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Possibilities. L'autobiografia
In Possibilities, il leggendario pianista e compositore Herbie Hancock riflette su ben sette decenni di vita e carriera vissuti da vero innovatore, nei quali ha esplorato ogni genere musicale e lasciato un’impronta indelebile sul jazz, l’r&b e l’hip-hop, garantendosi al contempo il successo testimoniato dai quattordici Grammy Awards vinti. Dagli inizi come bambino prodigio al lavoro in quintetto con Miles Davis, dalle innovazioni introdotte come leader di un sestetto rivoluzionario alla collaborazione con musicisti del calibro di Wayne Shorter, Joni Mitchell e Stevie Wonder – passando per le sue influenze musicali, divertenti dietro le quinte, il suo matrimonio lungo e felice e il suo rapporto creativo e personale con il buddismo – queste pagine rivelano il metodo che si cela dietro l’innegabile genio musicale di Hancock. Illuminante e vitale come l’uomo che l’ha scritta, questa autobiografia è un prezioso contributo alla letteratura jazz e una lettura obbligata per gli appassionati e gli amanti della musica.
339 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
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About the author
Herbie Hancock
79 books24 followersHerbie Hancock is an American pianist, keyboardist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's Second Great Quintet, Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the post-bop sound. He was one of the first jazz musicians to embrace synthesizers and funk music. In his jazz improvisation, he possesses a unique creative blend of jazz, blues, and modern classical music, with harmonic stylings much like the styles of of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
April 29, 2015
Full disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from Penguin through the First Reads program. I should also say that I’ve been a fan of Hancock for over twenty years…basically since I was given “Miles Smiles” as a gift when I was teenager (though as a kid I was also obsessed with the music video for “Rockit”—so maybe my fandom really started there). But with that said, I knew very little about the man other than some basics: he’s a Buddhist technophile with whom I happily share a birthday. Luckily it was easy to devour this autobiography and fill in all of the details of Hancock’s life. Many of the chapters even end with a quasi cliffhanger (e.g., “But before that dinner was finished, all our lives would be turned upside down,” p. 263), which makes it almost impossible to not just keep pushing forward with the narrative.
Hancock spends a lot of time talking about his most important work and professional relationships: being taken under wing by Donald Byrd, the second great quintet and his Blue Note recordings, the Mwandishi days, the successes of the Headhunters, and even quite a bit about V.S.O.P. (the reunion of the second great quintet). Much of this sheds light on the behind of the scenes of the very, very human interactions between musicians. I particularly loved Hancock’s bits about Miles Davis, including his recollections of Davis’ enigmatic leadership: “Once, when he saw a woman stumble while walking down the street, he pointed at her and told us, ‘Play that’” (p. 61). He also has some choice words about Wynton Marsalis and his slavish devotion to “authentic” jazz. Great stuff.
That’s not to say that Hancock’s life outside of music is absent. He recounts some very personal (and, in one case, very shocking to me) truths about growing up with a bipolar mother, having complicated relationships with his siblings, courting his wife, and struggling with drugs and alcohol. With that said, I would recommend this book without reservation to anyone interested in Hancock, jazz, or the African-American experience in the mid- to late-20th century.
Hancock spends a lot of time talking about his most important work and professional relationships: being taken under wing by Donald Byrd, the second great quintet and his Blue Note recordings, the Mwandishi days, the successes of the Headhunters, and even quite a bit about V.S.O.P. (the reunion of the second great quintet). Much of this sheds light on the behind of the scenes of the very, very human interactions between musicians. I particularly loved Hancock’s bits about Miles Davis, including his recollections of Davis’ enigmatic leadership: “Once, when he saw a woman stumble while walking down the street, he pointed at her and told us, ‘Play that’” (p. 61). He also has some choice words about Wynton Marsalis and his slavish devotion to “authentic” jazz. Great stuff.
That’s not to say that Hancock’s life outside of music is absent. He recounts some very personal (and, in one case, very shocking to me) truths about growing up with a bipolar mother, having complicated relationships with his siblings, courting his wife, and struggling with drugs and alcohol. With that said, I would recommend this book without reservation to anyone interested in Hancock, jazz, or the African-American experience in the mid- to late-20th century.
November 25, 2016
While the biographical information on his early career with Miles and his first solo efforts was interesting, Herbie spends IMHO way too much time on his buddhism and it distracts from the musical autobiography I was expecting. I was flying through pages at one point hoping for some more musical data but kept getting religious data on his ashram or guru or whatever. Perhaps folks are interested in that side of HH, but I was more interested in the genius keyboard player and composer and came away wanting.
