The virtuoso jazz fusion unit Tribal Tech was formed in 1984 by guitarist Scott Henderson and bassist Gary Willis, debuting a year later with Spears. Over the course of subsequent efforts including 1987's Dr. Hee, 1990's Nomad and 1992's Illicit, both Henderson and Willis emerged among the most acclaimed instrumentalists in contemporary jazz, with each frequently topping music magazine best-of lists; in the wake of 1995's Reality Check Tribal Tech went on hiatus to allow its members the opportunity to pursue solo projects, finally reuniting four years later for Thick. Rocket Science was released in fall 2000.