Herbie Hancock

“I try stuff. I synthesize what's of value with some of the other things I have at my disposal.”

“I think people have learned that Herbie Hancock can be defined as someone that you won't be able to figure out what he's going to do next. The sky is the limit as far as I'm concerned.”

“Since time is a continuum, the moment is always different, so the music is always different.”

“The strongest thing that any human being has going is their own integrity and their own heart. As soon as you start veering away from that, the solidity that you need in order to be able to stand up for what you believe in and deliver what's really inside, it's just not going to be there.”

“It's not exclusive, but inclusive, which is the whole spirit of jazz.”

“Music is not the only reason that I practice Buddhism anymore because it has affected my whole life.”

“In the past, there's always been one leader that has led the pack to development of the music.”

“Music is the tool to express life - and all that makes a difference.”

“I'm always interested in looking forward toward the future. Carving out new ways of looking at things.”

“Creativity and artistic endeavors have a mission that goes far beyond just making music for the sake of music.”

“Take whatever happens and try to make it work.”

“Being a musician is what I do, but it's not what I am.”

“When I was in my early teens, I remember coming to the conclusion that your life never ends.”

“When the suggestion was made that I might consider doing music of Joni Mitchell, I thought it was a fantastic idea. Joni, I admire not only for her music but for her person, because she's a person that really stands out for what she believes in.”

“We need to move into a culture of peace. What I hope to promote is the idea that we all need each other and that the greatest happiness in life is not how much we have but how much we give. That's a wealth that's priceless. You can't buy compassion.”

“I don't see how we can have both the freedoms we had before and the safety net that we all need considering the way the world is today. And that's just because human beings can't trust each other. We've given in over and over to some of the darkest elements that exist in life itself.”

“Music happens to be an art form that transcends language.”

“Being vulnerable is allowing yourself to trust. That's hard for a lot of people to do. They feel a lot more secure if they kind of put walls around themselves. Then they don't have to trust anybody but themselves.”

“Globalization means we have to re-examine some of our ideas, and look at ideas from other countries, from other cultures, and open ourselves to them. And that's not comfortable for the average person.”

“I've been curious ever since I was a little kid.”