Hitting the right notes - Herbie Hancock on stage at the U of S

Jazz legend Herbie Hancock livened things up in the Peter MacKinnon Building June 24 and 25 as he and his band took over Convocation Hall to rehearse for their appearance at the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival in Saskatoon, the first date on a western Canadian tour.

By Kris Foster Jun 26, 2013

Dean McNeill, professor in the Department of Music and the person who arranged for the four-piece band to use Convocation Hall for the private rehearsal, said Hancock's "significance and influence within the jazz tradition and beyond, over multiple decades, cannot be overstated. He is, quite literally, a living legend."

Hancock is a multiple Grammy Award winner and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue. When McNeill heard Hancock needed a good piano for the rehearsal, he knew what the university could do to help. "We're fortunate to have the 10-foot Bechstein grand recently donated by Roger and Marie Jolly," said McNeill. "Having one of the finest pianos in the world in Convocation Hall was pivotal in helping bring this wonderful opportunity to campus."

Photos by Matt Luciuk