Herbie Hancock to headline 2013 Jazz Fest

GigCIty Edmonton Herbie HancockFor anyone old enough to remember the annual Playboy jazz poll, “Herbie Hancock on the piano” should have a familiar ring to it – and now he’s coming back to Edmonton, still going strong.

The multiple Grammy winner is a headliner at the 2013 Edmonton International Jazz Festival, performing Thursday, June 27 at the Winspear Centre. Tickets are $64.45 to $85.45 (plus service fees), and go on sale Thursday – Valentine’s Day – at the Winspear box office. Did we mention it makes a great gift? It makes a great gift.

Last seen in Edmonton with Wayne Shorter back in the ‘90s, Hancock has been in the vanguard of jazz since the ‘60s. He is member of the large and illustrious “played with Miles” club, an avid experimenter with electronic music whose songs even cracked the pop charts, and perhaps most importantly, a composer of a number of songs now considered “jazz standards,” such as Maiden Voyage, which will live forever. He is one of the few jazz guys to have won an Academy Award – for his work on the Round Midnight soundtrack – small shelf space next to his 14 Grammys, and of course, all those Playboy jazz poll honours.

In other news

Bruno Mars will be coming to Edmonton this summer, the singer announced on Ellen DeGeneres Tuesday. He’s touring behind his new album, Unorthodox Jukebox, and the Sting-like hit single therein. No firm date yet, probably summer, no venue announced, probably Rexall.

We totally called this, by the way.