Herbie Hancock's Playlist

"So What" (Track 1): "This album set the tone for a whole new era in jazz. 'So What' is a prime example of Coolness, daring, courage, reserve, perfect use of silence and space, and playing the lean and not the fat."

"Miles Ahead" (Track 2): "I cry whenever I hear any track from the original Miles Ahead album. This title track from that album exemplifies the warm textures and delicate fabric of Gil Evans' orchestrations for Miles marking a new direction in the combining of jazz within a classical brass and woodwind setting. It took the genius of Miles Davis and Gil Evans to do that back in 1959."

"Le sacre du Printemps" (Track 3): "Here is another piece that makes me cry every time I hear it. Somehow it speaks directly to my soul. Stravinsky composed this ballet entirely from his heart, not his head. The sounds and rhythms were, and still are, so revolutionary that the early audiences were shocked and appalled, booing and throwing food on the stage during the performance. I am astounded that he could have been so far ahead of his time when he wrote this during the second decade of the 19th century. I am so inspired by this piece that I continually attempt to respond musically to the influence of this piece."

"Adagia Assai" (Track 4): "Ravel has always been a favorite of mine. His harmonies, textures, orchestrations, and lyrical melodies always move me in the deepest of ways. Much of my approach to piano improvisation has been inspired by Ravel. This particular piece is so delicious. There is beauty and grace in every note. I even recorded this one myself and dared to weave in my own improvisational elements on my CD Gershwin's World. Gershwin and Ravel were friends and influenced and admired each other greatly."

"Serenata" (Track 5): "Wayne is one of the greatest composers and saxophonists of the 20th and 21st centuries. His beautiful reharmonization and orchestration of Anderson's lovely piece, which was a rare orchestral pop hit back in the 50's, is full of gorgeous harmonic and textural surprises. Wayne has virtually rewritten and remade this rather simple piece into a new work of rare and special artistic beauty. This album is Wayne's latest and is a spectacular triumph that lays the groundwork for a new vision of life expressed in music. It clearly opens the door and leads the way for music of the 21st century."

"Slide" (Track 6): "Missy got to me right away. Everything she says is so real and down to the bone. Her productions are so unique and daring. It seems she has no fear of trying combinations that others just haven't thought of yet. Somehow she seems to make anything and everything work. Her pieces contain wonderfully new spices that enhance the flavor of her music. Every morsel tastes sooooo goooood."

"Thank You for Talkin' to Me, Africa" (Track 7): "This is truly the funkiest piece that I have ever heard. It never fails to move my body. Sly has had a major influence on me and my work. "Thank You" epitomizes all the funk that I ever heard and felt. What a great masterpiece this is!"

"Bitches Brew" (Track 8): "Here we find Miles' classic entry into electric/jazz/rock showing everyone where and how far this music is capable of going. Miles has made art out of rock. There's no pretense, no salesmanship, no commercialization, just the sincerity of music of the highest order. All the daring, mystery, and carving out of new territory is there as only Miles can do. This is a glorious tribute to the open spirit and heart of the human soul."

"Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" (Track 9): "Joni has, in every way, the soul of a jazz singer. You can feel every word and every note she sings way down deep inside. I had the honor of working with her on this project. It was a total surprise to me to realize how much she is willing to explore that which is beyond the comfort zone. She is a renaissance person for our time. Her poetry, paintings, music, films, and being clearly demonstrate this. I just love to hear her talk. There's so much magic in her words."

"Strange Fruit" (Track 10): "Billie Holiday defines jazz singing. She has lived every note and every phrase. When you hear her there's no doubt in your mind that she is coming straight from the heart to your heart. This piece has a particular social significance in that it is about the lynching of African Americans. That's the 'strange fruit' hanging from the trees. The darkest hours of American life. Billie paid her dues and had the courage to use her musical life to fight social injustice."