Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12 1940 in Chicago, Illinois) is an Academy Award and Grammy award-winning American jazz pianist and composer. He embraced elements of rock, funk, and soul while adopting freer stylistic elements from jazz.

As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section, and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound. Later, he was one of the first jazz musicians to embrace synthesizers and funk. Yet for all his restless experimentalism, Hancock's music is often melodic and accessible; he has had many songs "cross over" and achieve success among pop audiences.

Hancock's best-known solo works include "Cantaloupe Island", "Watermelon Man" (later performed by dozens of musicians, including bandleader Mongo Santamaria), "Maiden Voyage", "Chameleon", and the single "Rockit." His 2007 tribute album, "River: The Joni Letters" won the 2008 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, only the second jazz album to win the award.

Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is a jazz pianist and composer from Chicago , Illinois , United States . Hancock is one of jazz music’s most important and influential pianists and composers. He embraced elements of rock , funk , and soul while adopting freer stylistic elements from jazz. As part of Miles Davis ’ “second great quintet” Hancock helped redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section, and was later one of the first jazz musicians to embrace synthesizers and acid jaz