Herbie Hancock

Jazz fusion, Music video performer

1940 –

85

Who is Herbie Hancock?

Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, keyboardist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's Second Great Quintet, Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound. He was one of the first jazz musicians to embrace music synthesizers and funk music. Hancock's music is often melodic and accessible; he has had many songs "cross over" and achieved success among pop audiences. His music embraces elements of funk and soul while adopting freer stylistic elements from jazz. In his jazz improvisation, he possesses a unique creative blend of jazz, blues, and modern classical music, with harmonic stylings much like the styles of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.

Hancock's best-known solo works include "Cantaloupe Island", "Watermelon Man", "Maiden Voyage", "Chameleon", and the singles "I Thought It Was You" and "Rockit". His 2007 tribute album River: The Joni Letters won the 2008 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, only the second jazz album ever to win the award, after Getz/Gilberto in 1965.

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Born
Apr 12, 1940
Chicago
Also known as
  • Herbert Jeffrey Hancock
  • Herbert Hancock
  • Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock
Parents
Siblings
Spouses
Children
Religion
  • Buddhism
Nationality
  • United States of America
Profession
Education
  • Grinnell College
    music and electrical engineering
  • Manhattan School of Music

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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