else.. But if you are like me, and eclectic and look for the more remarkable albums which shape what we call jazz, you will love this album