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Herbie Hancock | Essential albums and listening guide
Explore Herbie Hancock through Maiden Voyage. Discover what to listen for and follow related styles to your next record.
Herbie Hancock
Meet the artist
A pianist who has continually introduced new sounds, from modal jazz to funk-infused fusion. Acoustic harmony and the colors of electric keyboards belong to the same exploration.
With Miles Davis he helped shape a responsive ensemble language; his own work also embraced funk's repetition and powerful bass lines. Inviting riffs can conceal intricate harmony, making physical enjoyment and close listening equally rewarding. His openness to instruments and production methods keeps jazz in conversation with changing musical culture.
Where to start listening
Shift your focus from the resonance of the piano to the repetition of the groove. Across different ensembles, listen to how the keyboards shape the space around the band.
1965Maiden Voyage
Herbie Hancock
A landmark of modal jazz, evoking seascapes through sound. Its open harmonies and use of space profoundly influenced later jazz piano.
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1973Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
Hancock’s landmark fusion of funk grooves and electric jazz built a bridge between jazz and Black popular music.
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Years follow the Atlas catalogue. Recording dates, original release dates and digital reissue dates may differ.