March 9, 2015
For a challenge, I had to read two books nominated for an audie award this year. This was one of them and to be honest, I had no idea who Herbie Hancock was before reading this. I am a 'rock/hard rock' kind of girl and I don't venture out of my comfort zone much.
So with that being said, I liked this book. It is interesting, when reading autobiographies/memoirs, to see what the writer thinks are the most important things and what kind of inner compass they have. For Herbie, I got the feeling that relationships were the most important thing and his career was a close second. He didn't talk about himself much if those two things were not involved. As far as his inner compass goes, he was driven by some sort of inner code that he remained true to. I admire that. He did what was important to him and didn't bend to the whims of others or to what others thought was best for him. His drug addiction, though, was something that enslaved him and he knew it.
Now for the writing......it was conversational writing. Reading this was like listening to a friend over a burger and a coke. Sometimes this particular style works and sometimes it doesn't. This one kind of falls in the middle of the two.
I give this 4 stars because it felt honest and humble. I admire the fact that he seemed to remain true to himself. He accomplished so much in his life.
So with that being said, I liked this book. It is interesting, when reading autobiographies/memoirs, to see what the writer thinks are the most important things and what kind of inner compass they have. For Herbie, I got the feeling that relationships were the most important thing and his career was a close second. He didn't talk about himself much if those two things were not involved. As far as his inner compass goes, he was driven by some sort of inner code that he remained true to. I admire that. He did what was important to him and didn't bend to the whims of others or to what others thought was best for him. His drug addiction, though, was something that enslaved him and he knew it.
Now for the writing......it was conversational writing. Reading this was like listening to a friend over a burger and a coke. Sometimes this particular style works and sometimes it doesn't. This one kind of falls in the middle of the two.
I give this 4 stars because it felt honest and humble. I admire the fact that he seemed to remain true to himself. He accomplished so much in his life.
January 26, 2017
Hancock put himself to a very hard task here, and pulled it off admirably. He has written a memoir of his life and career, a deep dive into the jazz world, while remaining thoroughly positive throughout. He hasn't a bad word to say about anyone, and he almost completely downplays the drugs, alcohol and sex which must have been pervasive around him. On top of that, he talks seriously about music, without ever getting very technical about it, and still manages to make this interesting. The result is a very upbeat and human picture. It's clearly only a partial portrait, but its a good one.
I first became aware of Hancock in the early 70s when he released the Headhunters album. My friend, Greg Cancoryn, who was one of three black kids in my school, first pointed it out to me, I think as Chameleon was played over a PA while we warmed up for a basketball game. He also turned me on to the Ohio Players (Love Rollercoaster, which sounded totally weird at the time), and was a big champion of Stevie Wonder.
Later on, I learned about him as I started to listen to more serious jazz. I learned Maiden Voyage and Dolphin Dance on guitar, and loved his early stuff like Watermelon Man, Canteloupe Island, Speak Like a Child and Empty Pockets. And I also loved the VSOP live album from the mid Seventies. For me, this has always been what I think of when I think of him, and the stuff with Miles. But the book makes me think I should look at later stuff as well, and I intend to do that.
I have rarely read about a musician who was so completely open to new ideas. In the beginning of the book, he said that he had a fondness for all things Avant Garde, from Stravinsky to Jerry Garcia, and that brought a big smile to my face. And as he describes his adventures in jazz, it seems pretty clear that his groups were trying to hit on a formula that was in many ways similar to what the Grateful Dead stumbled onto themselves. They just did it in opposite directions - Hancock became a great musician first, and then eventually found a way to play that would both please a wide group of people while allowing him to create the kind of "metamind" connection that only group improvisation allows. The Dead started with the idea of the "metamind," found their audience, and over the course of time developed into great musicians. But they both are using music to create a connection, between the musicians and with the audience, that would otherwise be impossible. And in doing so, especially in his Mwandishi phase, Hancock acknowledges that the experience can be sublime, like no other, or it can be terrible.
It was nice to read a music book that didn't focus on everyone's drug habits. But even here, it turns out that Hancock allowed himself to become a crack addict and had to go through rehab, but only once and got completely over it. I'm sure this was far worse than he makes it sound, and he even turns this phase of his life into something positive.
I do wish there was a musician who would get more into the nuts and bolts of the music, but I suppose that is too much to ask for a memoir which is supposed to sell some copies. For what it is, this was a very good book. It gave some great insights into a bunch of people - from Miles, to Joni Mitchell, to even Benny Goodman - and I'm very glad to have read it. And I look forward to listening to much more of Hancock's more recent work.
I first became aware of Hancock in the early 70s when he released the Headhunters album. My friend, Greg Cancoryn, who was one of three black kids in my school, first pointed it out to me, I think as Chameleon was played over a PA while we warmed up for a basketball game. He also turned me on to the Ohio Players (Love Rollercoaster, which sounded totally weird at the time), and was a big champion of Stevie Wonder.
