I have recently been researching and writing an article called “The ten greatest jazz pianists”. As a pianist myself who loves jazz (note I can’t call myself a jazz pianist) its been great fun. I’ve listened to some incredible music and discovered a lot of interesting information about “the ten greatest…” and although the definition of opinion dictates few people will agree with my run-down, I feel I can justify my top ten list.
Herbie Hancock is not just one of the most influential jazz musicians that has walked this earth – he is one of the most influential musicians of all time. He continues to embrace new music while remaining fresh and innovative.
One of my favourite records of 2009 was Hancock’s album The Joni Letters, a tribute to his long-time friend Joni Mitchell. The album was only the second jazz album to ever win the Grammy Award for Best Album (do you know what the first was?). Featuring collaborations with Norah Jones, Corrine Bailey-Rae, Leonard Cohen, Tina Turner and more, The Joni Letters is a masterclass in jazz piano. Hancock’s rearrangements of classic songs like “Case of You” and “Both Sides Now” stay faithful enough to the original chords and rhythms to be recognisable, yet venture far enough into Hancock virtuoso territory to be suitably outstanding works of musicianship.
My greatest admiration of Herbie comes from two of the best examples of jazz-fusion composition –“Watermelon Man” (1962) and “Cantaloupe Island” (1964). In both songs, the classic piano riffs are instantly recognisable and helped bring jazz to a more mainstream, pop-orientated audience.
Out of all the jazz greats, Hancock has incorporated other genres of music into jazz the most. As influential on hip-hop, funk and soul as he has been on jazz, Herbie continues to make great music, perform knockout shows and inspire countless other musicians (and non-musicians) across the world.
This video is a classic performance of the superb “Cantaloupe Island”. Composer, virtuoso, innovator… Enjoy a dose of the truly legendary Herbie Hancock.
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