- Known For
- Sound
- Born
- April 12, 1940
- Place of Birth
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet", Hancock helped redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section, and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound. He was one of the first jazz musicians to embrace synthesizers and funk. Hancock's music is often melodic and accessible; he has had many songs "cross over" and achieved success among pop audiences. His music embraces elements of funk and soul while adopting freer stylistic elements from jazz. In his jazz improvisation, he possesses a unique creative blend of jazz, blues, and modern classical music, with harmonic stylings much like the styles of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. Hancock's best-known solo works include "Cantaloupe Island", "Watermelon Man" (later performed by dozens of musicians, including bandleader Mongo Sant…
Filmography
movieTuner
2026 · Herbie Hancock
movieHerbie
2025 · Self (Archives)
movieHenry Mancini: 100 at the Hollywood Bowl
2024 · Self
movieDon Lewis and The Live Electronic Orchestra
2024 · Self
They All Came Out to Montreux
movieThey All Came Out to Montreux
2023 · Self
movieJoni Mitchell - The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize For Popular Song
2023 · Self
movieRon Carter: Finding the Right Notes
2022 · Self
Herbie Hancock - Live at SummerStage 2022
movieHerbie Hancock - Live at SummerStage 2022
2022 · Self
movieHargrove
2022 · Self
movieJacob Collier: In the Room Where It Happens
2022
tvBy Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem
2020 · Self
movieThat Click
2019 · Self
movieBuster Williams Bass to Infinity
2019 · Himself
movieMiles Davis: Birth of the Cool
2019 · Self - Musician
movieBlue Note Records: Beyond the Notes
2019 · Self
movieInternational Jazz Day Australia Concert 2019
2019 · Self
movieQ85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
2018 · Self
movieIt Must Schwing: The Blue Note Story
2018 · Self
movieValerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
2017 · Defence Minister
movieChick Corea: The Musician
2017 · Self
movieMore Than Jazz
2016 · Himself
movieJazz at the White House
2016 · Self
movieRiver of Gold
2016 · Narrator
movieMiles Ahead
2016 · Live Concert Band
movieKareem: Minority of One
2015 · Self
tvJay Leno's Garage
2015 · Self
tvStarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson
2015 · Self
movieMarcus
2015 · Self
Herbie Hancock Trio - Full Concert - 08/14/88 - Newport Jazz Festival
movieHerbie Hancock Trio - Full Concert - 08/14/88 - Newport Jazz Festival
2014 · Self
movieCharles Lloyd - Arrows Into Infinity
2014 · Piano
tvGirl Meets World
2014 · Self
movieKeep On Keepin' On
2014 · Self
tvThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014 · Self
movieExperience Montreux
2013 · Self
movieLang Lang & Herbie Hancock - Live in Berlin
2012 · Himself
movieGustavo Dudamel and Herbie Hancock Celebrate Gershwin
2011
movieThe Girls in the Band
2011
movieA Man's Story
2011 · Self
All-Star Jazz Show: Live from The Ed Sullivan Theater
movieAll-Star Jazz Show: Live from The Ed Sullivan Theater
2011 · Self
movieMiles Davis: Around Midnight
2011 · Piano
movieTribute to Miles - Jazz à Vienne
2011 · Himself
movieA MusiCares Tribute To Barbra Streisand
2011 · Self - Performer
movieOn the Shoulders of Giants
2011 · , Original Music Composer
movieMusic
2010 · Self
DeJohnette, Metheny, Holland, Hancock - Parallel Realities Live
movieDeJohnette, Metheny, Holland, Hancock - Parallel Realities Live
2010 · Himself
movieWe Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial
2009 · Self
movieMiles Davis: Kind of Blue
2008 · Self
movieQuincy Jones : 75th Birthday Celebration Live at Montreux
2008 · Self
movieHerbie Hancock - The River Of Possibilities Tour - Jazz a Vienne
2008 · Piano
movieQuincy Jones: Breaking New Sound
2008 · Self
