Herbie Hancock

Herbert Jeffrey Hancock

American jazz pianist, keyboardist, composer, band leader
Born April 12, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Hancock is one of the best-known modern jazz composers, creator of “Watermelon Man” (which has been a reference point throughout his career), “Maiden Voyage”, “Dolphin Dance”, right through to the dance grooves of “Rockit”. Learned the piano from the age of 6, performing piano concertos by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra aged 11. He came to wider attention via his work with trumpeter Donald Byrd who introduced him to Blue Note co-founder Alfred Lion; he recorded for Lion's label as both leader and sideman throughout the 1960s while he was a member of trumpeter Miles Davis' regular working group from 1963 to 1968. Entered a period of working in jazz fusion from the late 1960s, initially with Davis, and then in his own groups in the 1970s; the "Headhunters" album was a best seller. Around the same time, he worked with the acoustic The V.S.O.P. Quintet, effectively the Davis second quintet with Freddie Hubbard substituting.

In Groups:
Artists United Against Apartheid, Artists United For Nature, Bahia Black, Buster Williams Quartet, Charles Tolliver And His All Stars, Collins-Shepley Galaxy, Eric Dolphy Quintet, Giants, Herbie Hancock Bobby Hutcherson Quartet, Herbie Hancock Quartet, Herbie Hancock Special Quartet, Herbie Hancock Trio, Herbie Hancock's Super Quartet, Joe Henderson Quartet, Orquestra Was, Pepper Adams Donald Byrd Quintet, The Hank Mobley Quintet, The Headhunters, The Herbie Hancock Group, The Herbie Hancock Quintet, The Herbie Hancock Sextet, The Miles Davis Quintet, The Rockit Band, The V.S.O.P. Quintet, Various Artists For Children's Promise