“In World War II, jazz absolutely was the music of freedom, and then in the Cold War, behind the Iron Curtain, same thing. It was all underground, but they needed the food of freedom that jazz offered.”

American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer

Herbie Hancock is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He first came to prominence in Donald Byrd’s group, then joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped reshape the jazz rhythm section and became one of the key figures behind the post-bop sound. In the 1970s, he moved into jazz fusion, funk, and electro, working with a broad range of synthesizers and electronic instruments. During that period, he released Head Hunters, one of his best-known and most influential albums.