Later on, I learned about him as I started to listen to more serious jazz. I learned Maiden Voyage and Dolphin Dance on guitar, and loved his early stuff like Watermelon Man, Canteloupe Island, Speak Like a Child and Empty Pockets. And I also loved the VSOP live album from the mid Seventies. For me, this has always been what I think of when I think of him, and the stuff with Miles. But the book makes me think I should look at later stuff as well, and I intend to do that.
I have rarely read about a musician who was so completely open to new ideas. In the beginning of the book, he said that he had a fondness for all things Avant Garde, from Stravinsky to Jerry Garcia, and that brought a big smile to my face. And as he describes his adventures in jazz, it seems pretty clear that his groups were trying to hit on a formula that was in many ways similar to what the Grateful Dead stumbled onto themselves. They just did it in opposite directions - Hancock became a great musician first, and then eventually found a way to play that would both please a wide group of people while allowing him to create the kind of "metamind" connection that only group improvisation allows. The Dead started with the idea of the "metamind," found their audience, and over the course of time developed into great musicians. But they both are using music to create a connection, between the musicians and with the audience, that would otherwise be impossible. And in doing so, especially in his Mwandishi phase, Hancock acknowledges that the experience can be sublime, like no other, or it can be terrible.
It was nice to read a music book that didn't focus on everyone's drug habits. But even here, it turns out that Hancock allowed himself to become a crack addict and had to go through rehab, but only once and got completely over it. I'm sure this was far worse than he makes it sound, and he even turns this phase of his life into something positive.
I do wish there was a musician who would get more into the nuts and bolts of the music, but I suppose that is too much to ask for a memoir which is supposed to sell some copies. For what it is, this was a very good book. It gave some great insights into a bunch of people - from Miles, to Joni Mitchell, to even Benny Goodman - and I'm very glad to have read it. And I look forward to listening to much more of Hancock's more recent work.
November 20, 2024
I don't have much in common with Herbie. I'm neither a jazz musician, black, American or Buddhist, nor am I particularly into sound engineering or winning Grammies. This was an entertaining and fascinating story though! I can't think of many other artists that have explored such a broad range of sounds in their music career. Admittedly some of it is pretty bad, but listen, it is creative. There were some nice reflections on the tensions between staying true to your creative vision vs "selling out" vs breaking free from the shackles of jazz snobbism. Please make sure you listen to the audiobook to hear Herbie tell it himself (complete with Miles Davis impersonations).
March 7, 2015
Pretty standard memoir fare. Some interesting thoughts and memories coming from pianist extraordinaire Herbie Hancock. You will learn what motivates the man to explore different genres of music, why he likes changing things up. You will also be given some behind the scenes interaction with fellow jazz greats, like Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter. Book moves at a good pace, and each chapter ends with a little teaser, to keep you pushing through. The last third or better of the book begins to feel like an infomercial for Buddhism. This is what drags the book from the great shelf. After Herbie embraces Buddhism, everything that happens good in Herbie's life is attributed to Buddhism and chanting. Win a Grammy, Buddhism. Finish a project in the nick of time, Buddhism. It becomes too much of a distraction and hurts the quality of the project. 3.5
March 14, 2020
I have only occasionally listened to jazz music over the years. While I have usually enjoyed somewhat that to which I have listened, it was never a big part of my listening pleasure. So, while I'm listening to this memoir/autobiography of Herbie Hancock I had good reason to listen (not part of the audio book, sorry) to some of his music. I am somewhat blown away at the joy his music brings. And Herbie's story of his musical career is a good way to accompany the music. I had to chuckle at the vision of a young black man going to engineering school in Grinell, Iowa, and attempting a jazz revival in the early '60s - truly an act of pure chutzpah. He seems to have only been mildly tempted with all the available drugs in the music scene of the time, and his spiritual journey veers away from the Western canon, but it still comes across as a modern success story.
June 28, 2025
Szczera opowieść o wzlotach i upadkach niezwykłego muzyka i człowieka. Mnóstwo anegdot i kulisów pracy największych ludzi nie tylko jazzu ale też rozwoju technologii i popkultury. Sztos i gradka dla fanów Herbiego, Milesa i Shortera!
July 14, 2018
Possibilities is the perfect title for quintessential jazz artist Herbie Hancock’s autobiography. Ever the innovator, he constantly comes up with new ideas for musical expression, then figures out how to put together the musical and technical components. He’s forever analyzing the elements of both musical and personal situations to come up with new ideas and best solutions. A master engineer as well as musician, he has expanded the boundaries of both jazz and electronic sounds, literally being key to creating new keyboard effects and moving music from analog-based to the digital era.
