Editing Herbie Hancock (section)

== Early life ==
Hancock was born in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], the son of Winnie Belle (née Griffin), a secretary, and Wayman Edward Hancock, a meat inspector for the government. His parents named him after the singer and actor [[Herb Jeffries]].<ref>{{cite AV media|last1=Hancock |first1=Herbie |title=The Ethics of Jazz |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPFXC3q1tTg$4 |website=YouTube |publisher=Mahindra Humanities Center |access-date=February 4, 2016 |time=11:50 |date=February 2014 |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116192052/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPFXC3q1tTg |url-status=live }}</ref> Hancock attended [[Hyde Park Academy High School|Hyde Park High School]] in Chicago.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2013/02/14/obama-to-speak-friday-at-hyde-park-high-school/|title=Obama to speak Friday at Hyde Park high school |work=Chicago Tribune|access-date=March 4, 2017|language=en}}</ref> Like many [[Jazz piano|jazz pianist]]s, Herbie began with a [[classical music|classical]] education.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.npr.org/programs/jazzprofiles/archive/hancock.html |title=NPR's Jazz Profiles: Herbie Hancock |last=Murph |first=John |website=Npr.org |access-date=June 16, 2021}}</ref> He started playing piano when he was seven years old, and his talent was recognized when he was young. Considered to be a [[child prodigy]],<ref name="Prodigy">{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/7924263/Herbie-Hancock-interview.html |title=Herbie Hancock interview |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=August 3, 2010 |access-date=February 1, 2012 |author=Hentz, Stefan |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116192055/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/7924263/Herbie-Hancock-interview.html |url-status=live }}</ref> he played the first movement of [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]]'s [[Piano Concerto No. 26 (Mozart)|Piano Concerto No. 26 in D Major, K. 537 ''(Coronation)'']] at a young people's concert on February 5, 1952, with the [[Chicago Symphony Orchestra]] (led by CSO assistant conductor [[George Schick]]) at the age of 11.<ref name="grove">{{Cite Grove |last=Dobbins |first=Bill |last2=Kernfeld |first2=Barry |title=Herbie Hancock}}</ref>

Throughout his teens, Herbie Hancock never had a jazz teacher; he developed his ear and sense of harmony by listening to the records of jazz pianists including [[George Shearing]], [[Erroll Garner]], [[Bill Evans]], and [[Oscar Peterson]]. Hancock was also influenced by records of the vocal group [[the Hi-Lo's]]. In his words:
<blockquote>By the time I actually heard the Hi-Lo's, I started picking that stuff out; my ear was happening. I could hear stuff and that's when I really learned some much farther-out voicings – like the harmonies I used on ''Speak Like a Child'' – just being able to do that. I really got that from [[Clare Fischer]]'s arrangements for the Hi-Lo's. Clare Fischer was a major influence on my harmonic concept... he and [[Bill Evans]], and [[Maurice Ravel|Ravel]] and [[Gil Evans]], finally. You know, that's where it came from.<ref>{{cite book |title=Jazz-Rock Fusion, the people, the music. |author1=Coryell, Julie  |author2=Friedman, Laura |year=2000 |publisher=[[Hal Leonard Corporation]] |page=204 |isbn=0-7935-9941-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XwWdk3x9u28C}}</ref></blockquote>

In 1960, Hancock heard [[Chris Anderson (pianist)|Chris Anderson]] play just once and begged him to accept him as a student.<ref name="Mapleshade testimonial">{{cite web |url=http://www.mapleshaderecords.com/cds/56922.php |title=CHRIS ANDERSON |work=Review of Love Locked Out |publisher=Mapleshade Music |access-date=July 1, 2010 |archive-date=July 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170724105257/http://www.mapleshaderecords.com/cds/56922.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> Hancock often mentions Anderson as his harmonic guru.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org/oldsite/archive.php?id=629|title=The Jazz Museum in Harlem|website=Jazzmuseuminharlem.org|access-date=March 4, 2017|archive-date=June 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629145637/http://www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org/oldsite/archive.php?id=629|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Hancock graduated from [[Grinnell College]] in [[Grinnell, Iowa]], in 1960,<ref name=Grinnell>{{cite web|url=https://liberalartsclubband.sites.grinnell.edu/annotations/f-j/herbie-hancock/|title=Herbie Hancock '60|website=Grinnell College's Liberal Arts Club Band|access-date=26 January 2021}}</ref> with degrees in electrical engineering and music. Hancock then moved back to Chicago,<ref name=Grinnell/> and began working with [[Donald Byrd]] and [[Coleman Hawkins]]. During this time, he also took courses at [[Roosevelt University]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/herbie-hancock|title=Herbie Hancock facts, information, pictures {{!}} Encyclopedia.com articles about Herbie Hancock|website=Encyclopedia.com|language=en|access-date=March 4, 2017|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116192116/https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/herbie-hancock|url-status=live}}</ref> Grinnell also awarded him an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree in 1972.<ref name="grove" /><ref>The tune "Dr Honoris Causa" written by [[Joe Zawinul]] and performed by [[Cannonball Adderley]]'s quintet is an ironic celebration of the honorary degree.</ref> Byrd was attending the [[Manhattan School of Music]] in New York at the time and suggested that Hancock study composition with [[Vittorio Giannini]] (which he did for a short time in 1960). The pianist quickly earned a reputation, and played subsequent sessions with [[Oliver Nelson]] and [[Phil Woods]]. Hancock recorded his first solo album, ''[[Takin' Off]]'', for [[Blue Note Records]] in 1962. "[[Watermelon Man (composition)|Watermelon Man]]" (from ''Takin' Off'') was to provide [[Mongo Santamaría]] with a hit single, but more importantly for Hancock, ''Takin' Off'' caught the attention of [[Miles Davis]], who was at that time assembling a new band. Hancock was introduced to Davis by the young drummer [[Tony Williams (drummer)|Tony Williams]], a member of the new band.