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Image via Nest HQ
Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, the legendary musicians who composed and played together alongside Miles Davis in Davis’ Second Great Quintet, have left an indelible mark on the world of music. The two have released numerous solo and joint projects, earned 25 Grammy Awards between the two of them, and crafted some of the most famous and influential music.
Recently, Nest HQ spoke with Shorter and Hancock, and asked them how the next generation of musicians can respond to the recent global tragedies. In response, the two penned a beautifully written open letter.
“From the horror at the Bataclan, to the upheaval in Syria and the senseless bloodshed in San Bernardino,” the letter begins, “we live in a time of great confusion and pain. As an artist, creator and dreamer of this world, we ask you not to be discouraged by what you see but to use your own lives, and by extension your art, as vehicles for the construction of peace.”
Hancock and Shorter then delve into more specific ways through which young artists can create new music that can help better the world, urging readers to “tap into the inherent magic that exists within our minds.” While the letter was written with an “artistic audience in mind,” the two legends want to ensure readers that their thoughts “transcend professional boundaries and apply to all people, regardless of profession.”
Read the inspiring letter in full over at Nest HQ.
