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Robert Glasper Experiment: Black Radio
ByThis project features one of the pianist's working bands, the Robert Glasper Experiment, augmented by a starred list of names who are well recognized in and outside of mainstream music: Erykah Badu, Bilal and MeShell NdegeOcello, to name a few. The threads are jazz but the woven tapestry is comprised of fresh urban soul music that rocks, bounces, and chills, caring little about labels. "Lift Off" sets up the program, beckoning to the sounds of a late night DJ, followed by the crooning of Badu's sultry voice in "Afro Blue."
This release illuminates a continued legacy of gifted artists. Lalah Hathaway (daughter of the great soul singer Donny Hathaway) provides silky lyrics in "Cherish The Day," a tune that juxtaposes the singer's voice with electronics and tight beats. On the finger snapping "Ah Yeah," drummer Chris Dave drives incisive beats against a chorus of gorgeous voices while Glasper provides his usual gossamer pianism. The emerging bassist Derrick Hodge holds the bottom in check while the multi-talented Casey Benjamin plays a variety of reeds and electronic instruments throughout. The tracks are uplifting and stimulating. Rapper Lupe Fiasco dishes out cerebral sustenance on "Always Shine" and underground hip hop activist Yasiin Bey's (aka Mos Def) freestyle improvisation on the title cut articulates the title's theme, an analogy between music and an aircraft's "black box": real music is crashed tested.
Black Radio is not overtly meant to be a commentary on today's Black music industry though it does represent a vivid document of talented artists who are pursuing the art-form on their own terms. From the sampled conversation of artists discussing the music environment to the "call and response" vocal arrangements with natural and processed voices, the music is ripe with artistic liberties. With the Robert Glasper Experiment, there are no boundaries. To top it off, they even provide a unique rendition of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," proving that even grunge can groove with a little jazz and soul added.
Track Listing
Lift Off; Afro Blue; Cherish The Day; Always Shine; Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B); Move Love; Ah Yeah; Consequence Of Jealousy; Why Do We Try; Black Radio; Letter To Hermione; Smells Like Teen Spirit.
Personnel
Robert Glasper: piano (1-12), Rhodes (1-9, 12), synthesizer (10); Casey Benjamin: vocoder (1, 3, 4, 8, 12), flute (2, 11), saxophone (3, 6, 9, 10), synthesizer (3-5, 12); Derrick Hodge: bass (1-12); Chris Dave: drums (1-12), percussion (9); Jahi Sundance: turntables (1, 8, 10, 12); Shafiq Husayn: vocals (1); Erykah Badu: vocals (2); Lalah Hathaway: vocals (3, 12); Lupe Fiasco: vocals (4); Bilal: vocals (4, 11); Ledisi: vocals (5); Amber Strother: vocals (6); Anita Bias: vocals (6); Paris Strother: aux keys (6); Musiq Soulchild: vocals, snapping (7); Chrisette Michele: vocals (7); Me'Shell Ndegeocello: vocals (8); Stokley: vocals (9), percussion (9, 12); Yasiin Bey: vocals (10).
Album information
Title: Black Radio | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Blue Note Records
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