One Finger Snap is an instrumental jazz composition by Herbie Hancock. Hancock first recorded it in 1964 for his album Empyrean Isles, released on Blue Note. The session took place on June 17, 1964, at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, with Alfred Lion as producer and Rudy Van Gelder as engineer. Hancock played piano alongside Freddie Hubbard on cornet, Ron Carter on double bass and Tony Williams on drums. The track opens side one of the album and lasts about 7:20. A 1999 CD reissue of the album adds an alternate take.
The album was well received by critics: AllMusic gave it five stars, Down Beat four, and the Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide five. The album is classified as jazz, in the modal style. The tune has since been recorded by many other artists, among them Mel Lewis, Kenny Garrett, Kenny Barron and Lionel Loueke.
