Compiling a list of the greatest works of the last ten years is an inherently difficult proposition. The first complication lies in the fact that so many of my musical memories from the last decade are tied to recordings released prior to the period. Some of my best memories include the Charlie Parker song from 1950 that played at my wedding, the New Year’s Eve I first stumbled … [Read more...]
Vivian Sessoms – “The Best is Yet to Come” feat. Casey Benjamin (Stream)
Vocalist Vivian Sessoms is preparing to release the second part of her debut album, Life, a project that started out as a jazz album and found new threads of genres to fit in along the way. What results from the Chris Parks co-produced album is a different sort of covers album that finds soulful songs you may have always loved and gives them that certain little turn you weren't … [Read more...]
The Robert Glasper Experiment – “Find You” (Stream)
The Robert Glasper Experiment is back at it with the announcement of their newest LP ArtScience set to drop September 16th on Blue Note. But where do you go following two GRAMMY wins and numerous collaborations with the likes of Erykah Badu, Norah Jones and even Snoop Dogg? "You do you," says Glasper with a chuckle. "People need to hear what the Experiment sounds like, just … [Read more...]
Smells Like Teen Spirit: A Critical Analysis of Covers
Bringing outside influences into jazz and bringing jazz to other genres has been going on probably since there was a concept of jazz as a genre. Witness hip-hop and electronic producers sampling from jazz records and Robert Glasper playing J Dilla tunes. Witness David Bowie backed by a group of incredible jazz musicians, DJ Logic joining Medeski, Martin, and Wood, Miles Davis … [Read more...]
Robert Glasper Experiment feat. Yasiin Bey (Full Concert Video)
The Grammy-winning and now iconic Robert Glasper Experiment performed last March at the A Vaulx Jazz Festival in France. The group, formed by Glasper on keys, Casey Benjamin on vocals, keytar and sax, Derrick Hodge on bass and Mark Colenburg on drums was joined for the occasion by the one and only Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def). If you weren’t lucky enough to attend the show, h … [Read more...]