Now, A Jazz Moment...

MUSIC: "E.S.P." CD: E.S.P., Columbia/Legacy CK 65683 (cut 1)

NEA Jazz Master Miles Davis made music beyond idiom. He straddled the worlds of jazz and pop, challenging the conventions in both genres. And in doing so, he inspired many devoted followers, like pianist Herbie Hancock.

Herbie Hancock: Now, Miles to me was the coolest of the cool, he was the epitome of the cool cat. So when I noticed that Miles would have album jackets of Jimi Hendrix or the Stones or the Beatles -- he was very open about music - I looked at myself and said, what's wrong with me? If Miles thinks it's cool, then it's gotta be cool. So, that's when I began to open up more. And I'm so glad I did. I do recommend that openness is the best policy. And to explore and find out as much about things as you can. Because music is not about music. Music at its best is about life. And so the more you develop your life, the more you expand and stretch yourself and the more you develop a broader palette, the more you have to express.

MUSIC: "Little One" CD: E.S.P., Columbia/Legacy CK 65683 (cut 3)

This Jazz Moment with Herbie Hancock on Miles Davis was created by the National Endowment for the Arts.