Music Pioneer Sits Down for an Intimate Conversation to Celebrate New Musical Project and His 70th Birthday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOS ANGELES (May 2010) – On June 7, 2010, The GRAMMY Museum will host musical pioneer, jazz legend, and multi-GRAMMY winner Herbie Hancock for an onstage interview, it was announced today. Celebrating his 70th birthday and the release of his new album, Hancock will field questions about his remarkable career and newest music, previewing tracks and clips from Herbie Hancock’s The Imagine Project, his hotly-anticipated new CD set for release June 22 via Hancock Records/Red.
“Herbie Hancock is an unparalleled and towering figure in American jazz. As such, we are truly honored to welcome him to our stage to discuss both his groundbreaking career and newest transformative work,” said Executive Director Robert Santelli, who will conduct the interview.
The Imagine Project is an unprecedented international recording and film project featuring collaborations between Hancock and over a dozen superstars from every region of the planet. Utilizing the universal language of music to express its central themes of peace and global responsibility, the musical collaborations combine Hancock’s genre-defying musical vision with the “local” musical identity of cultures from around the world.
Tracks on The Imagine Project include “The Song Goes On” with Anoushka Shankar (sitarist daughter of Ravi Shankar), Chaka Khan and Wayne Shorter which was recorded in Mumbai, India, along with a stellar group of Indian musicians; “Don’t Give Up,” a duet recorded in London, New York and Los Angeles featuring Pink and John Legend, “Imagine” with Seal, Pink, Konono No l, Jeff Beck, Oumou Sangare, India.Arie, Lionel Loueke and Marcus Miller recorded in Paris, London and Los Angeles; “Tamatant Tilay/Exodus” featuring Tinariwen and Los Lobos, “The Times, They Are A’ Changin’” featuring The Chieftains, Toumani Diabete, Lionel Loueke and Lisa Hannigan recorded in Ireland; “Tomorrow Never Knows” featuring Dave Matthews, “Space Captain” with Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, “La Tierra” recorded with Latin superstar Juanes in Miami, “A Change Is Gonna Come” with James Morrison and a track with Brazilian singer-songwriter Ceu, “Tempo de Amour,” recorded in Sao Paulo.
Additionally, footage from each recording session has been shot in each locale to be included in a planned documentary, with veteran music producer Larry Klein serving as one of the album’s producing consultants. The Imagine Project is set for release June 22nd via Hancock Records/Red, with special concert touring dates and birthday tributes at Carnegie Hall (June 24, 2010) and the Hollywood Bowl (Sept. 1, 2010), both of which will feature special guests.
Herbie Hancock’s The Imagine Project is the next step in Hancock’s extraordinary and ground-breaking career, and builds upon his recent successes and recognition (2007 GRAMMY for Album of the Year for River/The Joni Letters; Time Magazine’s 2008 100 Most Influential People in the World list; multiple award-winning album/film, Possibilities; Jazz Chair for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, among many other honors).
Before an intimate audience of 200 in the Museum’s GRAMMY Sound Stage, Hancock will field Santelli’s questions about his remarkable, nearly 50-year career, genre-transcending catalogue, and newest music. After the interview, Hancock will take questions from the audience and sign autographs.
The GRAMMY Museum launched its flagship public program, “An Evening With…,” in January 2009 with music legend Brian Wilson and continued its success with critically-acclaimed recording artists Ringo Starr, Annie Lennox, Bob Newhart, Tom Morello, Dwight Yoakam, Dionne Warwick, Smokey Robinson, Terence Blanchard, Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, George Benson, Paul Shaffer, Carly Simon, Harry Connick, Jr. and Clive Davis. The program regularly features award-winning and cutting-edge musicians live and onstage (including country rocker Chris Hillman on May 20, 2010). Taking place in the Museum’s state-of-the-art theater, which screens exhibit-related films during regular Museum hours, the program provides guests unprecedented access to their favorite musicians.
“American Express Presents An Evening With Herbie Hancock” will take place at 8pm in the GRAMMY Sound Stage, on the second floor of The GRAMMY Museum. Doors open at 7:30pm. American Express presale tickets are $35 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.com by American Express Cardmembers starting Friday, May 7, 2010. Ticket purchase also includes a copy of new album The Imagine Project (CD jacket to be provided at program, CD itself to be delivered later). American Express is the exclusive payment method for presale tickets. All proceeds benefit The GRAMMY Museum.For more information, please call 213.765.6800 or visit www.grammymuseum.org.
The GRAMMY Museum is located at 800 West Olympic Boulevard, Suite A245, Los Angeles, CA 90015. With an entrance off of Figueroa Street, the Museum resides within the L.A. LIVE campus, at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles.
About The GRAMMY Museum
Paying tribute to music’s rich cultural history, this one-of-a-kind, 21st-century Museum explores and celebrates the enduring legacies of all forms of music, the creative process, the art and technology of the recording process, and the history of the premier recognition of excellence in recorded music — the GRAMMY Award. The GRAMMY Museum features 30,000 square feet of interactive and multimedia exhibits located within L.A. LIVE, the downtown Los Angeles sports, entertainment and residential district. Through thought-provoking and dynamic public and educational programs and exhibits, guests will experience music from a never-before-seen insider perspective that only The GRAMMY Museum can deliver.
American Express is the Premiere Partner of The GRAMMY Museum.
