One Finger Snap is a jazz composition by Herbie Hancock, first released in 1964 on the album Empyrean Isles. The track features Hancock on piano with Freddie Hubbard on cornet, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums, and it was recorded on June 17, 1964 at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The tune sits in the hard bop and post-bop tradition, built around a bright, buoyant groove and a catchy two-note motif that feels like a quick finger snap. It has become a signature piece from Hancock’s Blue Note years and has been performed live, including a BET on Jazz performance in 2001. Remastered and expanded editions of Empyrean Isles are available, with modern streaming releases of One Finger Snap.
