Gambia trip of, 261–63
Gigi’s relationship with, see Hancock, Gigi
girlfriends and dating of, 15, 72–73, 107
“global” music project of, 322–24, 325–28
Grammy Awards performances of, 245–46, 319–20, 330
at Grinnell College, 24–28, 29, 40, 72, 120, 146
hand surgery of, 229–33
Icelandic glacier visited by, 260–61, 271
improvising skills self-taught by, 21–23, 114
Indian trip of, 324–25
jobs of, 27–28, 29–30, 31
label created by, 45, 306–7
mechanics and science as passion of, 9, 16, 21, 24, 80, 103, 146, 261, 286
at Miles Davis and Friends show, 282–83
in Miles Davis Quintet, see Miles Davis Quintet
in move to LA, 158–59, 170
in move to New York, 35, 36–37
movie scores by, 46, 95–100, 170, 186–88, 189, 196, 247–50, 251–52, 254, 255, 256–60, 272, 273, 277
music listened to by, 19, 21, 22, 26, 85, 101, 104, 116
music snobbery and, 69, 103–4, 166, 173, 174, 225
music videos of, 240–44, 245, 246, 286–87
new musical technology embraced by, 80, 139–40, 143–44, 185, 195–97, 211, 213, 214, 216–17, 218, 219–20, 261, 262, 278, 284–85
in Newport retrospective concert, 197–201, 221
at New York Philharmonic’s Chinese New Year celebration, 330–31
nightlife of, 72–73, 97, 106, 151, 255–56, 289–90, 300
in Paris, 254–56, 263, 281–82
prototypes shown to, 195–97, 218, 219–20, 262
publishing of own songs by, 44, 45, 50, 53, 112
Quincy Jones partnership proposal of, 277–78, 284
race and racism as viewed by, 12, 13, 14–15, 43, 107, 119, 120
record contracts of, 45, 113, 114, 162, 277, 291
recording session gigs and guest spots by, 38, 40, 41, 43, 47, 77, 313–14, 315
rehab and recovery of, 303–5
in Round Midnight, 252, 254–55, 258–60
schooling of, 13–14, 24–25, 26–27, 29, 40, 146
Shorter’s duets with, 295–96
sister’s death and, 264–67, 268–71, 276, 293
sister’s tense relationship with, 8–9, 106, 205–7, 208, 269–70
solo recordings by, 25, 45–47, 90–91, 99–100, 101–103, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 119, 199, 217, 235–236, 237–239, 240–241, 246, 251, 278, 284, 285–286, 287, 291–294, 296–298, 306, 307–308, 309–313, 315, 316, 318; see also specific albums and songs
songwriting by, 40, 41–43, 44, 46, 88–91, 102–3, 111, 113–14, 116–17, 170, 176, 177, 186–88, 189, 211, 212, 216, 217, 235, 247–48, 254, 255, 256–58, 277, 293, 295
television appearances and shows of, 252–54, 276–77
in Tribute to Miles tour, 283, 284
as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, 329
V.S.O.P. tours of, 201, 203, 218, 221–24, 225–27, 266
see also Headhunters; Herbie Hancock Sextet; Mwandishi (band)
Hancock, Jean, 3, 6–7, 8–9, 40, 91, 126, 148–49, 267–68, 293–94
death of, 264–67, 268–71, 276, 293
HH’s tense relationship with, 8–9, 106, 205–7, 208, 269–70
Hancock, Jessica, 117–18, 142, 158–59, 160, 241, 255, 263, 264, 265, 266, 270, 271, 301, 303, 304, 317, 321
Hancock, Wayman (brother), 3, 4, 7, 9–10, 16, 40, 61, 109, 266, 330
Hancock, Wayman (father), 3, 4, 5–6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 29, 31, 34, 38, 87, 119, 131, 204, 266, 287, 294, 321
Hancock, Winnie Griffin, 3–5, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20–21, 24, 29, 31, 34–35, 38, 73, 87, 106, 119, 131, 204–5, 207–8, 239, 266–67, 276, 287, 294, 321
bipolar disorder of, 5, 6, 8, 205, 266
Hancock Music, 45, 306–7, 327
Hannigan, Lisa, 309, 310, 326
Headhunters, 176–86, 197, 198, 199, 201, 203, 217–18, 282
electronic instruments and gadgets used by, 177, 180, 183, 190, 192–93, 212–14, 220–21
jazz-funk sound of, 176–79, 182, 183, 185, 188, 234
recordings by, 177–81, 182, 183, 184, 188–90, 192–93, 194, 197, 210, 211, 214, 221–22, 245, 252, 256, 299
touring by, 182–84, 192, 193, 194–95, 197, 214, 299
