Herbie Hancock plays at the beach

It’s a rare feat for a jazz musician to win a Grammy for Album of the Year, but pianist Herbie Hancock pulled it off with his 2007 release, “River: The Joni Mitchell Letters.” During his five-decade career, Hancock has helped not only to advance the jazz genre, but to pioneer innovations in the realms of hip-hop, R&B, techno, fusion and pop. Hancock will be at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom on Wednesday, Aug. 13, for an 18-plus show beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 to $60.

The Chicago native was performing Mozart piano concertos by the age of 11, but steered toward jazz in high school and college. In 1963, he joined Miles Davis in what would become known as Davis’ second classic quintet, alongside saxophonist Wayne Shorter, drummer Tony Williams and bassist Ron Carter. The group stayed together for five years and recorded a number of classics, including “ESP,” “Nefertiti” and “Sorcerer.” Even after the group disbanded, Hancock continued to collaborate with Davis on such masterpieces as “In a Silent Way,” “Bitches Brew” and “A Tribute to Jack Johnson.” 

Hancock also pursued a solo career while working with Davis, recording albums like “Maiden Voyage,” “Empyrean Isles” and “Speak Like a Child,” as well as a number of film and television scores. In his post-Davis years, he immersed himself in the funk and soul craze that permeated more mainstream music. He formed a band called The Headhunters, which released the album “Head Hunters” in 1973. It is perhaps the most recognized electronic jazz fusion album of all time.

Before the 1970s were over, Hancock would see 11 of his albums hit the pop charts. Music he made during the decade later became fodder for hip-hop artists, who have copiously sampled his work. Hancock also continued to create acoustic jazz, at times working with other pianists like Chick Corea and Oscar Peterson.

By the 1980s, Hancock was already a jazz legend. He began producing albums, including trumpeter Wynton Marsalis’ solo debut. But Hancock also continued to manufacture his own creative and pioneering material, releasing “Future Shock” in 1983. The platinum album included the single “Rockit,” which won a Grammy for R&B Instrumental and produced a music video that won five MTV awards.

Hancock’s string of award-winning albums and scores continued through the next two decades, and in 1999 he and two partners started the multi-media music company “Transparent Music,” dedicated to promoting groundbreaking material. He has released two collaborative albums in the 2000s. The first, 2001’s “Future2Future,” included a number of hip-hop and techno artists who were influenced by Hancock’s work. The second, 2005’s “Possibilities,” featured a range of popular artists, including Sting, Carlos Santana, Christina Aguilera, John Mayer, Paul Simon, Annie Lennox, Joss Stone and Damien Rice.

“River” took Hancock in yet another new direction. He reworked a number of singer Joni Mitchell’s songs, sprinkling them with his distinct piano ornamentation. The album, featuring old band mate Wayne Shorter on saxophone, also includes guest appearances by artists like Norah Jones, Tina Turner, Leonard Cohen and Mitchell herself.

The Jazz Journalists Association named Hancock Musician of the Year during its annual award ceremony in June. His performance at the Casino Ballroom comes just days after his appearance at Newport’s JVC Jazz Festival on Sunday, Aug. 10. For tickets to the show in Hampton, call 603-929-4100. 

Ameranouche to play Newport 

Speaking of the JVC Jazz Fest, a local New Hampshire band is featured on the schedule, maybe for the first time ever. Gypsy jazz trio Ameranouche will perform at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, R.I., on Sunday, Aug. 10 at 11 a.m., opening for saxophone legend Sonny Rollins and pianist Herbie Hancock.

The trio, consisting of lead guitarist Richard Sheppard, rhythm guitarist Ryan Flaherty and upright bassist Xar Adelberg, is one of six acts selected by OurStage.com to play opening slots in Newport’s jazz and folk festivals. Ameranouche was also recently voted New Hampshire’s best jazz group of 2008 by readers of New Hampshire Magazine.

Influenced heavily by gypsy jazz guitar pioneer Django Reinhardt, Ameranouche plays standard and original acoustic jazz tunes. Headquartered on the Seacoast, the band has shows scheduled throughout the Northeast over the next few months, and a new album is due out in September.

Pianist George Wein started the Newport Jazz Festival in 1954. It was the first outdoor jazz festival of its kind and has come to be recognized as the longest running and most renowned jazz fest. It became known as the JVC Jazz Festival in the mid-1980s and is now held in several locations every summer. Over the years, the festival has included memorable performances by Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Count Basie and many other jazz legends.

The 2008 festival, which runs from Aug. 8 to 10, also features such glowing names as Chris Botti, Aretha Franklin, Wayne Shorter, Charlie Haden and Soulive. For festival tickets, call 877-655-4849. For more on Ameranouche, visit www.ameranouche.com.