Even though he is super-talented, Herbie also deeply appreciates and gives credit to the musicians, technicians, and other professionals who have collaborated with him throughout his long career. He is a family man, married to the same woman while making over 100 albums in diverse jazz styles—many of these styles being his own innovations. Herbie is also a practicing Buddhist, which helps him to calm his super-active creative mind to allow the best ideas to surface, whether they apply to musical projects or personal challenges.
Herbie’s list of collaborators include his mentor Miles Davis, musicians Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Joni Mitchell, Bennie Maupin, Tony Williams, Ron Carter, Paul Jackson, and Freddie Hubbard; sound engineers David Rubinson, Bryan Bell, and Tomo Suzuki; digital innovators Alan Kay and the Industrial Light & Magic team; and directors Bertrand Tavernier and Michelangelo Antonioni. His bands include Mwandishi, Headhunters, and VSOP. In the early days he reworked jingles that he’d written for commercial products and enlarged them into fully developed jazz pieces. He has written several movies scores. He has been awarded an Oscar and several Grammys. Always looking forward, as Miles Davis taught him, he plays freely with different musical genres, incorporating them into his ever-expanding jazz-based repertoire.
There are plenty of personal stories in this book, many about his musical collaborations. Other stories are about his family and various personal difficulties that he has faced, including a long-time secret that revealed for the first time in this book. Some stories tell about how his faith has helped him solve problems. Others are about his friendships. There is plenty of humor in this book, and it’s especially delightful in the audiobook version, which Herbie reads himself. He is an animated and enthusiastic reader, alternating perfect comic timing with heartfelt emotion. His writing style is both precise and concise, not unlike his music (and he credits editor Lisa Dickey for her help). He breaks down his very long and complex story into perfect-sized cohesive chapters, delivering it all in under 350 pages, no small feat.
If you’ve ever enjoyed a Herbie Hancock tune or been to one of his many concerts, you will like learning more about this fascinating man. Most readers will be inspired to check out more of Herbie’s albums and movie soundtracks as well. If you’re a musician, Possibilities will inspire you to follow your own creative path, choose your collaborators carefully, and ignore advice that contradicts how you feel that you want to play. Anyone who enjoys jazz will like reading about this legendary artist, who is also a lovable, down-to-earth guy.
Even though he is super-talented, Herbie also deeply appreciates and gives credit to the musicians, technicians, and other professionals who have collaborated with him throughout his long career. He is a family man, married to the same woman while making over 100 albums in diverse jazz styles—many of these styles being his own innovations. Herbie is also a practicing Buddhist, which helps him to calm his super-active creative mind to allow the best ideas to surface, whether they apply to musical projects or personal challenges.
Herbie’s list of collaborators include his mentor Miles Davis, musicians Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Joni Mitchell, Bennie Maupin, Tony Williams, Ron Carter, Paul Jackson, and Freddie Hubbard; sound engineers David Rubinson, Bryan Bell, and Tomo Suzuki; digital innovators Alan Kay and the Industrial Light & Magic team; and directors Bertrand Tavernier and Michelangelo Antonioni. His bands include Mwandishi, Headhunters, and VSOP. In the early days he reworked jingles that he’d written for commercial products and enlarged them into fully developed jazz pieces. He has written several movies scores. He has been awarded an Oscar and several Grammys. Always looking forward, as Miles Davis taught him, he plays freely with different musical genres, incorporating them into his ever-expanding jazz-based repertoire.
There are plenty of personal stories in this book, many about his musical collaborations. Other stories are about his family and various personal difficulties that he has faced, including a long-time secret that revealed for the first time in this book. Some stories tell about how his faith has helped him solve problems. Others are about his friendships. There is plenty of humor in this book, and it’s especially delightful in the audiobook version, which Herbie reads himself. He is an animated and enthusiastic reader, alternating perfect comic timing with heartfelt emotion. His writing style is both precise and concise, not unlike his music (and he credits editor Lisa Dickey for her help). He breaks down his very long and complex story into perfect-sized cohesive chapters, delivering it all in under 350 pages, no small feat.
If you’ve ever enjoyed a Herbie Hancock tune or been to one of his many concerts, you will like learning more about this fascinating man. Most readers will be inspired to check out more of Herbie’s albums and movie soundtracks as well. If you’re a musician, Possibilities will inspire you to follow your own creative path, choose your collaborators carefully, and ignore advice that contradicts how you feel that you want to play. Anyone who enjoys jazz will like reading about this legendary artist, who is also a lovable, down-to-earth guy.
