Review: Herbie Hancock and Terence Blanchard stage miraculous and marvelous St. Pete concert

Not many artists command a standing ovation from the moment they walk out onto a stage; but then again, not many artists have the musical clout and the impressive pedigree of Herbie Hancock. Considered a veteran and a legend in jazz music, the 84-year-old has played the piano virtuosically since he was a young child and has stayed musically active for the better part of the last 60 years. His accolades, awards, and achievements are too vast to describe here so, yes, Hancock deserved the hearty roar and standing ovation he was greeted with when walking out on stage at St. Pete’s Duke Energy Center for the Arts Mahaffey Theater on Sunday night for one of the fall's most anticipated concerts.

Accompanied by a four-piece band, whose individual members would have plenty of opportunities to shine throughout the performance, Hancock wore a simple black tunic and black slacks and looked fit and healthy. Greeting the audience in a warm and welcoming fashion, Hancock took the early opportunity to interact with the crowd and begin the series of short but charming in-between song banters to connect with patrons and give insight into the musical selections that were to be performed.

“I’ve been in the business a long time!” the stalwart jazz legend joked, before launching into the evening’s first piece. Alerting the audience that the show would kick off with an overture, Hancock continued “This will have little tastings of this and that. It’s not your typical overture. I just wanted to start off weird!” he laughed.

And, with that, what kicked off wasn’t so much weird as it was at times breathtaking and thrilling.

With a magnificent group of musicians helping him achieve his intended hodge-podge approach to an overture, it certainly helped to have another heavyweight at the center of the stage. Assisting in reaching the incredibly high level of greatness Hancock strived for, the duration of this 90-minute performance was about as top-level as one could hope for.

Highly decorated and multi-award-winning trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard, currently on tour as part of Hancock’s band, would be an enticing concert draw on his own. Seeing him onstage with Hancock, especially with his offerings of rich, heartfelt, sparkling playing that punctuated the early portion of the show’s initial overture section was enough to make this night an early win. Filling every crevice of the gorgeous venue with his full, emotive trumpet prowess, Blanchard set the bar high for each of the other band members onstage. And to the delight of those in attendance for this near-capacity concert, each other musician gladly rose to the occasion and showed off their unique brand of musical muscle themselves.
As Hancock switched off between a smaller electronic keyboard to the adjacent grand piano at his corner of the stage, the man showed off exactly why he’s renowned as a virtuoso in his field. Filling every possible moment in the opening piece, his mastery of the keys shone through brightly throughout the passage and added plenty of depth to the number. As the tension rose and subsided throughout the 30-minute movement, it was hard to tell how much of the performance was scripted and what was improvised. Based on the looks of approval and the nods that each musician exchanged throughout, it seemed evident that improv took the front seat for this dazzling piece.

West African-born guitarist Lionel Loueke added plenty of flair and color to the night’s selections. Aided by an impressive set of pedals and effects, Loueke was able to transform his guitar sounds to resemble the sweeping, dulcet tones of a harp as effortlessly as cranking out high-pitched squealing sounds from his rig, too. At one point, when praising Loueke and his unorthodox yet highly original style, Hancock joked “You got birds in there? You don’t have cats?” referring to the pedals and effects the brilliant guitarist employed.

Bassist James Genus kept the music on track and firmly grounded with his booming, yet subtle, basswork. Alternating between upfront funk and quieter, more demure tones, his playing was the foundation that supplied the solid base for the music that delighted audience members for every moment of this concert. At one point, while introducing his mighty gang of musical cohorts throughout the night, Hancock introduced Genus as “the genius,” and joked that the “I” in his last name had been inadvertently left out.

As part of the night’s setlist, Hancock announced that the band would be performing one of the standouts from the catalog of another jazz legend, saxophonist, and composer, Wayne Shorter. Describing Shorter, who passed away in early 2023, as his long-time best friend, Hancock seemed to want to include the 1966 composition as a remembrance of his friend and former bandmate. What followed was, again, a musical journey, thanks to an arrangement created by Blanchard, which was worth the price of admission alone.

On it, each band member again was given their opportunity to step out and shine, but it was drummer Jaylen Petinaud who stood out most and showed off his incredible abilities to add spice and bottom to the selection. Only in his mid-20s, Petinaud plays with the authority and flair of a veteran and did plenty to wow the audience for the duration of the night. At one point, Petinaud was playing so furiously that the cap he was wearing flew off his head, and his snare drum toppled over from the beating it was taking. No sooner than a stagehand had returned the drum to its position, the drummer returned to banging on it relentlessly to add drama and sparkle to his solo.

Hancock continued to keep up his playful tone throughout his between-song discourses while simultaneously leading his group through jaw-dropping performances. Audiences more familiar with Hancock’s later work got a taste of his 1983 electro-pop hit “Rockit” as part of a medley he and the band embarked on.

It was the show-closing tour-de-force performance of “Chameleon,” the opening cut from Hancock’s avant funk/jazz masterwork, 1973’s Head Hunters that drove the audience over the edge. From the moment Hancock strapped on his keytar and made his way around the stage, the audience felt the performance had reached a higher level of energy and responded accordingly.

At the age of 84, Herbie Hancock is without question a musical pioneer, an innovator, and a legend. The fact that he’s still dazzling audiences and sharing his innumerable musical gifts from a concert stage is nothing short of miraculous. Just ask anyone lucky enough to witness this incredible night of music with Hancock and his mighty band forging the path of true musical genius and insight.
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