23 Quotes & Sayings By Herbie Hancock

Herbie Hancock was born in Chicago in 1940. He began playing the piano at age 12 and graduated from the American Academy of Music at 16. He was drafted into the Army in 1960, where he discovered jazz and blues. He moved to New York City in 1964, where he quickly became one of the most sought-after session players Read more

His collaboration with Miles Davis resulted in three classic albums: Miles Ahead (1970), Filles de Kilimanjaro and On the Corner (1971). Hancock also worked with Wayne Shorter and George Russell, and his work with Carlos Santana became a major part of the band's sound. Hancock has won seven Grammy Awards and seventeen Grammys for Best Instrumental Performance, including one for Lifetime Achievement (1996).

1
Creativity and artistic endeavors have a mission that goes far beyond just making music for the sake of music Herbie Hancock
2
It's not the style that motivates me, as much as an attitude of openness that I have when I go into a project. Herbie Hancock
3
My hope is that the music will serve as a metaphor for the actions taken by the inhabitants of this wonderful planet as a call for world harmony on all levels. Herbie Hancock
4
The cool thing is that jazz is really a wonderful example of the great characteristics of Buddhism and great characteristics of the human spirit. Because in jazz we share, we listen to each other, we respect each other, we are creating in the moment. At our best, we're non-judgmental. Herbie Hancock
5
Back in the day for me was a great time in my life - I was in my 20s. Most people refer to their experiences in their twenties as being a highlight in their life. It's a period of time where you often develop your own way, your own sound, your own identity, and that happened with me, when I was with a great teacher - Miles Davis. Herbie Hancock
6
Music happens to be an art form that transcends language. Herbie Hancock
7
Music is the tool to express life - and all that makes a difference. Herbie Hancock
8
It is people's hearts that move the age. Herbie Hancock
9
It's part of life to have obstacles. It's about overcoming obstacles that's the key to happiness. Herbie Hancock
10
In World War II, jazz absolutely was the music of freedom, and then in the Cold War, behind the Iron Curtain, same thing. It was all underground, but they needed the food of freedom that jazz offered. Herbie Hancock
11
When I was six, my best friend's parents bought him a piano. My mother noticed that every time I would go to his house, the first thing I would say to him was 'Levester' - His name was Levester - I said, 'Levester, can I go play your piano?' So, on my 7th birthday, my parents bought me a piano. Herbie Hancock
12
Being vulnerable is allowing yourself to trust. That's hard for a lot of people to do. They feel a lot more secure if they kind of put walls around themselves. Then they don't have to trust anybody but themselves. Herbie Hancock
13
I don't see how we can have both the freedoms we had before and the safety net that we all need considering the way the world is today. And that's just because human beings can't trust each other. We've given in over and over to some of the darkest elements that exist in life itself. Herbie Hancock
14
It's easy to get sidetracked with technology, and that is the danger, but ultimately you have to see what works with the music and what doesn't. In a lot of cases, less is more. In most cases, less is more. Herbie Hancock
15
The thing that we possess, that machines don't, is the ability to exhibit wisdom. Herbie Hancock
16
Without wisdom, the future has no meaning, no valuable purpose. Herbie Hancock
17
You can practice to attain knowledge, but you can't practice to attain wisdom. Herbie Hancock
18
World peace is no longer some pie-in-the-sky thing, because no single person or country is going to solve it on their own. Herbie Hancock
19
As a human being, I'm concerned about the world that I live in. So, I'm concerned about peace. I'm concerned about - about man's inhumanity to man. I'm concerned about the environment. Herbie Hancock
20
It's part of life to have obstacles. It's about overcoming obstacles that's the key to happiness. Herbie Hancock
21
But I have to be careful not to let the world dazzle me so much that I forget that I'm a husband and a father. Herbie Hancock
22
I'm always interested in looking forward toward the future. Carving out new ways of looking at things. Herbie Hancock