October 16, 2017
Listening to Herbie Hancock tell his story on the audiobook edition of "Possibilities" is a treat. His prose and his narration are both incredibly conversational, so it feels like having a cup of coffee with this jazz master, rather than laboring through a chronology of accomplishments.
Most rewarding for me was learning how remarkably stable he's been in a field that has taken down more than its fair share of talents. He certainly experimented with drugs, but got away from them quickly (though crack cocaine comes into his life in the 90's for a brief and transformative time). He's been married to his wife Gigi for decades. He is aware of his place in the jazz pantheon but maintains an admirable level of humility and seems genuinely gracious anytime he's acknowledged by his peers or fans.
A good deal of this book deals with Herbie's deep devotion to Nichiren Buddhism and his reliance on it as a spiritual path throughout his adult life. He and Wayne Shorter are both practicing Buddhists and their practice has anchored their journeys through the world of music and their personal lives. As a Buddhist myself (though from a different tradition), it was wonderful to hear how transformative Mr. Hancock's devotion has been for him.
Of course, then there's the music. "Watermelon Man", "Cantaloupe Island", "Rockit", his Grammy winning work on "River: The Joni Letters". His work with the legendary Miles Davis Quintet, The Headhunters, and Mwandishi, and all the stories of his friendships with jazz legends and other musical artists.
Finally, there's Herbie's rich curiosity, which led him to study technology and become an early adopter of a variety of techniques that changed his sound and put him on the forefront as a true musical innovator.
This is a book that any jazz fan will cherish. It's also a book that many Buddhists will appreciate. While a hard copy is always agreeable, this is one of the rare self-narrated books by a musician that holds up as you listen. Herbie's humor, heart, and ease with who he is comes through as he tells his story.
Most rewarding for me was learning how remarkably stable he's been in a field that has taken down more than its fair share of talents. He certainly experimented with drugs, but got away from them quickly (though crack cocaine comes into his life in the 90's for a brief and transformative time). He's been married to his wife Gigi for decades. He is aware of his place in the jazz pantheon but maintains an admirable level of humility and seems genuinely gracious anytime he's acknowledged by his peers or fans.
A good deal of this book deals with Herbie's deep devotion to Nichiren Buddhism and his reliance on it as a spiritual path throughout his adult life. He and Wayne Shorter are both practicing Buddhists and their practice has anchored their journeys through the world of music and their personal lives. As a Buddhist myself (though from a different tradition), it was wonderful to hear how transformative Mr. Hancock's devotion has been for him.
Of course, then there's the music. "Watermelon Man", "Cantaloupe Island", "Rockit", his Grammy winning work on "River: The Joni Letters". His work with the legendary Miles Davis Quintet, The Headhunters, and Mwandishi, and all the stories of his friendships with jazz legends and other musical artists.
Finally, there's Herbie's rich curiosity, which led him to study technology and become an early adopter of a variety of techniques that changed his sound and put him on the forefront as a true musical innovator.
This is a book that any jazz fan will cherish. It's also a book that many Buddhists will appreciate. While a hard copy is always agreeable, this is one of the rare self-narrated books by a musician that holds up as you listen. Herbie's humor, heart, and ease with who he is comes through as he tells his story.
February 8, 2022
Herbie Hancock's memoir is a very interesting read. He tells the story of his life from birth to 2014 (when the book was written) through significant events and the music he was playing. I'm familiar with his music and have heard him play with Chick Corea live, but did not know much about his music other than two of his songs, "Watermelon Man" and "Chameleon". I didn't know that at the age of 24 he was an integral part of the Miles Davis Quintet. He gave the best description I read of Miles playing by saying, "(he) played like a stone skipping across a pond".
In one sense, it's a typical musician's memoir - sex, drugs and ...music. But he gives a lot of background on why he recorded what he did and why he changed the type of music he played over the course of his career. It's almost an apologetic for making money in the music business (some called him a "sellout"). After hearing him explain why he moved from straight jazz, to funk, to electronic music, it is clear to me that he was evolving in his musical performances and always pushing the envelop (as Miles had taught him).
In 1986, he won an academy award for his original score to the film, "'Round Midnight". He includes much of his acceptance speech - and I'll quote part of it, because it seems to encompass what he is all about:
"In accepting this award I salute the same unsung heroes that you so boldly have chosen to applaud. Some are with us today and some are not. Many have suffered and even died for this music, this greatest of all expression of the creative spirit of humankind—jazz. From their suffering and pain we can learn that life is the subject, the story that music so eloquently speaks of, and it is not the other way around. We as individuals must develop our lives to the fullest, to strengthen and deepen the story that others can be inspired by life's song."
Herbie also talks extensively of his Buddhist beliefs - and the chanting he has done for 40+ years - to help him make his way through life. Ultimately, this is a book about music, creativity a person who always tried to improve himself, his music and look at life from a highly positive perspective.
