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Herbie tips his lid to lessons from Lang Lang
By Yao Minji |
May 30, 2010, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
HERBIE Hancock, a 12-time Grammy Award winning jazz legend, performed in the Entertainment Hall of the Expo Puxi site earlier this month.
He featured in a concert titled "Jazz: an American Tradition," with two-time Grammy Award winning jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and young musicians from the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Ensemble.
Hancock was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2008, after winning the Grammy for Best Album in 2007 with "River: The Joni Letters." He was the first jazz musician to receive the honor in 44 years.
The 70-year-old pianist and composer moved temporarily into the classic music world last year for a dueling-keys performance with Shanghai classic pianist Lang Lang.
The collaboration has left him with quite an impression.
Q: How was your collaboration with Lang Lang?
A: We forged quite a friendship and learned a lot from each other. It was the first time that Lang Lang improvised, not common for a solo classic pianist like him. I learned a lot from him in terms of the classical side, such as how to approach the music. I was also surprised when he said you don't have to be so concerned about strictness even when you play classic music.
Q: How do you feel about being so honored by Time?
A: I was very honored to be selected as one of the 100 influential by Time. Incidentally, Lang Lang was also selected a year after. My purpose in playing music is to bring people together. And jazz music is a great cultural vehicle to achieve this, reflecting the whole spirit of teamwork.
Q: Did you have a special approach for the Shanghai concerts?
A: Because we are in Shanghai, every note in our performances reflects what we are feeling in Shanghai. I hope to be as embraceable as possible so we, musicians and audiences, can feel the heart.
Q: What's the significance of bringing jazz music from America to the Expo in Shanghai?
A: China in the past was like a sleeping giant. Today, the world has so much hope and expectation about what China is able to achieve. America is a country of immigrants. We are connected to all other countries in the world, and China is one of them. Jazz represents the heart of human spirit rising up against hard situations. Jazz has been embraced because of this spirit. And the spirit of this Expo says so much about China, "better city, better life."
He featured in a concert titled "Jazz: an American Tradition," with two-time Grammy Award winning jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and young musicians from the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Ensemble.
Hancock was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2008, after winning the Grammy for Best Album in 2007 with "River: The Joni Letters." He was the first jazz musician to receive the honor in 44 years.
The 70-year-old pianist and composer moved temporarily into the classic music world last year for a dueling-keys performance with Shanghai classic pianist Lang Lang.
The collaboration has left him with quite an impression.
Q: How was your collaboration with Lang Lang?
A: We forged quite a friendship and learned a lot from each other. It was the first time that Lang Lang improvised, not common for a solo classic pianist like him. I learned a lot from him in terms of the classical side, such as how to approach the music. I was also surprised when he said you don't have to be so concerned about strictness even when you play classic music.
Q: How do you feel about being so honored by Time?
A: I was very honored to be selected as one of the 100 influential by Time. Incidentally, Lang Lang was also selected a year after. My purpose in playing music is to bring people together. And jazz music is a great cultural vehicle to achieve this, reflecting the whole spirit of teamwork.
Q: Did you have a special approach for the Shanghai concerts?
A: Because we are in Shanghai, every note in our performances reflects what we are feeling in Shanghai. I hope to be as embraceable as possible so we, musicians and audiences, can feel the heart.
Q: What's the significance of bringing jazz music from America to the Expo in Shanghai?
A: China in the past was like a sleeping giant. Today, the world has so much hope and expectation about what China is able to achieve. America is a country of immigrants. We are connected to all other countries in the world, and China is one of them. Jazz represents the heart of human spirit rising up against hard situations. Jazz has been embraced because of this spirit. And the spirit of this Expo says so much about China, "better city, better life."
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