Herbie Hancock

Did you know?!

1. A first

   Herbie Hancock wrote the score for Michelangelo Antonioni's film Blowup, released in 1966. It was the first of many movie soundtracks he went on to record during his career.

2. A first

   Hancock's "Rockit" came out in 1983 on the album Future Shock and won a Grammy. The single was a pop hit, the first jazz hip-hop song, and the first mainstream single to feature scratching.

3. Behind the award

   In 2008, Herbie Hancock's album River took home the Grammy for Album of the Year. It also earned Best Contemporary Jazz Album, only the second time in history a jazz album has won both honors.

4. A first

   Herbie Hancock took classical piano lessons starting at seven, and his talent showed early. At 11, he was a child prodigy who performed the first movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 26 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

5. Early training

   In 1960, Hancock heard the pianist Chris Anderson play just once, then asked to become his student. Hancock often calls Anderson his harmonic guru.

6. Big break

   In 1962, Herbie Hancock made his first solo album, Takin' Off, for Blue Note Records. The record drew the notice of Miles Davis, who was putting together a new band at the time.