“Jazz on the Green” presents Robert Glasper Experiment this Friday, Oct 26

HOUSTON, TEXAS – Robert Glasper, the jazz pianist and High School for the Performing and Visual Arts alum, returns to Houston for a special performance of his jazz and hip-hop fusion at downtown’s Discovery Green, on Friday, October 26. With guest opener: HSPVA Jazz Orchestra.

Robert Glasper Experiment consists of Glasper on piano and Fender Rhodes, Casey Benjamin on vocoder and sax, bassist Derrick Hodge, and drummer Chris Dave.

In an interview with the Houston Chronicle earlier this year, Glasper spoke about his newly released fourth album, Black Radio (Blue Note Records), saying that he “wanted to create a project that could withstand the casualties of the poor quality of music that’s being shoved down our throats by mainstream radio.” He continues: “For this album, I really did it for the urban mainstream audience, because that’s what’s missing in jazz. I wanted to do stuff that the audience would love.” Hip-hop and R&B vibes fuel the record but at the heart of it, jazz is the word.

Ledisi at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, 2010 / photo: Wire Image

Grammy-nominee and noted jazz-R&B singer Ledisi, who’s one of many features on the LP, says, ”It [Black Radio] reminds me of a show that Robert would give where he’d have all of his friends come and hang with him, and just sing or write anything or make up something on the spot. But what I love about it; is that it’s introducing the world to his world, and that’s what’s special about it.”

Robert’s friends include a large list of respected neo-soul, R&B and hip-hop artists: Erykah Badu, Bilal, Lalah Hathaway, Lupe Fiasco, Chrisette Michele, Musiq Soulchild, Me’Shell Ndegeocello, Shafiq Husayn (Sa-Ra), Stokely Williams (Mint Condition) and yasiin bey (Mos Def).

Ledisi says, “He understands all music, not just jazz. He understands R&B, hip-hop. He’s worked with everybody. So there’s nothing he can’t do. And that’s what I admire about him; he’s very special in that way.”

On October 9, Glasper released Black Radio Recovered: The Remix EP, that includes new mixes by ?uestlove, 9th Wonder, Pete Rock, and Georgia Anne Muldrow, among others. 

Watch the above video featuring “Gonna Be Alright” by Ledisi as well as the title track “Black Radio” by yasiin bey. If you haven’t heard it yet, also take a listen to “Ah Yeah” featuring Chrisette Michele and Musiq Soulchild, which was the first single released from Black Radio, and one of my favorite tracks on the entire project.

Video by Robert Glasper/YouTube