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Herbie Hancock

Herbie Hancock

Sound

Born: April 12, 1940Chicago, Illinois, USA

Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet", Hancock helped 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. 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" (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.

Known For
Filmography
Herbie

Herbie

Self (Archives)

2025
Don Lewis and The Live Electronic Orchestra

Don Lewis and The Live Electronic Orchestra

Self

2024
They All Came Out to Montreux

They All Came Out to Montreux

Self

2023
Joni Mitchell - The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize For Popular Song

Joni Mitchell - The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize For Popular Song

Self

2023
Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes

Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes

Self

2022

Herbie Hancock - Live at SummerStage 2022

Self

2022
Hargrove

Hargrove

Self

2022
Jacob Collier: In the Room Where It Happens

Jacob Collier: In the Room Where It Happens

2022
That Click

That Click

Self

2019
Buster Williams Bass to Infinity

Buster Williams Bass to Infinity

Himself

2019
Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

Self - Musician

2019
Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes

Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes

Self

2019
International Jazz Day Australia Concert 2019

International Jazz Day Australia Concert 2019

Self

2019
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones

Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones

Self

2018
It Must Schwing: The Blue Note Story

It Must Schwing: The Blue Note Story

Self

2018
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Defence Minister

2017
Chick Corea: The Musician

Chick Corea: The Musician

Self

2017
More Than Jazz

More Than Jazz

Himself

2016
Jazz at the White House

Jazz at the White House

Self

2016
River of Gold

River of Gold

Narrator

2016
Miles Ahead

Miles Ahead

Live Concert Band

2016
Kareem: Minority of One

Kareem: Minority of One

Self

2015
Marcus

Marcus

Self

2015

Herbie Hancock Trio - Full Concert - 08/14/88 - Newport Jazz Festival

Self

2014
Charles Lloyd - Arrows Into Infinity

Charles Lloyd - Arrows Into Infinity

Piano

2014
Keep On Keepin' On

Keep On Keepin' On

Self

2014
Experience Montreux

Experience Montreux

Self

2013
Lang Lang & Herbie Hancock - Live in Berlin

Lang Lang & Herbie Hancock - Live in Berlin

Himself

2012
Gustavo Dudamel and Herbie Hancock Celebrate Gershwin

Gustavo Dudamel and Herbie Hancock Celebrate Gershwin

2011
The Girls in the Band

The Girls in the Band

2011
A Man's Story

A Man's Story

Self

2011

All-Star Jazz Show: Live from The Ed Sullivan Theater

Self

2011
Miles Davis: Around Midnight

Miles Davis: Around Midnight

Piano

2011
Tribute to Miles - Jazz à Vienne

Tribute to Miles - Jazz à Vienne

Himself

2011
On the Shoulders of Giants

On the Shoulders of Giants

2011
A MusiCares Tribute To Barbra Streisand

A MusiCares Tribute To Barbra Streisand

Self - Performer

2011
Music

Music

Self

2010

DeJohnette, Metheny, Holland, Hancock - Parallel Realities Live

Himself

2010
We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial

We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial

Self

2009
Miles Davis: Kind of Blue

Miles Davis: Kind of Blue

Self

2008
Quincy Jones : 75th Birthday Celebration Live at Montreux

Quincy Jones : 75th Birthday Celebration Live at Montreux

Self

2008
Herbie Hancock - The River Of Possibilities Tour - Jazz a Vienne

Herbie Hancock - The River Of Possibilities Tour - Jazz a Vienne

Piano

2008
Quincy Jones: Breaking New Sound

Quincy Jones: Breaking New Sound

Self

2008
Marcus Miller - Master Of All Trades

Marcus Miller - Master Of All Trades

Self

2006
Herbie Hancock: Possibilities

Herbie Hancock: Possibilities

Self

2006
Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue

Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue

Self

2004

Herbie Hancock Special

2004
Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments

Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments

Self

2004
One Night with Blue Note

One Night with Blue Note

Self

2004
Santana: Hymns for Peace - Live at Montreux

Santana: Hymns for Peace - Live at Montreux

2004
Larry presents: Best of The 80s

Larry presents: Best of The 80s

Self

2004
Prachtig 80: Volume 2

Prachtig 80: Volume 2

Self

2003
Joni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and Mind

Joni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and Mind

Self

2003
Hitters

Hitters

District Attorney

2002
World of Rhythm - Live in Lugano

World of Rhythm - Live in Lugano

Self

2002
The Jazz Channel Presents Herbie Hancock

The Jazz Channel Presents Herbie Hancock

Himself

2002
Herbie Hancock  Future2future Live

Herbie Hancock Future2future Live

Himself

2002
Herbie Hancock: Jazz Channel

Herbie Hancock: Jazz Channel

Herbie Hancock

2001
Blue Note - A Story of Modern Jazz

Blue Note - A Story of Modern Jazz

Self

1997
Wayne Shorter: Live at Montreux 1996

Wayne Shorter: Live at Montreux 1996

1996
Oscar Peterson: Music in the Key of Oscar

Oscar Peterson: Music in the Key of Oscar

Self

1995
Antonio Carlos Jobim: An All-Star Tribute

Antonio Carlos Jobim: An All-Star Tribute

Self - Pianist

1995
Indecent Proposal

Indecent Proposal

Himself

1993
The Neville Brothers: Tell It Like It Is

The Neville Brothers: Tell It Like It Is

1991
Miles Davis - At La Villette

Miles Davis - At La Villette

Himself

1991
Branford Marsalis: Steep

Branford Marsalis: Steep

Self

1991
Dejohnette, Hancock, Holland and Metheny in Concert

Dejohnette, Hancock, Holland and Metheny in Concert

1990
Jazz Under the Skies

Jazz Under the Skies

Self

1990
Jack DeJohnette, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland: Parallel Realities Live... (Live at Mellon Jazz Festival)

Jack DeJohnette, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland: Parallel Realities Live... (Live at Mellon Jazz Festival)

Keyboards

1990
Celebrity Guide to Wine

Celebrity Guide to Wine

Self

1990
Live at Munich Summer Piano Festiva

Live at Munich Summer Piano Festiva

1988

Bobby McFerrin: Spontaneous Inventions

Himself

1987

Herbie Hancock At The Munich Summer Piano Festival

Himself

1987

Miles Ahead: The Music of Miles Davis

Self

1986
'Round Midnight

'Round Midnight

Eddie Wayne

1986
Before Midnight

Before Midnight

Self (archive footage)

1986
The Making of Sun City

The Making of Sun City

Self

1985
I Love Quincy

I Love Quincy

Self

1984
Herbie Hancock Trio: Hurricane!

Herbie Hancock Trio: Hurricane!

Self - Piano

1984
PBS Soundstage 1974: Chick Corea & Return to Forever + Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters

PBS Soundstage 1974: Chick Corea & Return to Forever + Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters

1974
Miles Davis Quintet: Milan 1964

Miles Davis Quintet: Milan 1964

1964