Hancock to bring world closer to music
By Han Sang-hee
Staff reporter
The world gets smaller every day through innovative tools such as the Internet, but this doesn't automatically mean people are more open and eager to accept one another's culture. That's why we need artists and projects that can help people get together and form a sense of unity.
The initiative for jazz pianist and multiple Grammy Award winner Herbie Hancock's new album ``The Imagine Project'' was just that: to ``celebrate the similarities and differences of all the various cultures in the world and worship the true human spirit.''
In an email interview with The Korea Times, the 69-year-old musician said one of the purposes of the album was to become a passageway to peace.
``Music is very powerful. We tend to choose music whenever we are going through an important day. It helps us remember those special days and places in our lives. That's why I try to inspire people through the lyrics. Through lyrics, people obtain hope for the future, and further learn the need to build a globalized future for our children and our children's children,'' he said.
Hancock was a child piano prodigy and began playing jazz in high school. Working with top artists like Miles Davis helped him grow as a successful jazz artist, and he has been teaming up with popular musicians throughout his career, including Sting, John Mayor, Christina Aguilera and Joss Stone. His openness to other genres and artists led him to create such an album, and hopefully, fans will appreciate his efforts as they listen to the songs.
The new album was recorded in a number of places; perfect to bring out the true spirit of globalization. Some songs were recorded in Paris, London and Los Angeles, others in Ireland and even India. Twenty fellow artists joined Hancock on his noble quest, adding much diversity to the album.
``The Imagine Project'' starts off with John Lennon's classic ``Imagine'' and continues with ethnic and distinctive numbers such as ``Don't Give Up,'' ``Tomorrow Never Knows" and ``The Song Goes On.'' The tracks live up to the spirit of the disc, with the voices of different, yet equally talented, singers harmonizing to the beat. It's a melting pot of voices, melodies, styles and nationalities.
``It was fun working with young artists. When I explained the concept of the album, everyone was thrilled,'' he said.
Considering the busy schedules each singer had, it was difficult to get everyone together at one time and record the album. But for this project, they didn't need to.
``When I contacted (the band) Tinariwen, they were in tour in Japan. The band agreed to join the album, and so they recorded separately in a Japanese studio and sent me the file of their part of the song `Exodus.' I received the file that came via the Internet from Japan, (rock band) Los Lobos recorded their part in L.A. and me and rapper and singer K'naan also pitched in. It fell right into the concept of the album,'' Hancock said.
One of the most difficult questions to answer, yet the most often asked, would be what his favorite song is. Like any other artist, Hancock agreed that it was hard to choose only one.
``It's like a contest. I hate it. But this album is actually the complete opposite from that. It's not like the songs have to be better than all the other ones. That means one song wins, while the others lose. I want all my songs to be winners,'' he answered.
The Internet may have helped Hancock create such an album, but it also imposed a threat to the overall music industry. Illegal downloading has become a serious problem all over the world, with younger artists striving to win their rights back and the older ones struggling to follow the fast-paced trend.
``Music obviously changes and evolves. But it changes with time. If one (genre) was popular in one era, that doesn't mean it will be in the next. Personally, I think the concept of trying to change people's (thoughts) and studying the new spiritual mind is risky, but it's good that it (means) trying out different things. That's how we discover new ideas for music. We learn and grow through change, and that is what I've been trying to do for the past 10 to 12 years when I start working on a new album,'' he said.
June 24 marks the singer's 70th birthday, and Hancock is planning to hold a special performance at Carnegie Hall on that day with his fellow artists who participated on the album.
``The content and the artists who will come are still a secret. If you come, I promise you will get to have a meaningful and fantastic experience,'' he said.
Herbie Hancock's ``The Imagine Project'' will be in stores June 21.