Sting guests on Herbie Hancock Album, 'Possibilities'...

Herbie Hancock has remained seminal and innovative through four decades of music making, having won ten GRAMMY Awards, an Academy Award and countless other accolades for his various and influential work. The diverse lineup of artists who accepted Hancock's invitation to create and record music with him for his forthcoming duets album, Possibilities, is a testament to the breadth and magnitude of his impact. The genesis of the album was Hancock's vision of collaborating in studio to create music with some of the artists he most admires. The final list of collaborators is a diverse group of world renowned musicians who represent genres of music well beyond the world of jazz, including: John Mayer, Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan, Sting, Annie Lennox, Joss Stone and Johnny Lang, Paul Simon, Raul Mid??n, Carlos Santana and Angelique Kidjo, Christina Aguilera and Trey Anastasio. Possibilities will be released simultaneously at Starbucks Company-operated locations and traditional retail stores by Hancock Music, Vector Recordings and Starbucks Hear Music beginning August 30, 2005.

Herbie Hancock describes Possibilities this way: "This is real collaboration that we're doing here. It's all been decided at the session," and calls the album, "a record without borders, woven like a tapestry with many colors." John Mayer came to his session with a simple guitar phrase from which he and Hancock created a fully arranged song, replete with lyrics and a rhythm section of drums, bass and keyboards. Sting and Hancock freshly reinterpret Sting's song 'Sister Moon', from the album 'Nothing Like the Sun'.

As with the multi-platinum, eight GRAMMY-winning Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company, Starbucks will participate in all facets of the project's lifecycle - from facilitating production to distribution and marketing of the album, which will be sold in traditional retail outlets as well as at Starbucks locations.

"We have always admired the enormous talents of Herbie Hancock," said Vector principal Ken Levitan. "When Jack Rovner and I first learned that we might be able to work with Herbie, we immediately jumped at the opportunity. And for the relationship to begin with a project as exciting as Possibilities is more than we could have hoped for. There are very few artists whose contribution to music has been as substantial and original as Herbie Hancock's. It is a great privilege to be undertaking this project with him."

"We are honored to be working with Herbie Hancock and the unprecedented array of talented artists he has assembled to create this truly special event album," said Ken Lombard, president, Starbucks Entertainment. "Following the success of Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company, Possibilities reflects our ongoing commitment to working with innovative artists and labels to create unique projects which we believe our customers will embrace."

The newly formed Herbie Hancock's Headhunters '05 just performed their first live shows together, including this year's Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, TN, where Hancock will had the honor of being the festival's first Artist in Residence, performing with other artists and bands in the festival lineup. Herbie Hancock's Headhunters '05 features an all-star lineup of musicians, including Hancock (piano), John Mayer (guitar), Marcus Miller (bass), Roy Hargrove (trumpet), Kenny Garrett (saxophone), Munyungo Jackson (percussion), Lionel Loueke (guitar), and Terri Lynn Carrington (drums).

About Vector

Led by executives Ken Levitan and Jack Rovner, Vector Recordings has quickly become one of the most formidable organizations in music today, releasing acclaimed albums by artists such as Damien Rice, Queen Latifah and Joseph Arthur. Levitan founded Vector Management in 1986. Vector Recordings was formed in 2002 when he and Rovner - who had served as President of RCA and previously served stints at Columbia and Arista - combined their collective experiences, solidifying a label and management partnership. With offices in New York, Nashville and Los Angeles, Vector is comprised of individuals with a diversity of music business backgrounds, making for a team that can contribute to all aspects of its artists' careers.

About Starbucks Hear Music

Founded in 1990, and acquired by Starbucks Coffee Company in 1999, Starbucks Hear Music is the voice of music at Starbucks. Starbucks Hear Music is dedicated to creating a new and convenient way for consumers to discover, experience and acquire all genres of great music through its CD compilations and music programming for Starbucks coffeehouses worldwide, as well as its innovative partnerships with other music labels to produce, market and distribute both exclusive and non-exclusive music. In 2004, Starbucks Hear Music launched a 24-hour digital music channel with XM Satellite Radio (XM Channel 75), the Starbucks Hear Music Coffeehouse in Santa Monica where customers can select from over 15,000 CDs or burn their own custom mixes, and the Starbucks Hear Music - media bars, a service that offers custom CD burning at select Starbucks retail locations in Seattle and Austin. Starbucks Hear Music CDs are featured at Hear Music and Starbucks retail locations, as well as online at http://www.starbucks.com/hearmusic.

About Starbucks Coffee Company

Starbucks Corporation is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, with more than 9,000 retail locations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim. The Company is committed to offering the highest quality coffee and the Starbucks Experience while conducting its business in ways that produce social, environmental and economic benefits for communities in which it does business. In addition to its retail operations, the Company produces and sells bottled Frappuccino coffee drinks, Starbucks DoubleShot coffee drink, and a line of superpremium ice creams through its joint venture partnerships. The Company's brand portfolio provides a wide variety of consumer products. Tazo Tea's line of innovative premium teas and Hear Music's exceptional compact discs enhance the Starbucks Experience through best-of-class products. The Seattle's Best Coffee and Torrefazione Italia Coffee brands enable Starbucks to appeal to a broader consumer base by offering an alternative variety of coffee flavor profiles.