Herbie Hancock & Band

Pioneering jazz pianist, the legendary Herbie Hancock, is set to captivate Auckland audiences when he leads his spellbinding band for one special show.

Hancock’s natural talent and groundbreaking musical explorations - solo, group and collaborative works – have produced a jazz career second to none. Often regarded as one of the most influential artists of all time, he has defied and transcended cultural and musical boundaries.

Herbie Hancock’s band – featuring Greg Phillinganes on keyboards and vocals, James Genus on bass, Trevor Lawrence Jr. on drums and Kristina Train on vocals – will perform new and classic material expected to include: ‘Speak Like A Child’, ‘Chameleon’, ‘Canteloupe Island’, ‘Rockit’ and ‘Round Midnite’.

Arriving in New Zealand two weeks after his 71st birthday, this year marks Hancock’s 50th year as a professional musician.

A child piano prodigy, Hancock’s extraordinary career took off when he was invited to join the Miles Davis Quintet, recording classics including ‘ESP’, ‘Neferiti’ and ‘Sorcerer’ and later appearing on ‘In A Silent Way’ and ‘Bitches Brew’, heralding the birth of jazz-fusion. In 1973 Hancock’s own band The Headhunters released ‘Head Hunters’ featuring hit single ‘Chameleon’, becoming the first jazz album to record platinum sales.

Decades on, in June 2010, Hancock released ‘The Imagine Project’, an album and film, aiming to unite cultures and promote positive creative expression, creating an album without borders. The project features a richness of diverse collaborators including Dave Matthews, Anoushka Shankar, Jeff Beck, John Legend, India Arie, Seal, Pink, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Wayne Shorter, Chaka Khan, James Morrison and many more.

‘The Imagine Project’ recently garnered two Grammy Awards – Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals ‘Imagine’ and Best Improvised Jazz Solo ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’.

Total career accolades are numerous but notably include Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People In The World, an Oscar and now 14 Grammys.

Event listed by deLaunay

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