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Spanning the worlds of jazz and contemporary rock and pop, Herbie Hancock was, and still is a very influential pianist in jazz today. He has made several jazz albums, in his 1960s relationship with Blue Note, defined jazz funk with his Head Hunters band of the 1970s, and topped the pop charts with Rockit in the 1980s. He was born on April 12, 1940 in Chicago. He was a child prodigy and began studying classical piano at the age of seven. At 11, he performed the first movement of a Mozart concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In high school, he moved to jazz, where he formed his own ensemble. By the time he had graduated college, he had worked in Chicago jazz clubs with such famous players as Donald Byrd and Coleman Hawkins. Hancock joined Byrd's quintet and moved to New York. During this time, Hancock was beginning to develop his unique style - a lyrical style that blends gospel, bebop, and blues. While recording with Byrd, he was offered a contract as a leader with Blue Note Records.
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