In one sense, it's a typical musician's memoir - sex, drugs and ...music. But he gives a lot of background on why he recorded what he did and why he changed the type of music he played over the course of his career. It's almost an apologetic for making money in the music business (some called him a "sellout"). After hearing him explain why he moved from straight jazz, to funk, to electronic music, it is clear to me that he was evolving in his musical performances and always pushing the envelop (as Miles had taught him).
In 1986, he won an academy award for his original score to the film, "'Round Midnight". He includes much of his acceptance speech - and I'll quote part of it, because it seems to encompass what he is all about:
"In accepting this award I salute the same unsung heroes that you so boldly have chosen to applaud. Some are with us today and some are not. Many have suffered and even died for this music, this greatest of all expression of the creative spirit of humankind—jazz. From their suffering and pain we can learn that life is the subject, the story that music so eloquently speaks of, and it is not the other way around. We as individuals must develop our lives to the fullest, to strengthen and deepen the story that others can be inspired by life's song."
Herbie also talks extensively of his Buddhist beliefs - and the chanting he has done for 40+ years - to help him make his way through life. Ultimately, this is a book about music, creativity a person who always tried to improve himself, his music and look at life from a highly positive perspective.
July 12, 2018
Terrific overview of Herbie Hancock's life and career that will have long-time fans checking their record shelves for the albums that he references along the way. He gives a lot of credit to Miles Davis for the trust and faith he put in his younger musicians such as Tony Williams and Hancock at the time of the Second Great Quintet. Donald Byrd is actually probably the wisest mentor he had though as he advised Hancock to keep his own publishing from the beginning which obviously paid off enormously with hits such as "Watermelon Man" and "Rockit."
This is a good-natured bio and although Hancock discusses a temporary drug addiction that he had 20 years ago, there is little of a "tell-all" feel to this. The few slight negative comments about other musicians are about one player who was constantly late to performances and about another young trumpet star whose insecurities may have led to braggadocio and putdowns of others. That's it!
Hancock attributes a lot of his success to Buddhism and chant which he discovered fairly early in his life and that belief is regularly mentioned in its relation to his music and career in a very positive sense
Not-so-ghost writer Lisa Dickey (who gets full cover credit) structures many of the chapter endings like a thriller, with cliff-hanger ending sentences that make you want to read the next chapter immediately. Very cleverly done!
This is a good-natured bio and although Hancock discusses a temporary drug addiction that he had 20 years ago, there is little of a "tell-all" feel to this. The few slight negative comments about other musicians are about one player who was constantly late to performances and about another young trumpet star whose insecurities may have led to braggadocio and putdowns of others. That's it!
Hancock attributes a lot of his success to Buddhism and chant which he discovered fairly early in his life and that belief is regularly mentioned in its relation to his music and career in a very positive sense
Not-so-ghost writer Lisa Dickey (who gets full cover credit) structures many of the chapter endings like a thriller, with cliff-hanger ending sentences that make you want to read the next chapter immediately. Very cleverly done!
January 23, 2020
Possibilities is a book written by American Jazz/Funk musician Herbie Hancock. Hancock is one of the most successful jazz musicians to come out of the Chicago and this book is about his adventure through life as a musician. A classic "from rags to riches" story, I heavily enjoyed this book.
Herbie is a wonderful musician. As a jazz musician myself, I have listened to countless Herbie records and enjoyed the thoroughly. Herbie is also a wonderful writer. While reading this book, I felt as if Herbie was my grandfather, telling me of his life stories. Herbie uses detailed memory to bring these stories to life. From humble beginnings as a classic prodigy to inventing new technology a week before the gig, Herbie tells it all. This book does contain some swear words though. I personally enjoy them as it drives in the "grandfather" feel of story telling. What really makes this book feel real is that Herbie even speaks of the bad and the behind the scenes. Herbie speaks of drug addiction and how he found god.
Possibilities is one of the best biographic out there. If you love music and the "grandfather" feel of story telling, you'll love Possibilities.
Herbie is a wonderful musician. As a jazz musician myself, I have listened to countless Herbie records and enjoyed the thoroughly. Herbie is also a wonderful writer. While reading this book, I felt as if Herbie was my grandfather, telling me of his life stories. Herbie uses detailed memory to bring these stories to life. From humble beginnings as a classic prodigy to inventing new technology a week before the gig, Herbie tells it all. This book does contain some swear words though. I personally enjoy them as it drives in the "grandfather" feel of story telling. What really makes this book feel real is that Herbie even speaks of the bad and the behind the scenes. Herbie speaks of drug addiction and how he found god.
