2.9 Inspiration

herbiehancock-1It's time to meet another great contemporary Jazz Artist, Herbie Hancock. Mr. Hancock is one of the most popular and succesfull musicians in the world. His recordings are always best sellers and his legacy of compositions include jazz classics like Watermellon Man, Maiden Voyage and many more. Born in Chicago in 1940, Herbie was a piano prodigy who performed a Mozart piano concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the tender age of 11. He began playing jazz in high school, initially influenced by Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans. Also at this time, an additional passion for electronic science began to develop. As a result, he took a double major in music and electrical engineering at Grinnell College. HerbieHancock-2In 1960, at age 20, Herbie was discovered by trumpeter Donald Byrd, who asked him to join his group as a solo artist. His 1963 debut album, Takin' Off, was an immediate success and, it included an all time jazz classic, "Watermelon Man." Herbie joined the world famous Miles Davis Quintet. Mr. Hancock's career continued to grow, writing movie scores, playing festivals all over the world .... and today Herbie Hancock is one of the most important and recognized icons in jazz.