One still remembers that evening at Mumbai’s Rang Bhavan in 1996. In a solo piano recital, jazz legend Herbie Hancock played his popular numbers ‘Watermelon Man’, ‘Cantaloupe Island’ and ‘Dolphin Dance’. The absence of a supporting band didn’t stop fans from tapping their feet.
Hancock came to India again in 2007, with saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and in 2009, with singer Chaka Khan. In Mumbai, his shows were held at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre (JBT), where he played once again on his latest tour. On January 20, 2024, he was accompanied by the fabulous singer Diane Reeves, guitarist Leonard Brown and musicians from the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, Los Angeles.
As the 83-year-old musician had come to India after nearly 15 years, the crowd at the JBT show was a mix of those who had seen him earlier and first-time attendees. Either way, there was excitement in the air. Many expected him to play all the classics, but he only played ‘Watermelon Man’ improvised from the version used on the 1973 album Head Hunters.
For many, just seeing Hancock in his trademark suit and sitting at the Grand Piano was a dream come true. A few tried to catch him as he left the venue, and some managed a selfie. After all, here was someone who has been a major figure in the jazz world since the 1960s, first playing with trumpeters Donald Byrd and Miles Davis.
Path-breaking track
The young Herbie was introduced to Miles Davis in 1962.
Besides being an acclaimed pianist, Hancock, a 14-time Grammy winner and 34-time nominee, is a visionary composer, and one of the leading figures of the post-bop sound. Later, he ventured into the jazz-fusion, funk and electro styles. His best-known albums include Maiden Voyage in 1965, Head Hunters in 1973 and the 1983 electro-funk record Future Shock, which had the path-breaking track ‘Rockit’.
It’s been a long journey. Interestingly, Chicago-born Hancock was introduced to Miles Davis in 1962 by 17-year-old drummer Tony Williams. Davis saw Hancock as a promising talent, and included him in his new quintet. That phase gave Herbie plenty of exposure, and he began recording a lot for the Blue Note label. It was during this phase that he recorded the concept album Maiden Voyage as bandleader.
Funk-infused fusion
In 1968, Davis dismissed Hancock from the band after a misunderstanding, but he continued to appear on the legendary trumpeter’s albums. His stint with Davis had drawn him to the Fender Rhodes electric piano. Around that time, the sound of jazz was changing, with the infusion of more rock and funk. The 1970 Miles Davis album Bitches Brew ensured that jazz fusion could attract younger audiences.
Shifting from Blue Note to Warner Records and later to Columbia, Hancock began adding different sounds like rhythm n’ blues, pop and funk, much to the chagrin of purists. The album Head Hunters crossed over into pop audiences, and from there on began his quest for innovation. In 1983, ‘Rockit’ became an anthem for breakdancers.
Yet Hancock maintained a balance, often returning to traditional sounds. In the 1990s, he recorded tributes to Miles Davis and George Gershwin, besides a duet album 1+1 with saxophonist Wayne Shorter. Hancock’s 2007 album River: The Joni Years, a tribute to singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, won him the Grammy for Album Of The Year.
Multi-artiste collaborations
In keeping with the new trend of multi-artiste collaborations, Hancock recorded Possibilities in 2005 and The Imagine Project in 2010. The former featured Carlos Santana, Paul Simon, Sting and John Mayer, among others. The latter had the track ‘The song goes on’, composed by Larry Klein, and featuring K.S. Chithra and Chaka Khan on vocals, Anoushka Shankar on the sitar and Wayne Shorter on the saxophone.
Apart from his sheer musicianship, Hancock has been hailed for his efforts to popularise jazz globally, and spread the message of peace through music. In 2011, he was designated UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue, “in light of his profound dedication to the promotion of peace through dialogue, culture and the arts”. In that role, he has been at the helm of the International Jazz Day celebrations on April 30 every year. Observed in 190 countries, the event’s main purpose is to bring together communities, schools, artistes, historians, academics and jazz enthusiasts to learn about jazz and its roots.
The Herbie Hancock Institute Of Jazz, formerly known as the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, also organises an international competition annually. Through his pioneering efforts, Hancock has kept the jazz flag flying, and this was again evident on his recent visits to New Delhi and Mumbai.
Hancock’s aim to interact with local musicians during his tours. This time was no different. In Delhi, he played at the Piano Man, and also conducted a masterclass at the Global Music Institute. In Mumbai, he also visited the Happy Home & School For The Blind, where students played Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a wonderful world’ to greet him. His workshop at the NCPA was packed, and the rendition of ‘Watermelon Man’ by 10-year-old Ayaan Deshpande earned a hug from the man himself.
On a personal front, Hancock is known for practising Nichiren Buddhism. It all began in 1972, when he was trying out new things as a composer, often facing a dilemma. At a Seattle club, he heard bassist Buster Williams, and was impressed by the smoothness of his playing. Williams thus introduced him to chanting, which became part of his routine thereafter. Hancock says the new philosophy helped him view music from the standpoint of a human being rather than a musician. The world of jazz had plenty to gain from that change.
The Mumbai gig
Herbie didn’t play as much as expected at the JBT show, but he was outstanding whenever he did, using the Korg Kronos keyboard synthesizer on the faster pieces and the Steinway Grand Piano for an impromptu solo creation and a duet with Reeves.
The programme was clearly meant to showcase the band, and while each member got adequate time, it was five-time Grammy-winner Reeves who stole the show. Her vocal rendition of the Miles Davis gem ‘All Blues’ segued into a sung narration of her experiences in Delhi and Agra. On the Cat Stevens number ‘Morning Has Broken’, she was joined by Purbayan Chatterjee on the sitar and Swarupa Ananth-Sawkar on the tabla. And on George Gershwin’s ‘Fascinating Rhythm’, she displayed immense control and spontaneity.
The band had some incredible musicianship from tenor saxophonist Sasha Ripley, alto saxophonist Alden Hellmuth, trumpeter Yakiv Tsvietinsky and pianist Miles Lennox, whose original composition ‘30’ was a treat. While bassist Diggs-Pinto and drummer Malachi Whitson pumped up the rhythm section, one felt guitarist Brown was underplayed. The ending was also sudden, and the band didn’t play the much-anticipated encore.
