Herbie Hancock
American jazz pianist and composer (born 1940)
AI overview
Herbie Hancock is an American jazz pianist and composer born in 1940 who became one of the most influential musicians in jazz history. His innovative approach to jazz piano and his pioneering work in blending jazz with funk and electronic music have made him a central figure in modern music for decades.
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Person · Open Library
- Born
- 1940-04-12
- Works
- 7
Top works
- Reaching Beyond
- Watermelon Man
- Jamey Aebersold Jazz -- Herbie Hancock, Vol 11
- Fazioli Grand Pianos
- Possibilities
via Open Library + Wikidata
Film & TV
Sound · Chicago, 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…
Known for
- Tuner — Herbie Hancock2026
- Herbie — Self (Archives)2025
- Don Lewis and The Live Electronic Orchestra — Self2024
- Henry Mancini: 100 at the Hollywood Bowl — Self2024
- Joni Mitchell - The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize For Popular Song — Self2023
- They All Came Out to Montreux — Self2023
Works in European collections
1 object attributed to Herbie Hancock, held across European museums, libraries & archives · via Europeana
Article
Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the post-bop sound. In the 1970s, he experimented with jazz fusion, funk, and electro styles using a wide array of synthesizers and electronics. It was during this time that he released one of his best-known and most influential albums, Head Hunters.
Hancock's best-known compositions include "Cantaloupe Island", "Watermelon Man", "Maiden Voyage", and "Chameleon", all of which are jazz standards. During the 1980s, he had a hit single with the electronic instrumental "Rockit", a collaboration with bassist/producer Bill Laswell. Hancock has won an Academy Award and 14 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for his 2007 album River: The Joni Letters, a tribute to his friend Joni Mitchell. In 2024, Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph ranked Hancock as the greatest keyboard player of all time. In 2025, he received the Polar Music Prize.
Gallery (13)
Connections
Categories
1940 births20th-century American Buddhists20th-century American jazz composers20th-century American keyboardists20th-century American male composers20th-century American singer-songwriters21st-century African-American musicians21st-century American Buddhists21st-century American jazz composers21st-century American keyboardists21st-century American male musicians