Herbie Hancock Live in Shanghai

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Hancock is a true icon of modern music. Throughout his explorations, he has transcended limitations and genres while maintaining his unmistakable voice. With an illustrious career spanning five decades and 14 Grammy Awards, he continues to amaze audiences across the globe. The American pianist, keyboardist, bandleader and composer, Herbie Hancock, will make his China debut at The Mixing Room & MUSE, the intimate 800-capacity theater at Shanghai's Mercedes-Benz Arena on November 10th, 2013.

Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound. He was one of the first jazz musicians to embrace music synthesizers and funk music (characterized by syncopated drum beats). Hancock's music is often melodic and accessible; he has had many songs "cross over" and achieved success among pop audiences. His music embraces elements of funk and soul while adopting freer stylistic elements from jazz. In his jazz improvisation, he possesses a unique creative blend of jazz, blues, and modern classical music, with harmonic stylings much like the styles of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. Hancock's best-known solo works include "Cantaloupe Island", "Watermelon Man", "Maiden Voyage", "Chameleon", and the singles "I Thought It Was You" and "Rockit".

Hancock was born in Chicago, Illinois. Like many jazz pianists, Hancock started with a classical music education. He studied from age seven, and was considered a child prodigy when he performed a Mozart piano concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at age 11. Through his teens, Hancock never had a jazz teacher, but developed his ear and sense of harmony by listening to various types of music and vocal stylings. In 1963, Miles Davis invited Herbie to join the Miles Davis Quintet. During his five years with Davis, Herbie and his colleagues recorded many classics, including 'ESP', 'Nefertiti' and 'Sorcerer'. Later on, Herbie made appearances on Davis' groundbreaking 'In a Silent Way' and 'Bitches Brew', which heralded the birth of jazz-fusion. After leaving Davis, Herbie put together a new band called The Headhunters and, in 1973, recorded 'Head Hunters.' With its crossover hit single "Chameleon, " it became the first jazz album to go platinum.

In 1983, a new pull to the alternative side led Herbie to a series of collaborations with Bill Laswell. The first, 'Future Shock', again struck platinum, and the single "Rockit" rocked the dance and R&B charts, winning a Grammy for Best R&B Instrumental. The video of the track won five MTV awards. In 2007, Hancock recorded and released 'River: The Joni Letters', a tribute to longtime friend and collaborator Joni Mitchell featuring vocalists Norah Jones, Tina Turner, Corinne Bailey Rae, Luciana Souza, Leonard Cohen and Mitchell herself. The album received three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year; Herbie is one of only a handful of jazz musicians ever to receive that honor.

In 2010 Hancock released the critically-acclaimed CD, 'Herbie Hancock's The Imagine Project, ' winner of two 20ll Grammy Awards for Best Pop Collaboration and Best Improvised Jazz Solo. Utilizing the universal language of music to express its themes of peace and global responsibility, the 'Imagine' project was recorded around the world and features a stellar group of musicians including Jeff Beck, Seal, Pink, Dave Matthews, The Chieftains, Lionel Loueke, Oumou Sangare, Anoushka Shankar, Chaka Khan, Marcus Miller, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Tinariwen, and Ceu. In July of 2011 Hancock was designated a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.

Now in the fifth decade of his professional life, Herbie Hancock remains where he has always been: in the forefront of world culture, technology, business and music. Though one can't track exactly where he will go next, he is sure to leave his inimitable imprint wherever he lands.

"Herbie Hancock is a jazz legend, " says Michael Craig Enoch, General Manager of the Mercedes-Benz Arena. "There are few artists in the music industry who have had more influence on acoustic and electronic jazz and R&B. The Mixing Room & MUSE is happy to welcome Herbie Hancock to Shanghai."

Herbie will be joined by his band: James Genus, one of the world's most versatile and sought-after bassists and member of the distinguished Saturday Night Live band. Lionel Loueke, hailed as a "gentle guitar virtuoso" by The New York Times for his harmonic complexity, soaring melodies, African folk forms, and conventional and extended guitar techniques. Vinnie Colaiuta, a highly regarded drummer who has played with Frank Zappa, Sting, Faith Hill, Jeff Beck and Megadeth.

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