Possibilities is one of the best biographic out there. If you love music and the "grandfather" feel of story telling, you'll love Possibilities.
March 26, 2015
Any jazz fan, especially fans of the postbop 60s and beyond phases (including jazz-funk and jazz-fusion), will love this book: what's not to love with a beginning like: "I'm onstage at a concert hall in Stockholm, Sweden, in the mid-60s playing piano with the Miles Davis Quintet." Herbie Hancock tells his personal story amidst luscious details of music composition, performance, and recording. Part of that story is his adoption of the Buddhist "faith" (in this case, the Soka Gakkai/Nichiren tradition, best known for its "chanting,": "nam Myoho Renge Kyo") and how that continues to influence his life and what he makes of its "possibilities." There is an authentic innocence to the tone Hancock uses throughout the book, which I found endearing. You will learn a great deal about some of the great jazz musicians of the era, and gain a deeper understanding of how that music interacts with ways of thinking and being in the world. The "possible" link between jazz and Buddhism (especially the non-chanting-for-success varieties) becomes clear and will strengthen your interest in both.
May 12, 2019
When you listen to amazing jazz musicians you don’t think of them as doing anything but the music. Just cyphers to Jazz. So it’s incredibly adorable to think that when Herbie went off to New York to join a band they had to phone his mum up to get permission.
That is just too cute.
One of the things I love to do throughout the book was to play the tunes/ jazz players songs while reading so it becomes not just a reading experience but a listening one too. And that is really awesome.
Page 115 though and who pops up but Bill Cosby. Ooooooooooh dear. That’s a bit awkward.
Oh well we get through that and a bit about Scientology that was a bit worrisome but otherwise a great book. How exciting to be part of all these technology advancements. What an amazing time. It’s a really well written book too. A really enjoyable read about an incredibly engaging and talented person.
And his words about Miles Davis are so beautiful. It really got to me. What a lovely tribute
That is just too cute.
One of the things I love to do throughout the book was to play the tunes/ jazz players songs while reading so it becomes not just a reading experience but a listening one too. And that is really awesome.
Page 115 though and who pops up but Bill Cosby. Ooooooooooh dear. That’s a bit awkward.
Oh well we get through that and a bit about Scientology that was a bit worrisome but otherwise a great book. How exciting to be part of all these technology advancements. What an amazing time. It’s a really well written book too. A really enjoyable read about an incredibly engaging and talented person.
And his words about Miles Davis are so beautiful. It really got to me. What a lovely tribute
February 8, 2022
Really beautiful. Fascinating. I won’t ever look at the human spirit or the creative spirit the same. Personal journey, professional journey from classical pianist to experimental jazz and beyond, made me proud to be an American. Found this title by serendipity, and feel incredibly rich for it.
July 8, 2021
deep and sparing memoir.
May 21, 2022
Incredibly inspiring, a must read for all jazz musicians.
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September 24, 2018I wasn’t familiar with Herbie Hancock prior to listening to an interview with him on NPR, but after hearing him read an excerpt of his memoir, I knew I wanted to give this book a try. In the past I have been a fan of most musical genres except for jazz, but I have been attempting to appreciate it more because my 13-year-old son has recently become obsessed with playing jazz piano. I tracked down some of Herbie Hancock’s music online so that I could listen to the songs that he recorded as I read the behind-the-scenes stories about how they were created. Jazz is still not my favorite style of music, but this has been a fun way for me to gain appreciation for the genre, and I have enjoyed Hancock’s anecdotes about working with other famous musicians and finding success in the music industry. —Alyce (excerpted from Bookish's Staff Reads)
September 15, 2021
It was a good, breezy read. I would only recommend to fans of jazz, but if you like jazz, this book has a lot to offer in regards to stories and insight into how some of the best of it was made. Plus, Herbie exudes positivity, which is extremely refreshing. I can relate to him casting off his pretentious and snobby attitude in favor of embracing new ideas and compassion towards others. I can't say the writing is great, but it's serviceable. Overall, it was probably 3.5 stars.
Regardless, go listen to his music. It's so good.
Regardless, go listen to his music. It's so good.
September 10, 2024
Was excited to read this because the song/video of rock it was very impactful to me as a kid. Did not know the depth of his life of music, so this was a great autobio
June 29, 2025
Listened on Audible. Highly recommend listening for Herbie’s impersonations of Miles and others. Lots of fun and interesting anecdotes and jazz lore.
June 1, 2022
Very good, and then, I'm sorry to say, very repetitive.
June 7, 2025
Very interesting as a jazz musician!
October 2, 2022
In assessing memoirs/biographies, I'm never sure whether I review the life lived or the storytelling of that life. And it's hard for a figure to take on their memoir without coming off like a self-indulgent egomaniac.
