music matters

Robert Glasper was in Seattle this week for a 2-night run at Jazz Alley, and I caught his show on March 24.  He is touring with a quartet, billed as the Robert Glasper Experiment – Robert Glasper (piano and Fender Rhodes), Casey Benjamin (saxophone and vocoder), Derrick Hodge (bass) and Chris Dave (drums).  The group was in fine form, and played non-stop for over two hours, focusing on the funky, electronic side of jazz.

He started the show with solo piano.  Not sure if this was to put the crowd at ease or demonstrate that he can actually play the piano, but either way, it was a gentle and effective beginning.  From then on, the band was in full-on “Experiment” mode.  At one point someone in the crowd suggested a favorite, and he responded “Yeah, I like that one, too, but that’s a trio piece.”  Robert moved effortlessly from piano to the Fender Rhodes, sometimes playing both simultaneously.  Styles varied widely throughout the evening, moving from soul to jazz fusion to modern jazz to funk and back again.  The overall vibe was a mix of Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters, plus a little bit of modern jazz and pop thrown in.  This is the mashed-up sound of the future of music.

The playing was top notch, with Robert acting as bandleader from the side of the stage.  He took his fair share of solos (focusing on the vibe over all else), but managed to stay just left of center, allowing others to be in the spotlight for most of the night.  Casey Benjamin took center stage on many numbers.  His alto and soprano saxophone work was great, but I was even more impressed with his vocoder/keytar work.  For those unfamiliar with this musical device, it combines vocal sounds with an instrument (usually a synthesizer), producing a hybrid spacey sound.  Think “Mr. Roboto,” but not cheesy.  Many critics say the vocoder is a silly distraction from the music, but I disagree.  Casey Benjamin proves that it can be just as effective and exciting as other instruments.  Seeing the undeniable joy on his face while he was singing/playing the lead via vocoder was mesmerizing.

Chris Dave was forceful, adding rhythmic accents at every turn, and attacking the beat so ferociously that the venue was shaking.  It’s been a long time since I’ve seen so many heads bounce back and forth at a jazz show.  The bassist Derrick Hodge kept the groove anchored, and took a nice solo at the beginning of the show’s closing number, Open Mind, which he wrote.

Robert is known for fusing gospel, jazz and hip-hop, but I was not aware of his skills as an arranger.  He seamlessly combined his own material with Radiohead’s “All I Need” and Stevie Wonder’s “Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You).”  Each song flowed into the next, so the groove continued the entire night.  The final song must have lasted over 20 minutes, with the band pushing for one more round, obviously not wanting the music to end.  Overall, it was a very satisfying show.  And to think this is just ½ of his current repertoire, with the acoustic jazz work unrepresented on this tour.  We will be hearing much more from Robert Glasper in the coming years.

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This is a video from 2008 and gives you a feel for the “Experiment” sound.

This is off his Double Booked release and showcases the use of Casey’s vocoder.

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Roy Hargrove is at Jazz Alley this week in Seattle. I caught his excellent show on December 2.  He is touring with a quintet, and this current lineup is top notch – Justin Robinson (alto sax), Jonathan Batiste (piano), Ameen Saleem (bass), and Montez Coleman (drums).  Most material was from his 2008 release, Earfood, though he also performed some new songs as well.

He was definitely having a good time, often dancing offstage as others performed solos.  I was impressed that he didn’t hog the spotlight, and allowed the other musicians to shine.  In particular, Montez Coleman was on fire, adding rhythmic flourishes and accents at every turn, smiling ear to ear all night.  Also notable was pianist Jonathan Batiste, who added harmonic complexity in the background without overpowering the band.  Justin Robinson was a perfect foil for Roy, playing straight and slightly reserved, while Roy was bouncing around the stage.  Roy’s playing was wonderful.  He brought out his flugelhorn for a few numbers, and his tone was beautiful.  His solos were taught and inventive, and never showy.  He chose to focus on the songs and not himself.  All in all, it was a very enjoyable show, focusing on his acoustic jazz talent.  It’s hard to believe he is equally adept at soul/funk/hip-hop with his RH Factor band, and also is comfortable in a big band setting, as featured on his latest release, Emergence.

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