Head Hunters (album), 177–81, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 188, 197, 211, 245, 252, 256, 299
Heath, Tootie, 118, 119, 122
Henderson, Eddie, 122, 123, 131, 150, 168
Henderson, Joe, 99, 100, 122
Herbie Hancock Sextet, 112–13, 114–15, 116, 117, 118, 119–21
Hey, Hey, Hey, It’s Fat Albert (TV special), 117, 170
hip-hop music, 246–47, 307, 318, 319, 330
Holiday, Billie, 274, 309, 314
Holland, Dave, 292, 315, 321
Hubbard, Freddie, 41, 46, 47, 90, 99, 199, 218, 221–22, 254, 256
“Hush Hush Hush” (song), 311–12
Hyde Park High School, 13–14, 15, 19, 20, 24
“I Do It for Your Love” (song), 310–11, 312
Imagine Project, The (album), 323, 325–28
improvisation, 2, 21–23, 26, 27, 33, 47, 60, 114, 115, 139, 163, 183–84, 202, 287, 291, 310, 319
in Miles Davis Quintet, 60, 64, 65, 92
Iron Butterfly, 120–21, 122, 164, 166, 299
Jackson, Michael, 236, 243, 246, 278
Jackson, Paul, 175, 176–77, 180, 183–84, 189–90, 299
Japan, 73, 171, 197, 218, 225, 226, 295, 326
jazz, 4, 19, 24, 25–26, 29, 30, 33, 34, 43, 47–48, 49, 54, 69, 74, 89, 114–15, 136, 137, 147, 162, 164, 169, 174, 176, 183, 184, 197, 199, 201, 214, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 232, 235, 237, 239, 244, 246, 250, 260, 288, 291, 292, 296, 297, 298, 307, 310, 313, 314, 318, 323, 325, 330
avant-garde movement in, 47–48, 69, 127, 161, 163, 169
improvising in, 2, 20, 21–23, 26, 27, 47, 60, 65, 92, 114, 115, 287, 291, 310
in New York scene, 34, 36–37, 38, 48, 99, 100
Round Midnight and, 251–52, 254–55, 256, 273, 274–75
jazz-funk fusion, 144, 176–79, 182, 183, 185, 188
jazz-rock fusion, 169, 179, 221, 308, 309
Jerry (self-proclaimed mystic), 128, 129, 130–31
Jewison, Norman, 247, 248, 249–50
Jones, Quincy, 219–20, 228, 248, 277–78, 284, 320
Jordan, Mrs., 9, 10–11, 12
Journey of Man (PBS documentary), 322, 323
Khan, Chaka, 307, 325
Kind of Blue (album), 54, 183
King, Martin Luther, Jr., 113, 324–25
Klein, Larry, 315, 316, 320, 321, 322, 323, 325–26, 327
Lang Lang, 319–20, 330
Laswell, Bill, 236, 237–38, 246, 277, 307
Latin jazz, 48–49
Lennox, Annie, 311, 312
Life Time (album), 69, 308
Lion, Alfred, 41, 43–45, 46
Lite Me Up (album), 234, 235–36
Live at the Plugged Nickel (album), 92–93
Lofstrom, Keith, 209, 215, 217, 227, 228, 229
London House, 127–31, 132, 133, 140, 154, 169
Los Angeles, Calif., 117, 172, 192, 202, 205, 210, 216, 219, 234, 235, 236, 247, 248, 249, 263, 265, 266, 272, 276, 320, 327
HH in move to, 158–59, 170
Troubador Club in, 164, 165, 167
Lotus Sutra, 157, 159–60, 319
Loueke, Lionel, 315, 321, 326
Lucien, Maria, 264, 265, 266
Lundvall, Bruce, 162, 251, 274
McFerrin, Bobby, 257, 258
McLaughlin, John, 192, 254
McLean, Jackie, 38, 56
Maiden Voyage (album), 90–91, 101
“Maiden Voyage” (song), 91, 113, 121, 127, 139, 176, 200, 270, 293
“Manhattan” (song), 293–94
marijuana, 39–40, 83, 85, 300
Marsalis, Branford, 226–27, 255
Marsalis, Wynton, 222–27, 232
Mason, Harvey, 175, 177, 178, 184, 188
Matthews, Dave, 299, 327
Maupin, Bennie, 122, 123, 124–25, 129, 131, 134, 138, 139, 141, 150, 168, 175, 182–83, 299
Meilandt, Tony, 235, 236–37, 238, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 246, 255, 271–72, 276
Miles Ahead (album), 101, 271
Miles Davis and Friends shows, 282–83
Miles Davis Quintet, 1–2, 48, 54, 60–69, 70, 72, 73, 75–76, 77–83, 84, 91–93, 94, 101, 106, 107, 112, 114, 125, 127, 140, 144, 197, 198, 199, 201, 221, 223, 239, 279, 308, 309, 332
continuous stretching and learning in, 60, 63–66, 78, 92–93, 94–95, 105
HH’s departure from, 110–11
HH’s first rehearsals with, 57–58
improvisatory style of, 60, 64, 65, 92
proposed reunion show for, 281–82
recording sessions of, 58–59, 80, 88–89, 94–95, 103–4, 105
