By Photojournalist Jeffrey Moellering

What can be said about Herbie Hancock that hasn’t already been written? To describe him as a legend would practically be an insult. The now 84-year-old master stopped into St. Petersburg’s Mahaffey Theatre on September 15th, to remind local fans what a gift he is to America’s original gift to the music world.

Herbie Hancock is indeed a monumental figure in the world of jazz. His journey began with Donald Byrd’s group before he joined the Miles Davis Quintet in the 1960s, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the post-bop sound. In the 1970s, Hancock ventured into jazz fusion, funk, and electro, releasing the iconic 1973 album “Head Hunters”.

Some of his most famous compositions, which have become jazz standards, include “Cantaloupe Island,” “Watermelon Man,” “Maiden Voyage,” and “Chameleon”1. In the 1980s, he achieved mainstream success with the electronic instrumental “Rockit,” a collaboration with Bill Laswell.

Hancock’s accolades include an Academy Award and 14 Grammy Awards, one of which was for his 2007 Joni Mitchell tribute album, “River: The Joni Letters”. Since 2012, he has been a professor at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music and serves as the chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz.

Herbie Hancock’s St. Petersburg engagement was a mesmerizing display of his timeless talent and innovative flair. Even after 7 plus decades in the business, Hancock continues to redefine jazz, blending classic elements with contemporary sounds to create an unforgettable experience.
The evening kicked off with an “Overture,” a medley of Hancock’s iconic hits, setting an exhilarating tone for the night. Hancock’s mastery of the keyboards was evident, as he effortlessly navigated through various soundscapes and tempos, keeping the audience enthralled throughout the expansive opus.

Herbie’s bandmembers for the show were a tour de force of their own, featuring Terrance Blanchard on trumpet, who has multiple Grammys and film scores to his credit, the astonishing Lionel Loueke on guitar and vocalizations, James Genus on bass (Herbie quipped that he should be named “Genius), and a powerful 25-year-old drummer, Jeylin Petinaud, whose subtle syncopations and rhythmic flourishes made it seem as if he’d been playing with Herbie for decades.

Loueke’s guitar techniques were particularly impressive, conveying orchestral and jungle-like sounds that made the audience feel as if they were captivated inside an immersive aural experience of infinite wonder. His picking style was somewhat reminiscent of the great jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, using a longer thumbnail for picking, along with his other fingers. He made it seem so easy, as if anyone could quickly be so fluid and fluent.

Blanchard’s trumpeting was boomingly powerful and ringing throughout the hall, almost sounding like there was an entire horn section, and at times accelerating like a locomotive about to careen off the tracks, but always brought safely around the next bend. The band itself was an incredibly well-oiled machine, as if a sort of exploding music box, that when opened came flooding out with sheets of shimmering sound streams. One spectacular highlight of the evening was an arrangement of “Footprints”, from the recently passed saxophone legend Wayne Shorter, who Herbie played with during their tenure with Miles Davis. Blanchard’s interpretation gave the classic an incredible new vitality and spirit, a true testament to both Shorter and Blanchard’s creativity.

In summary, Herbie Hancock’s Mahaffey concert was a true testament to his enduring legacy and ability to continually innovate. He’s still sharp as a tack, in mind and technique. It was an evening of extraordinary music that left the audience in awe of his creativity and skill. Devoted fans practically begged Herbie for more, but he mentioned at the outset that they were running on fumes with their hectic touring schedule, so instead of another encore, Herbie spent several minutes greeting audience members with his infectious smile and charm. Dressed in an elegant Nehru jacket, he exuded grace, wisdom, and the gentle demeanor of a guru. He met fans as if they were old friends, creating memories that we will cherish for a lifetime.