Nonetheless, Herbie Hancock comes off as one of the most interesting men in all of music. He has played with anybody and everybody who has come to him with a forward-looking concept, or who buys in to whatever his vision for a project happens to be. From his origins as a math-science nerd who played classical piano at the urging of his parents to the musical visionary we all know and love, he lovingly and thoroughly chronicles his journey. Equally insightful with the people and projects, you learn quite a bit about both—that two words of praise from Miles Davis could make your month, let alone your day; that salesmanship from Herbie's managers and producers to record label executives saved more than one groundbreaking project from the scrap heap; that Herbie learned well from Miles the trait of always looking at the horizon for the next thing, if not with the art than with the application of technology; that Herbie had to overcome his own musical snobbery to truly follow his instincts.
I also gained some insight into Buddhism, which has clearly made a huge difference in his life. I didn't find this discussion to be as overbearing and distracting as some others, but I won't start my own practice right quick, either.
For learning how one man has forged his musical path through life, it doesn't get much better than Herbie Hancock pulling back the curtain in this must-read for any music lover.
Nonetheless, Herbie Hancock comes off as one of the most interesting men in all of music. He has played with anybody and everybody who has come to him with a forward-looking concept, or who buys in to whatever his vision for a project happens to be. From his origins as a math-science nerd who played classical piano at the urging of his parents to the musical visionary we all know and love, he lovingly and thoroughly chronicles his journey. Equally insightful with the people and projects, you learn quite a bit about both—that two words of praise from Miles Davis could make your month, let alone your day; that salesmanship from Herbie's managers and producers to record label executives saved more than one groundbreaking project from the scrap heap; that Herbie learned well from Miles the trait of always looking at the horizon for the next thing, if not with the art than with the application of technology; that Herbie had to overcome his own musical snobbery to truly follow his instincts.
I also gained some insight into Buddhism, which has clearly made a huge difference in his life. I didn't find this discussion to be as overbearing and distracting as some others, but I won't start my own practice right quick, either.
For learning how one man has forged his musical path through life, it doesn't get much better than Herbie Hancock pulling back the curtain in this must-read for any music lover.
August 12, 2015
Herbie Hancock si racconta in questo splendido libro, tenendo il lettore di fronte a se e svelandogli molti segreti, amari e dolci, che lo hanno portato a rivoluzionare il mondo della musica. Da ragazzo prodigio all'incontro con il colosso del Jazz (e non solo) Miles Davis che con il suo modo di fare diretto e incisivo ha permesso ad Herbie (e ai ragazzi del secondo quintetto) di esplodere e valicare i limiti imposti da schemi musicali obsoleti. Herbie osa andare oltre, necessita di una mano interiore che gli sarà fornita dal Buddhismo e dalla sua famiglia, oltre che inevitabilmente dalla droga. Sono francamente entuasiasta di questa autobiografia che mette in luce vari aspetti di un artista straordinario che io adoro sopratutto per il periodo funk fusion degli anni 70.
February 7, 2018
I'm a keyboard player and I love Jazz. Herbie Hancock is perhaps the greatest living Jazz musician (certainly in the top 5) and one of the all time greats, in my opinion up there with Miles. I enjoyed the book and liked his first hand perspective on the jazz scene from the early 60s to the present, of course concentrating on those earlier days and the fusion era. As a writer of fiction, there were a few times that I thought he dropped the thread of the story, for instance, he talked about his family quite a bit until his first taste of success and then they weren't mentioned again for quite a while. What was their reaction to his success? We don't know. That being said, I feel the strengths of the book outweigh these little gripes and I put it as a solid 5-star book.
March 26, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It took me quite a while to finish it, but I think that's just because I'm a slow reader. I read it over the course of two different trips recently.
The writing is a little bit wooden, but not bad enough to take you out of if. The overall vibe of the book is positive and I now have even more respect for Hancock and his music. It was fun to listen to the albums he talks about creating and knowing all sorts of background information.
If you're at all into music, especially jazz, I'll bet you'd enjoy it.
The writing is a little bit wooden, but not bad enough to take you out of if. The overall vibe of the book is positive and I now have even more respect for Hancock and his music. It was fun to listen to the albums he talks about creating and knowing all sorts of background information.
If you're at all into music, especially jazz, I'll bet you'd enjoy it.
November 23, 2014
I was really looking forward to this book, but I found it kind of dull. the best parts were in the first half and middle of the book where he talks about his work with Miles, Mwandishi, and the Headhunters. After that I think it kind of fizzles out.
I also struggle with the fact that a devout Buddhist wrote an autobiography.
I also struggle with the fact that a devout Buddhist wrote an autobiography.
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