rehearsal avoided by, 58–59, 61, 65, 68
Shorter’s joining of, 60, 68, 77–78
Miles in the Sky (album), 103, 105
Miles Smiles (album), 94–95
Mingus (album), 313–14, 315
Mitchell, Joni, 38, 277, 298, 313–16, 320, 321
Monk, Thelonious, 30, 32, 38, 54, 118, 274
Monster (album), 217, 220–21
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 10, 11, 12
Mtume (James Forman), 118–20
MTV, 241–42, 243, 245, 246
Muppet Show, The (TV show), 261–63
Murphy, Melinda, 316–17, 321
Mwandishi (album), 135–37, 146, 147, 161, 211
Mwandishi (band), 48, 121–53, 165–70, 172, 175, 176, 178, 181, 183, 184, 197, 237, 251, 277, 282
bonding and unity in, 123, 125, 136, 139, 141, 168
breakup of, 168–70, 174
electronic instruments and gadgets used by, 143–44, 145–46, 148, 149–50, 170
financial struggles of, 139, 140, 141–42, 167–68
first European tour of, 137–41, 168
in HH retrospective concert, 198, 199, 200–201
in-the-moment style of playing in, 123, 127, 133–34, 146–47, 150, 164
Iron Butterfly show of, 121–22, 164, 166, 299
London House gig of, 127–31, 132, 133, 154, 169
musical exploration and pushing of boundaries by, 123, 124, 126–27, 133–34, 136, 137, 140–41, 143, 146, 150, 162, 168
mystical experiences of, 122–23, 128–32, 133, 152–53, 154, 168–69
Pointer Sisters gigs of, 164–67, 174
recordings by, 135–37, 143, 144–48, 161–63, 165–66, 170
spaced-out, sonic sound of, 127–28, 134, 137, 140, 145, 146, 162, 169, 177, 200, 234
Swahili names of, 119–20, 128, 148–49
tensions within, 141–43, 167–69
Newport Jazz Festival, 197–201, 221
New Standard, The (album), 291–94
New York, N.Y., 34–37, 40, 47, 51, 56, 59, 72, 83, 99, 142, 158, 159, 168, 186, 227, 236, 240, 246, 247, 251, 278, 288
Birdland jazz club in, 36–37, 41, 82, 258, 277
jazz scene in, 34, 36–37, 38, 48, 99, 100, 121–22
Nichiren Buddhism, see Buddhism
Nichiren Daishonin, 159–60, 161, 171
1+1 (album), 295–96
Paris, 138, 252, 254–56, 263, 281–82, 294
Parker, Charlie, 36, 54, 70, 198, 274, 290
Pastorius, Jaco, 232, 313–14
Paudras, Francis, 252, 274
personal computers (PCs), 195, 214–17, 220
Peterson, Oscar, 22, 25, 30, 127
Plugged Nickel nightclub, 91, 92, 93
Pointer Sisters, 163, 164–67, 174
Police, 241, 242, 255
PolyGram, 284–85, 286–87
Possibilities (album), 309–13, 326
Powell, Bud, 252, 274
Priester, Julian, 122, 123, 131, 141, 168
Prisoner, The (album), 113, 114, 119
R&B music, 7, 9, 19, 46, 116, 135, 164, 235, 245, 280, 318
Ravel, Maurice, 256–57, 297–98
Return of the Headhunters (album), 299
“Rhapsody in Blue” (Song), 319–20, 330
River: The Joni Letters (album), 313, 315, 316, 318, 320
Rivers, Sam, 60, 77
“Rockit” (song), 238, 240, 241, 245, 247, 255, 307
music video for, 241, 242–44, 245, 246
rock music, 69, 89, 125, 136, 143, 162, 169, 174, 225, 276, 310, 318
Rolling Stones, 143, 255
Round Midnight (film), 46, 251–52, 254–55, 256–60, 263, 271–72, 273, 276, 277, 297
Royal Flush (album), 40, 43
Rubinson, David, 135–37, 143, 144–45, 147, 148, 158, 162, 164, 165, 166, 167–68, 177, 180–81, 197, 234, 238–39, 240, 248–49, 264, 270, 276
San Francisco, Calif., 115, 124, 125–26, 136, 144, 145, 148, 158, 179, 194, 206, 216, 232, 234, 249, 266
Santamaria, Mongo, 48, 49, 50, 53, 201
Santana, Carlos, 135, 147, 182, 211, 232, 245
Schaefer Music Festival, 121–22
Secrets (album), 192, 193, 194
Sempers, Susie, 230, 302, 303
Seven Steps to Heaven (album), 59
Sextant (album), 162–63, 179, 181, 211
Shearing, George, 20–22, 26, 37, 114, 127
Shorter, Ana Maria, 283, 294–95
Shorter, Wayne, 1, 41, 60, 68, 77–80, 81–82, 84, 88, 92, 93, 102, 110, 111, 138, 169, 198, 201, 218, 221, 222, 223, 225, 226, 227, 232, 237, 254, 256, 281–82, 283, 284, 293, 294–96, 299, 307, 314, 315–16, 321, 325
