Renowned jazz pianist Herbie Hancock in the company of Arthur Gracias in 1980, Culcutta, India. Herbie was on his way to play for the King of Thailand.
Currently Herbie Hancock is the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in support of International Jazz Day which is held on the 30th April each year.
“International Jazz Day is a means to highlight, support, and leverage the unifying attributes of music through worldwide celebratory events and activities on 30th April each year,” said Herbie Hancock. “On International Jazz Day, jazz is celebrated, studied, and performed around the world for 24 hours straight. Collaborations abound among jazz icons, scholars, composers, musicians, dancers, writers, and thinkers who embrace the beauty, spirit, and principles of jazz, freely sharing experiences and performances in our big cities and in our small towns, all across our seven continents.”
“Jazz has been the voice of freedom for so many countries over the past half century .”
More information about Herbie Hancock, and International Jazz Day can be found here:
UNESCO website – International Jazz Day Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock