Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancockis an American pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, composer and actor. Starting his career with Donald Byrd, he shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet where 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 synthesizers and funk music. Hancock's music is often melodic and accessible; he has had many songs "cross over" and achieved success...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPianist
Date of Birth12 April 1940
CityChicago, IL
CountryUnited States of America
I'm looking less to musical sources for inspiration and broadening my scope beyond the entertainment field and looking more into life itself. Life today.
The concept of improvisation is an idea that's very close to my heart, but I can manifest that in a lot of different genres. It really comes from a jazz sensibility.
A lot of times, other people turn me on to new people that are doing stuff, so I don't consider myself a spokesman for everything that's going on in jazz.
And jazz is also for the body because it is rhythmic, but it's also for the mind and for the soul, and it is very creative.
And it's also made me aware that music isn't about music.
A method that doesn't use what you know. It's just pure, raw emotion.
And if I don't express that, then what's my life worth?
And I loved it, I loved it! I wanted to be part of the newer stuff.
You could never tell what was going on with Miles. You'd always leave the session not knowing if they got anything of any value because it was always so different.
I'm looking at other sources for inspiration; feelings and developments that are happening in human life itself.
I'm involved in the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, and I work with students with that, and I also help try to raise funds for that.
At the same time, I'm still enjoying working with young people.
And I don't always talk about music, and I don't always play music, and I don't always think about music.
Then I would watch him improvise, and I would be fascinated by what he was doing.