Silver, Horace, 38, 41, 42, 122
Simon, Paul, 310–11, 312
Soka Gakkai International (SGI), 155, 171, 182, 205
Soldier’s Story, A (film), 247–50
Speak Like a Child (album), 101–3, 110, 111, 112, 152
“Speak Like a Child” (song), 123, 127, 140
Spook Who Sat by the Door, The (film), 170, 189, 247
Sting, 255–56, 277
Stone, Sly, 173, 175, 211
Summers, Bill, 175, 178, 285, 299
Sunlight (album), 210, 214
Suzuki, Tomo, 218, 295–96
synthesizers, 143, 144, 145, 146, 148, 162, 170, 175, 177, 180, 183, 185, 186–87, 191, 196, 214, 220, 236, 243, 245, 281
creative technological modifications for, 143–44, 145–46, 149–50, 192–93, 196, 208–10, 211–14
technological advances in, 149, 213, 217, 219–20, 261
Takin’ Off (album), 45–47, 199, 251
Tavernier, Bertrand, 251–52, 254, 257, 258, 259, 274
Thrust (album), 188–90, 191
Till, Emmett, 17–19, 119
Tony Williams Lifetime, 169, 184, 282, 309
“Toys” (song), 139, 152, 169
Tribute to Miles tour, 283, 284
Troubadour Club, 164, 165, 167
Verve records, 291–92, 296, 297–98, 313, 321
Vietnam War, 125, 267–68
Village Gate, 59, 72–73, 115
Village Vanguard, 76, 81, 84, 105, 112, 132
vocoders, 210–13, 236
V.S.O.P., 199, 200, 201, 203, 218, 221–24, 225–27, 234, 266
Warner Bros. (film studio), 251, 254, 255, 256, 260
Warner Bros. Records, 114, 116,
117, 135, 136, 137, 147–48, 161–62
“Watermelon Man,” 42–43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49–50, 51, 53, 112, 168, 173, 178, 282
Weather Report, 102, 138, 169, 184, 282
Weisel, Lee, 120–21, 148
Whiting, Jim, 244, 245, 246
Williams, Buster, 62–63, 112–13, 117, 120, 121, 122, 123, 128, 129, 130, 131, 134, 142–43, 152–56, 158, 160, 161, 168, 169, 175, 200–201
Williams, Tony, 1, 56–57, 59, 60, 61–62, 63, 64, 66–69, 77, 78, 90, 92, 94, 104, 110, 111, 169, 184, 198, 201, 218, 221, 222, 223, 225, 226, 232, 254, 256, 281–82, 283, 307–9
Willis, Larry, 40, 72, 73
Winner, Michael, 186, 187, 188
Wolff, Frank, 43–45, 46
Wonder, Stevie, 175, 177, 219, 258, 292, 298, 312–13
Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (Xerox PARC), 194–97
Zawinul, Joe, 102–3, 210
My older brother, Wayman, and me, dressed for success in the early 1940s.
By the time I started high school, I’d been taking piano lessons for six years. But it wasn’t until sophomore year that I discovered that people my age could play jazz.
My parents, Wayman and Winnie Hancock, with my brother and me in front of my dad’s grocery store on the South Side of Chicago, 1940. People called my mother “high-strung,” but years later, her condition would be given a name: bipolar disorder.
My sister, Jean, was three years younger than me, but she was smart and sharp-tongued and could even be intimidating.
With my mother at Grinnell College. I enrolled in the fall of 1956, at age sixteen, but I spent more time studying music than my engineering courses.
Me in the early 1960s, right about the time I first met Miles Davis. When he asked me to play something on his little spinet piano,
I nervously played a few bars of “Stella by Starlight.” To my relief, he rasped, “Nice touch.”
Standing astride a Manhattan street in 1964, in a photo used on the cover of my third album, Inventions and Dimensions.
Miles Davis, Ron Carter, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams, with me on piano at left. We never rehearsed, and Miles never gave us notes on our playing. He’d just say something like, “Don’t play the butter notes,” and let us figure out what he meant.
Gigi and I married at New York City Hall in the summer of 1968, five years after we started dating. I knew I loved her, but I was a young jazz musician and hadn’t been ready to settle down.
Herbie Hancock Page 35