Herbie Hancock life and biography

Herbie Hancock is an American pianist, 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 (characterized by syncopated drum beats). 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 was born in Chicago, Illinois. Like many jazz pianists, Hancock started with a classical music education. He studied from age seven, and his talent was recognized early. Considered a child prodigy, he played the first movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 5 at a young people's concert with the Chicago Symphony at age eleven.

Born in Chicago in 1940, Herbie was a child piano prodigy who performed a Mozart piano concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at age 11. He began playing jazz in high school, initially influenced by Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans. He also developed a passion for electronics and science, and double-majored in music and electrical engineering at Grinnell College.

There are few artists in the music industry who have had more influence on acoustic and electronic jazz and R&B than Herbie Hancock. As the immortal Miles Davis said in his autobiography, "Herbie was the step after Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk, and I haven't heard anybody yet who has come after him."

Herbie won an Oscar in 1986 for scoring the film "'Round Midnight", in which he also appeared as an actor. Numerous television appearances over the years led to two hosting assignments in the 1980s: "Rock School" on PBS and Showtime's "Coast To Coast".

After an adventurous 1994 project for Mercury Records, 'Dis Is Da Drum', he moved to the Verve label, forming an all-star band to record 1996's Grammy-winning 'The New Standard'. In 1997, an album of duets with Wayne Shorter, '1+1', was released.

After an adventurous 1994 project for Mercury Records, 'Dis Is Da Drum', he moved to the Verve label, forming an all-star band to record 1996's Grammy-winning 'The New Standard'. In 1997, an album of duets with Wayne Shorter, '1+1', was released.

Hancock's best-known solo works include "Cantaloupe Island", "Watermelon Man" (later performed by dozens of musicians, including bandleader Mongo Santamaría), "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.

As a member of Soka Gakkai, Hancock is an adherent of the Nichiren school of Mahayana Buddhism.

On 22 July 2011 at a ceremony in Paris, Hancock was named UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for the promotion of Intercultural Dialogue.

Herbie Hancock also maintains a thriving career outside the performing stage and recording studio. He is the Creative Chair for Jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, and serves as Institute Chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, the foremost international organization devoted to the development of jazz performance and education worldwide. He is also a founder of The International Committee of Artists for Peace (ICAP).

Now in the fifth decade of his professional life, Herbie Hancock remains where he has always been: in the forefront of world culture, technology, business and music. Though one can't track exactly where he will go next, he is sure to leave his inimitable imprint wherever he lands.

Discography:

Then and Now: the Definitive Herbie Hancock 2008
He Who Lives In Many Places (with bassist Terry Plumeri)

Filmography:

2000: Dejohnette, Hancock, Holland and Metheny Live in Concert
2002: Herbie Hancock Trio: Hurricane! with Ron Carter and Billy Cobham[
2002: The Jazz Channel Presents Herbie Hancock (BET on Jazz) with Cyro Baptista, Terri Lynne Carrington, Ira Coleman, Eli Degibri and Eddie Henderson
2004: Herbie Hancock Future2Future Live
2006: Herbie Hancock Possibilities with John Mayer, Christina Aguilera, Joss Stone, and more

Academy Awards
1986, Original Soundtrack, for Round Midnight

Grammy Awards:
2008, Best Contemporary Jazz Album, for River: The Joni Letters
2011, Best Improvised Jazz Solo, for A Change Is Gonna Come
2011, Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, for Imagine

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