At the Walt Disney Concert Hall, in his eighty-second year of glorious living on this planet, Herbie Hancock and his talented band were nothing less than a musical revelation.
By John Lavitt
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 04-04-2025
As the Creative Chair for Jazz for the LA Phil, Herbie Hancock blesses Los Angeles with more than curating incredible shows yearly at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. Indeed, he graces both stages almost annually, bringing his very best to live performance, as he has done for so many years. With 14 Grammy Awards to his name, as the LA Phil describes him on their website, “Herbie Hancock is a true icon of modern music. Throughout his explora-tions, he has transcended limitations and genres while maintaining his unmistakable voice.”
First, the man’s virtuosity is beyond comparison. In his eighties, Herbie Hancock’s mastery of piano, keyboards, and keytar continues to express innovation and joy. Walking out onto the stage with his accomplished band, Hancock mentioned the dark times we face in the microcosm of Los Angeles and the macrocosm of the nation today. He pointed out that while still recovering from the devastating wildfires, we now watch as our country is set ablaze. Nothing else needed to be added because we all knew what he meant.
Thus, Herbie Hancock promised a night of consolation through the magic of music. Beyond his virtuosity, Hancock has the genius to assemble an incredibly talented band around himself. The second point needs to be underlined: As a bandleader, Herbie Hancock’s beneficent leadership is characterized by generosity. He allows each of his outstanding players to shine. The band is so good that it needs to be introduced, as Hancock does on stage:
- At the heart of the band, Terence Blanchard is an acclaimed trumpeter and a deeply respected composer. With over eighty film and television scores and a vast impact on modern jazz, he is also a virtuoso who loves playing with his old friend.
- Beyond being the bass player for the Saturday Night Live band for over a quarter of a century, James Genus is a genuinely versatile bass player. Indeed, he brought a soft precision to the instrument during his solos, making the deep tones sing across the hall.
- The youngest band member, Jaylen Petinaud, is a living dynamo on drums. A versatile Brooklyn drummer, Petinaud has already performed in multiple Broadway productions. His energy and verve keep the band moving forward with a rhythmic power.
- Lionel Loueke hails from Benin on guitar and vocals but plays like he comes from another dimension. He blends multiple genres and has collaborated with Hancock on numerous albums. His ability to layer multiple tracks together live is inspiring.
The Herbie Hancock band, with their hallowed combination of virtuosity and generosity, played an incredible live show at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The show ended with Herbie Hancock playing dueling solos on the keytar opposite Loueke’s guitar investigations.
Together, the two musicians jumped up and down for five minutes, playing with precision and passion. Indeed, it would be inspiring to watch such a performance by a performer of any age, but watching Hancock perform in his eighties was downright astounding.
