Herbie Hancock turned 80 on April 12. A deeply influential pianist/composer, as well as a prolific recording artist, Hancock is celebrated for many things, including his constant experimentation with new sounds. “Rockit,” released in 1984, was a major crossover hit and was even accompanied by a memorable and aptly futuristic music video. While the song upset his jazz purist fans, it created a fresh new sound thanks to the production of bassist Bill Laswell – known for creating “collision music” – and the turntable work of GrandMixer D.ST.
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