Herbie Hancock

Herbie Hancock

Sound • Born 1940-04-12

Sound1Chicago, Illinois, USA

Biography

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.

Filmography

99 credits
The Girls in the Band

The Girls in the Band

Movie • 2011

Blue Note - A Story of Modern Jazz

Blue Note - A Story of Modern Jazz

Movie • 1997

Self

Herbie Hancock Trio: Hurricane!

Herbie Hancock Trio: Hurricane!

Movie • 1984

Self - Piano

Herbie Hancock: Possibilities

Herbie Hancock: Possibilities

Movie • 2006

Self

'Round Midnight

'Round Midnight

Movie • 1986

Eddie Wayne

Larry presents: Best of The 80s

Larry presents: Best of The 80s

Movie • 2004

Self

World of Rhythm - Live in Lugano

World of Rhythm - Live in Lugano

Movie • 2002

Self

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

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

Movie • 2023

Self

Dejohnette, Hancock, Holland and Metheny in Concert

Dejohnette, Hancock, Holland and Metheny in Concert

Movie • 1990

Hitters

Hitters

Movie • 2002

District Attorney

Quincy Jones : 75th Birthday Celebration Live at Montreux

Quincy Jones : 75th Birthday Celebration Live at Montreux

Movie • 2008

Self

One Night with Blue Note

One Night with Blue Note

Movie • 2004

Self

Marcus Miller - Master Of All Trades

Marcus Miller - Master Of All Trades

Movie • 2006

Self

Keep On Keepin' On

Keep On Keepin' On

Movie • 2014

Self

Herbie Hancock: Jazz Channel

Herbie Hancock: Jazz Channel

Movie • 2001

Herbie Hancock

Herbie Hancock  Future2future Live

Herbie Hancock Future2future Live

Movie • 2002

Himself

Herbie Hancock  At The Munich Summer Piano Festival

Herbie Hancock At The Munich Summer Piano Festival

Movie • 1987

Himself

Lang Lang & Herbie Hancock - Live in Berlin

Lang Lang & Herbie Hancock - Live in Berlin

Movie • 2012

Himself

The Neville Brothers: Tell It Like It Is

The Neville Brothers: Tell It Like It Is

Movie • 1991

Tribute to Miles - Jazz à Vienne

Tribute to Miles - Jazz à Vienne

Movie • 2011

Himself

Miles Davis - At La Villette

Miles Davis - At La Villette

Movie • 1991

Himself

I Love Quincy

I Love Quincy

Movie • 1984

Self

Jacob Collier: In the Room Where It Happens

Jacob Collier: In the Room Where It Happens

Movie • 2022

DeJohnette, Metheny, Holland, Hancock - Parallel Realities Live

DeJohnette, Metheny, Holland, Hancock - Parallel Realities Live

Movie • 2010

Himself

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

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

Movie • 2011

Self

Celebrity Guide to Wine

Celebrity Guide to Wine

Movie • 1990

Self

Herbie Hancock - Live at SummerStage 2022

Herbie Hancock - Live at SummerStage 2022

Movie • 2022

Self

Hargrove

Hargrove

Movie • 2022

Self

The Jazz Channel Presents Herbie Hancock

The Jazz Channel Presents Herbie Hancock

Movie • 2002

Himself

Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue

Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue

Movie • 2004

Self

Bobby McFerrin: Spontaneous Inventions

Bobby McFerrin: Spontaneous Inventions

Movie • 1987

Himself

The Making of Sun City

The Making of Sun City

Movie • 1985

Self

Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes

Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes

Movie • 2022

Self

A MusiCares Tribute To Barbra Streisand

A MusiCares Tribute To Barbra Streisand

Movie • 2011

Self - Performer

Experience Montreux

Experience Montreux

Movie • 2013

Self

Prachtig 80: Volume 2

Prachtig 80: Volume 2

Movie • 2003

Self

Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

Movie • 2019

Self - Musician

Herbie Hancock Special

Herbie Hancock Special

Movie • 2004

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

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

Movie • 2008

Piano

Live at Munich Summer Piano Festiva

Live at Munich Summer Piano Festiva

Movie • 1988

Don Lewis and The Live Electronic Orchestra

Don Lewis and The Live Electronic Orchestra

Movie • 2024

Self

Miles Ahead

Miles Ahead

Movie • 2016

Live Concert Band

Jazz at the White House

Jazz at the White House

Movie • 2016

Self

They All Came Out to Montreux

They All Came Out to Montreux

Movie • 2023

Self

Herbie Hancock And The Rockit Band Live in London

Herbie Hancock And The Rockit Band Live in London

Movie

Themself

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

