Jazz breaking news: Robert Glasper To Return With Black Radio
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Blue Note records has confirmed the release date of the latest album, the fourth for the label, by pianist Robert Glasper.
To come out on 28 February 2012 Black Radio promises to be one of the first major jazz and beyond releases of 2012.
The follow up to Double Booked, Glasper’s breakthrough 2009 album, which combined the two prevailing aspects of the 33-year-old Houston born pianist’s musical profile, jazz and hip hop, it featured his two bands – the trio and the Experiment.
Black Radio sees Glasper take the concept and run with it featuring the Experiment – saxophonist/vocoderist Casey Benjamin, bassist Derrick Hodge, and drummer Chris Dave – joined by a host of big names from hip hop and neo-soul including Erykah Badu, long term associate Bilal, rapper Lupe Fiasco who performed with Glasper and Kanye West at the Blue Note jazz club in New York earlier in the year, Lalah Hathaway, neo-soul diva Ledisi, rapper Mos Def on the title track, Musiq Soulchild, Meshell Ndegeocello and Stokley Williams.
Tracks are: ‘Lift Off/Mic Check’ (featuring Shafiq Husayn); ‘Afro Blue’ (feat. Erykah Badu); ‘Cherish The Day’ (feat. Lalah Hathaway); ‘Always Shine’ (feat. Lupe Fiasco & Bilal); ‘Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)’ (feat. Ledisi); ‘Move Love’ (feat. KING); ‘Ah Yeah’ (feat. Musiq Soulchild & Chrisette Michele); ‘Consequence Of Jealousy’ (feat. Meshell Ndegeocello); ‘Why Do We Try’ (feat. Stokley Williams); ‘Black Radio’ (feat. Mos Def); ‘Letter to Hermione’ (feat. Bilal); and ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ which Glasper performed at the Barbican last year when he appeared in a LJF double bill with Terence Blanchard. – Stephen Graham (photo: Tim Dickeson)
Robert Glasper returns to the London Jazz Festival held in association with BBC Radio 3, which begins on Friday, and runs over 10 days. He appears with the Experiment at XOYO in Old Street next week, on Wednesday 16 November, and also in Kings Place, Hall One, on Thursday 17 Nov. Glasper will also be conducting a masterclass in the Spirit Level of the Royal Festival Hall on Saturday 19 Nov at midday.
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