Herbie Hancock

When pianist and composer Herbie Hancock won his 12th Grammy this year—for River: The Joni Letters, his interpretation of Joni Mitchell’s songs—it marked just the second time in the Grammy Awards’ 50-year history that a recording by a jazz instrumentalist was named Album of the Year. It was yet another tip of the hat to a man whose breathtaking contributions to music span five decades—from his work with legendary giants of swing, bebop, postbop, and the avant-garde, to his pioneering electronic fusion of jazz and funk, to his much acclaimed foray into hip-hop. We talked to the 68-year-old artist about his music, his mentors, and his knack for reinvention. … Back to Article