movieMarcus Miller - Master Of All Trades
2006 · Self
movieHerbie Hancock: Possibilities
2006 · Self
movieMiles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue
2004 · Self
movieJanet Jackson: From Janet. To Damita Jo: The Videos
2004 · Musical
Herbie Hancock Special
movieHerbie Hancock Special
2004
Valerian
movieValerian
2004
movieDennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments
2004 · Self
movieOne Night with Blue Note
2004 · Self
movieSantana: Hymns for Peace - Live at Montreux
2004
movieLarry presents: Best of The 80s
2004 · Self
moviePrachtig 80: Volume 2
2003 · Self
tvThe Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003 · Self
movieJoni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and Mind
2003 · Self
movieHitters
2002 · District Attorney
movieWorld of Rhythm - Live in Lugano
2002 · Self
movieThe Jazz Channel Presents Herbie Hancock
2002 · Himself
movieHerbie Hancock Future2future Live
2002 · Himself
movieHerbie Hancock: Jazz Channel
2001 · Herbie Hancock, Director
movieTraffic
2000 · Musician
movieBlue Note - A Story of Modern Jazz
1997 · Self
tvClassic Albums
1997 · Self
movieWayne Shorter: Live at Montreux 1996
1996
tvKulturzeit
1995 · self
movieAntonio Carlos Jobim: An All-Star Tribute
1995 · Self - Pianist
movieOscar Peterson: Music in the Key of Oscar
1995 · Self
movieIndecent Proposal
1993 · Himself
tvThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
ECHO-Verleihung
tvECHO-Verleihung
1992 · Self
movieThe Neville Brothers: Tell It Like It Is
1991 · , Music Director
movieLivin' Large!
1991 · Original Music Composer
movieRabbit Ears - Koi and the Kola Nuts
1991 · Music
movieMiles Davis - At La Villette
1991 · Himself
movieBranford Marsalis: Steep
1991 · Self
movieDejohnette, Hancock, Holland and Metheny in Concert
1990
movieJazz Under the Skies
1990 · Self
movieJack DeJohnette, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland: Parallel Realities Live... (Live at Mellon Jazz Festival)
1990 · Keyboards
movieCelebrity Guide to Wine
1990 · Self
movieHarlem Nights
1989 · Original Music Composer
movieThe George McKenna Story
1988 · Original Music Composer
movieColors
1988 · Original Music Composer
movieAction Jackson
1988 · Original Music Composer
movieLive at Munich Summer Piano Festiva
1988
Bobby McFerrin: Spontaneous Inventions
movieBobby McFerrin: Spontaneous Inventions
1987 · Himself
Herbie Hancock At The Munich Summer Piano Festival
movieHerbie Hancock At The Munich Summer Piano Festival
1987 · Himself
Miles Ahead: The Music of Miles Davis
movieMiles Ahead: The Music of Miles Davis
1986 · Self
movie'Round Midnight
1986 · Eddie Wayne, Original Music Composer, Conductor
movieJo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling
1986 · Original Music Composer
movieBefore Midnight
1986 · Self (archive footage)
movieThe Making of Sun City
1985 · Self
movieA Soldier's Story
1984 · Original Music Composer
movieI Love Quincy
1984 · Self
movieHerbie Hancock Trio: Hurricane!
1984 · Self - Piano
tvSaturday Night Live
1975 · Self - Musical Guest
movieDeath Wish
1974 · Original Music Composer, Orchestrator
moviePBS Soundstage 1974: Chick Corea & Return to Forever + Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters
1974
tvRock Concert
1973 · Self
movieThe Spook Who Sat by the Door
1973 · Original Music Composer
tvDick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
1972 · Self
tvGreat Performances
1971 · Self
movieHey, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert
1969 · Original Music Composer
movieBlow-Up
1966 · Original Music Composer
movieHerbie
1966 · Music
movieMiles Davis Quintet: Milan 1964
1964
tvThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · Self
tvThe Grammys
1959 · Self
Herbie Hancock And The Rockit Band Live in London
movieHerbie Hancock And The Rockit Band Live in London
— · Themself
movieHerbie Hancock And The Rockit Band
— · Self