As one of the more--er, most--prestigious and distinguished lectures, the latest series comes to us from, yes, Harvard's Norton Lectures. And yet, following in the footsteps of comrade T.S. Eliot and American traditionalist Robert Frost, Herbie Hancock delivered his 6-installment series from the footsteps of the most notable American institution for higher education.
Hancock was appointed the Professorship in Poetry for his poetic expression in language, music, or fine arts--or perhaps all of the above.
And thanks to the fine folks at Open Culture, the first three of Herbie's lectures are up for our viewing pleasure.
"The choice of Herbie Hancock as this year's Norton Professor of Poetry," writes Josh Jones, "seems an overdue affirmation of one of the country's greatest artistic innovators of its most unique of cultural forms."
"The first jazz composer and musician--and the first African American--to hold the professorship," he continues.
So without further ado, we present the first three of Hancock's interpretation of the poetic landscape he helped to cultivate steadfastly in all forms of art.
The Ethics of Jazz
Breaking the Rules
Cultural Diplomacy and the Voice of Freedom
