Herbie Hancock and Lang Lang: the jazzman and the classical wonder pair up at the Hollywood Bowl

Herbie Hancock checks out the sunset from the balcony of his hotel penthouse overlooking Park Avenue. The jazz legend is waiting for his latest musical partner: Lang Lang, a young classical pianist who was born in China and has become its most famous international musician.

Spiky haired and energetic, Lang Lang suddenly sweeps through the door reaching his arms out to Hancock.

Mr. Young Ball of Fire embraces Mr. Gentleman Cool -- then they jostle and fist bump, each laughing. Lang Lang is dressed in white, from his safari-style suit right down to his loafers; Hancock is in black with a dark gray blazer, a detail he promptly reconsiders.

"Hey, I'm getting a white jacket for L.A., like you, from Versace," Hancock says, punctuating this with another of his trademark deep laughs made even deeper by a cold.

"What's wrong with you?" Lang Lang says, concerned. "You have a cold?"

Over the last month these mismatched collaborators have managed to cross cultures, generations and, most irreverently, musical genres to perform together in a concert series that culminates tonight and Saturday at the Hollywood Bowl.