Herbie Hancock Biography, Photos and Posters

Herbie Hancock

Biography

Born: April 12, 1940
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Instrument: Pianist/Composer
Music Training: Classically trained in a musical family
Bands and Orchestras: Miles Davis Quintet
Signature Song: "Chameleon"
Herbie Hancock biography: A child piano prodigy he performed a Mozart piano concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at age 11. He became interested in Jazz while in high school at the same time he developed a passion for electronics. This led him to take a double major while attending Grinnell College. He was invited to join the Donald Byrd Group in New York and soon after signed a solo recording contract with Blue Note Records. One of the songs from his debut album Takin Off, "Watermelon Man" was covered by Hugo Santamaria. He joined the Miles Davis Band in 1963 and remained there for 5 years. His career on Blue Note Records blossomed with compositions like "Maiden Voyage," "Cantaloupe Island," "Goodbye to Childhood," and the exquisite "Speak Like a Child." He also supplied the music for the hit movie Blowup. In 1968 he recorded the funk album Fat Albert Rotunda and the following year formed a sextet the most exciting forward looking jazz-rock group of the era. By now he was very much into the electronic sound of the electric piano and the synthesizer. In the 70s his new funk band recorded the album Head Hunters which included the hit song "Chameleon." In 1987 the won the Academy Award for the musical score to the movie Round Midnight. He is also the winner of 8 Grammy Awards.

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