Herbie Hancock

Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is a jazz pianist and composer from Chicago, Illinois, USA. Hancock is one of jazz music's most important and influential pianists and composers. He embraced elements of rock, funk, and soul while adopting freer stylistic elements from jazz.

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April 12 - 1940 - Jazz - Pianist - Composer - Chicago, Illinois - USA - Rock - Funk - Soul

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As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet" Hancock helped redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section, and was later one of the first jazz musicians to embrace synthesizers and hip hop. Yet for all his restless experimentalism, Hancock's music is often melodic and accessible; he has had many songs "crossover" and achieve success among pop audiences.

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Miles Davis - Rhythm section - Synthesizer - Hip hop - Pop

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Hancock's best-known solo works include "Cantaloupe Island", "Watermelon Man" (first on 1962's Takin' Off, then on 1973's Head Hunters and later perfomed by dozens of musicians, including bandleader Mongo Santamaria), George Gershwin's "Summertime", and the single "Rockit."

Related Topics:
Watermelon Man - Head Hunters - Mongo Santamaria - George Gershwin - Rockit

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