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Bela Lugosi in Dracula, 1931

Happy Birthday Rosa Parks

On this day in history, February 4, 1913, civil rights activist Rosa Parks was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. She is best known for not giving up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 1, 1955. Photo From Biography.com Rosa Parks’s firm decision led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, organized by Jo Ann Robinson president of the WPC organization at the…

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— by Rachel Chang: Despite being born in the United States, the ‘Star Trek’ star and the ‘Karate Kid’ actor both had traumatic childhoods and were imprisoned for the color of their skin…

Image courtesy of Eliot Elisofon/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

There aren’t many books that I can come back to read time and again. The Catcher in the Rye is one of the few books on this list. Each time I read this classic there is always something new that I missed the last time I’ve read this great book. Holden Caulfield, is for me, one of the few characters I find relatable, lost and in an odd way lovable.  I have several links about J. D. Salinger and  T…

Christopher Columbus: Hero or Villain?

Christopher Columbus: Hero or Villain?

Columbus Day churns up a stormy sea of controversy every year. A gifted navigator or reckless adventurer? Here are some things to consider the next time you hear someone recite: In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue…

by B. MYINT

Whether you call it Columbus Day or Indigenous People’s Day, one thing is for sure — today’s holiday churns up a sea of…

     By Colin Hancock

       Recently The Recording Academy® announced its Special Merit Awards recipients and this year's Lifetime Achievement Award honorees are Ruth Brown, Celia Cruz, Earth, Wind & Fire, Herbie Hancock, Jefferson Airplane, Linda Ronstadt, and RUN DMC. John Cage, Fred Foster, and Chris Strachwitz are Trustees Award honorees; and EMT and Dr. Harvey Fletcher are Technical GRAMMY® Award recipients.

          Today we focus on Lifetime Achievement honoree Herbie Hancock.

          Herbert Jeffery “Herbie” Hancock is one of the most prolific and influential Jazz musicians of the latter half of the 20th Century, his brilliant ideas on the piano and keyboards contributing much to the development of the genre, as well as many subgenres.

         A Chicagoan, Hancock grew up in a city where a community Jazz, Blues and R&B artists had been thriving since the 1910s, and his classical training led to an all around understanding and proficiency of his instrument. Initially working for Wayne Shorter and Miles Davis, and recording for the legendary Blue Note label, Hancock incorporated several experimental elements into his style and outlook on his own playing. He also began composing film scores and jazz tunes such as the immortal “Watermelon Man” and the theme song to “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids”.

                Herbie Hancock attends the 2015 Special Merit Award Ceremony. Photo courtesy of Naomi Richard.

      After going out on his own, he began recording for Columbia Records, and developed his signature Jazz/Funk fusion sound and playing around to world to sold out crowds. His tune from this time, “Chameleon”, is probably one of the most played jazz pieces of all time. Hancock continues to influence dozens of young musicians around the world with his revolutionary ideas and concepts, which he brought and continues to bring to jazz.

           When my high school jazz combo was looking for tunes to add to their repertoire both “Chameleon” and “Watermelon Man” were essentials. They were always crowd pleasers. Additionally, since Hancock and I share the last name, I felt it was my duty to honor him in that way.

          Winner of no less than 14 Grammy Awards, Hancock is truly a deity in the Jazz world, a living legend, and one incredible musician.

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