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

Movie • 2014

Self

Jazz Under the Skies

Jazz Under the Skies

Movie • 1990

Self

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Movie • 2017

Defence Minister

Indecent Proposal

Indecent Proposal

Movie • 1993

Himself

Miles Davis: Around Midnight

Miles Davis: Around Midnight

Movie • 2011

Piano

Antonio Carlos Jobim: An All-Star Tribute

Antonio Carlos Jobim: An All-Star Tribute

Movie • 1995

Self - Pianist

Joni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and Mind

Joni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and Mind

Movie • 2003

Self

Kareem: Minority of One

Kareem: Minority of One

Movie • 2015

Self

Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments

Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments

Movie • 2004

Self

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)

Movie • 1990

Keyboards

Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes

Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes

Movie • 2019

Self

Gustavo Dudamel and Herbie Hancock Celebrate Gershwin

Gustavo Dudamel and Herbie Hancock Celebrate Gershwin

Movie • 2011

Oscar Peterson: Music in the Key of Oscar

Oscar Peterson: Music in the Key of Oscar

Movie • 1995

Self

Miles Davis: Kind of Blue

Miles Davis: Kind of Blue

Movie • 2008

Self

Charles Lloyd - Arrows Into Infinity

Charles Lloyd - Arrows Into Infinity

Movie • 2014

Piano

It Must Schwing: The Blue Note Story

It Must Schwing: The Blue Note Story

Movie • 2018

Self

Quincy Jones: Breaking New Sound

Quincy Jones: Breaking New Sound

Movie • 2008

Self

Miles Ahead: The Music of Miles Davis

Miles Ahead: The Music of Miles Davis

Movie • 1986

Self

Music

Music

Movie • 2010

Self

International Jazz Day Australia Concert 2019

International Jazz Day Australia Concert 2019

Movie • 2019

Self

Marcus

Marcus

Movie • 2015

Self

Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones

Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones

Movie • 2018

Self

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

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

Movie • 2009

Self

That Click

That Click

Movie • 2019

Self

On the Shoulders of Giants

On the Shoulders of Giants

Movie • 2011

Branford Marsalis: Steep

Branford Marsalis: Steep

Movie • 1991

Self

Santana: Hymns for Peace - Live at Montreux

Santana: Hymns for Peace - Live at Montreux

Movie • 2004

More Than Jazz

More Than Jazz

Movie • 2016

Himself

Buster Williams Bass to Infinity

Buster Williams Bass to Infinity

Movie • 2019

Himself

River of Gold

River of Gold

Movie • 2016

Narrator

Wayne Shorter: Live at Montreux 1996

Wayne Shorter: Live at Montreux 1996

Movie • 1996

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

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

Movie • 1974

Miles Davis Quintet: Milan 1964

Miles Davis Quintet: Milan 1964

Movie • 1964

Herbie

Herbie

Movie • 2025

Self (Archives)

A Man's Story

A Man's Story

Movie • 2011

Self

Herbie Hancock And The Rockit Band

Herbie Hancock And The Rockit Band

Movie

Self

Before Midnight

Before Midnight

Movie • 1986

Self (archive footage)

Chick Corea: The Musician

Chick Corea: The Musician

Movie • 2017

Self

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

TV • 2003

Self

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest

TV • 1972

Self

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

TV • 1992

Rock Concert

Rock Concert

TV • 1973

Self

StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson

StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson

TV • 2015

Self

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live

TV • 1975

Self - Musical Guest

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

TV • 2014

Self

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

TV • 1962

Self

ECHO-Verleihung

ECHO-Verleihung

TV • 1992

Self

Classic Albums

Classic Albums

TV • 1997

Self

Jay Leno's Garage

Jay Leno's Garage

TV • 2015

Self

Girl Meets World

Girl Meets World

TV • 2014

Self

Great Performances

Great Performances

TV • 1971

Self

Kulturzeit

Kulturzeit

TV • 1995

self

The Grammys

The Grammys

TV • 1959

Self

By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem

By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem

TV • 2020

Self