Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock

Written By Vitaly Sabsay

(born April 12, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois) 

Is a legendary American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer. A foundational figure in modern music, he reshaped the post-bop landscape with the Miles Davis Quintet and pioneered jazz-fusion and electro-funk with albums like Head Hunters. He achieved massive pop culture breakthrough in 1980 with MTV’s heavy rotation of his Music Video “Rockit”. This Chicago born and bred legend has produced groundbreaking music that is now considered classic in every era of his illustrious career.

Awards: He has accumulated multiple Grammy Awards (including the rare 2008 Album of the Year win for River: The Joni Letters) and won an Academy Award for his score in the 1986 film 'Round Midnight.

Educational & Advocacy Roles

  • Institute of Jazz: He serves as the Chairman of the The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, formerly known as the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.

  • Academia: Since 2012, Hancock has been a professor at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.

  • Global Ambassador: In 2011, he was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue. 

Music Samples:

Chameleon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqomTAiRnVM

Rockit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHhD4PD75zY ‍

Watermelon Man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QkGAaYtXA0

Stitched Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ7yxQqn4i4

Vitaly Sabsay