![]() ![]() In Possibilities, Hancock recalls being at a show in Seattle when he told the band to play this song, and that his bassist Buster Williams, started the song off so play brilliantly that it seemed like magic. It was this song that sent Hancock on the path to convert to Buddhism. This recording, from Davis’ time at Columbia, showcases the intense way in which the quartet played and communicated, as well as what a soulful player Hancock was, even back in his early-20s. “Footprints” was recorded during that era and penned by Wayne Shorter, the saxophonist in the group and a man who would become one of Hancock’s lifelong friends and musical collaborators. It’s youthful and groovy, but the gritty and dissonant parts of the scene-the racism and poverty of early-50’s South Side-can still be heard, as well.īetween 1965-68, Hancock served as the piano player in the Miles Davis Quartet. With that image in mind, the song sounds just like the its title: a playful piano pattern meanders like the hot sidewalk, while the horn lines (courtesy of Freddie Hubbard and Dexter Gordon) dance over the top. The seed of this song comes from Hancock’s childhood, when, growing up in Chicago’s South Side, Hancock heard the cry of the “watermelon man” peddling fruit on the street. There seems no better place to start than with the single on Hancock’s debut album, Takin’ Off. So with a diverse discography deep enough to get lost in for hours on end, here are 14 must-listen Herbie Hancock songs. In his memoir, Possibilities, Hancock explores how his practice of Buddhist chanting helped him learn to listen to music in new ways. Hancock is also notable for his spiritual commitment to Buddhism which has guided his career and greater life since the early-’70s. This ability to crossover has made him one of the best-selling jazz artists of all time. ![]() He even put out a record called The New Standards in the ‘90s that’s comprised of the most impactful pop songs of the 20th century. From his early leanings into funk-jazz to his later collaborations with pop artists like Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and even John Mayer, Hancock is always in pursuit of new sounds and rebellious against genre confinements. But starting at the front meant that Hancock has spent much of his career clearing the path by redefining the way the piano is played, the way a jazz is recorded and sold, and where a jazz artist is allowed to wander.Įver desirous to explore new versions of his musical self, Hancock is known for music that both appeals to the layman listener and the studied musician, alike. ![]() Now 77 years old, jazz legend Herbie Hancock began his career where many jazz musicians hope to end up-in the Miles Davis quartet. ![]()
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