Will start with this:

Spend some time with this:

And end where the spirit leads me.
94 today.
Will start with this:
Spend some time with this:
And end where the spirit leads me.
94 today.
Thanks to WCLK I learned of the Schemes and Dreams Foundation benefit concert on May 5. The featured performer for the evening was the Robert Glasper Experiment. At last I would finally get to see Glasper and the group in action after missing the opportunity to do so at Jazz Fest last year.
About the Benefit
Schemes and Dreams “is a 501(c)(3) based in Atlanta, Georgia that teaches our youth the value of nourishing their creative outlet while also creating a path to wellness and personal success. We provide programs for at-risk youth that avidly support them in formulating progressive schemes to follow and become their dreams.” The audience was able to enjoy the fruits of the foundation’s music program in the form of Jazz Future, a group of high school students.
Openers
Jazz Future played a short set featuring a few standards and closed with a lively take on Roy Hargrove’s Strasbourg/St. Denis. Following Jazz Future were the Be-Hip All Stars. A collective of musicians who are all artists on Be-Hip Records. Standout performances from the collective came from Akeem Marable on saxophone and Lester Walker on trumpet. The collective closed with a nice rendition of Donald Byrd’s Alter Ego.
The Closer
The Robert Glasper Experiment entered the stage with Glasper thanking the audience for supporting Black Radio while making jokes about his belly, the Best R&B Album Grammy awarded to the group for the album, and how people think that he has all the artists that appeared on the album in his pocket. What we found out on this evening, was that it doesn’t matter who this group has in its company, it can play with anyone and play anything.
Set List (as I recall it)
All I Need (Radiohead)
Think Twice (Donald Byrd/Erykah Badu)
No Church in the Wild (Jay-Z, K West, F Ocean)
Cherish the Day (Sade)
I think I’m In Love (Unknown title and artist)
Onstage Intermission
Ah Yeah (Glasper/Musiq/C Michele)
Solo
All Matter (Glasper/Bilal)
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)
Letter to Hermione (D Bowie/Glasper/Bilal)
Encore -Say Yes (Floetry)
This set list is an excellent representation of what the Robert Glasper Experiment is about, a cross genre musical exploration, with a jazz foundation. All the songs were at once recognizable, but were interpreted to be more funky, more mellow, more jazzy or more striking than the original. I loved every single minute of the performance but was particularly enthralled with their interpretations of No Church in the Wild, Cherish the Day and Smells Like Teen Spirit.
The Solos
Drummer Chris Dave is THE Funky Drummer that James Brown sang about it. Bassist Derrick Hodge has some bass virtuoso chops and is newly signed to Blue Note Records. Saxophone, Flautist, Vocalist Casey Benjamin can do everything. I’m not much of a vocoder person but Benjamin is GIFTED, he makes it sound sweet and there was all manner of swooning going on during Ah Yeah and Say Yes. Then there’s Glasper.
Glasper sat alone on stage under a red light. His playing, I’d like to describe as waves of sound. Not crashing waves, but continuous, consistent ones. These waves are produced on what sounds like five pianos/keyboards at a time. I did not recognize the songs that he played, what I did recognize was his technical prowess and his touch — waves.
Wrap-up
This Experiment is successful. The versatility, skill and musicianship of the band was on full display as evidenced by the set they played. The performance was seamless with some playful bits from Glasper interspersed. What I really enjoyed about this show was that the music was the star. As great as Glasper and his band mates are, the music they played moved the crowd and at the end of the day what else can you ask for.
If the Robert Glasper Experiment comes to your town, queue up for a ticket if you want to hear and experience something that will stretch your musical sensabilities.
For more information about the Robert Glasper Experiment and upcoming tour dates please visit the website.
(Note: Black Radio 2 is complete, some of the artists on the next release include Brandy, Faith Evans, Jill Scott and Dwele. Stay tuned.)
I know a good ticket when I see one and this ticket was a deal. For $40 + all those ridiculous surcharges, on Friday night October 19, the old broad headed to Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center for the Ladies of Jazz show featuring Terri Lyne Carrington and Esperanza Spalding.
The Scene
Last time I went to the Center was four years ago. Having been open only a few months at the time, it was a sparkling facility and it’s just as sparkling now as it was then. The ushers were very friendly and helpful, the bathrooms and common areas were spotless. Upon being seated in the auditorium the crowd seemed to be fairly light. Which was unusual because for a Friday evening, there were no traffic snarls on the way to the venue. Little did I know that there would indeed be a full house. People were just late and not even fashionably late but rudely late. Many arriving halfway through the first artist’s set. Atlanta music patrons, please get it together. The artists deserve better than that.
The Artists
Terri Lyne Carrington
Drummer, Terri Lyne Carrington and her band opened the show. Her set was short, too short for me which amount to about seven songs some of which were from her most recent release Mosaic. I’d only recently discovered her music after watching a YouTube video with footage from some of the Mosaic recording sessions and finally purchased Mosaic a few weeks ago. Carrington opened her set with “Triad” (from Mosaic) which is a burner. Her band consisted of guitar, acoustic bass, trumpet and saxophone. Moving quickly through her set, other standouts tunes included the third cut “Hopscotch” followed by a cut entitled “Sweden” which she said was inspired buy a recent tour date there. The finale which I cannot name opened with an outstanding drum solo, which from what I hard and saw, makes me really dig her playing, which is her efficiency. There’s no wasted energy, no theatrics, flying drumsticks, sweaty brow and such. Carrington takes command of her kit like a bawse! I’ve heard many a drum solo in my day and have watched drummers play as if they’re trying to kill their kit no such thing with Carrington. She commands while being understated and it works.
Impressions
The saxophonist, who also played in Spalding’s band is special. Her name is Tia Fuller. She’s released a few albums as a leader and can flat-out blow. I also would have like to hear more from the bassist. The guitarist was efficient and the trumpeter seemed to be having some wardrobe malfunction with her shirt sleeves. I don’t know how she played as I was distracted by her shirt sleeve fidgeting
Upon hearing Carrington live and reading up on her I regret being late to the party. From this show, I’d say she’s a musician first and a performer second. There’s no doubt that more of Terri Lynne Carrington’s music will be added to my library and hopefully additional opportunities to hear her live.
Esperanza Spalding
Turns out that the auditorium was full for the second set when bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding hit the stage. I first heard Spalding via @Fave and his former podcast show Friday Favecast. She was all the hype at the time and won a best new artist Grammy in 2011. Though I’m not a music journalist, I am a bit of a music snob and when I hear hype or what I perceive as hype I steer clear. Fast forward to 2012 and he release of Spalding’s Radio Music Society. I “caved” copped it and loved it. She has a sweet vocal and in my ear I hear shades of two important vocalists, Michael Franks and Minnie Ripperton. Divergent, a bit, but to me she references them both in delivery and tone but let’s be clear it’s not just Spalding’s vocals that garner attention, she gets down on the bass, acoustic and electric.
The Set
This is my recollection of Spalding’s set (with comments), all from Radio Music Society:
Impressions
I can honestly say that I’m now a believer. For me the true test is always how a musician comes across live and quite frankly she nailed it. She has the musical and performance chops and is really engaging. Her band was excellent and didn’t miss a beat. Spalding definitely has the chops and will hopefully be around a long time to bless us with her talent. I’d certainly see her again.
If you caught the Atlanta Ladies of Jazz show or have heard these artists live in your town. I’d love to hear your thoughts, please feel free to do so in the comments.
The intention was to get a little walk, talk and look for a photo to post for the G+365 Project with a girlfriend of mine. While looking for something compelling to photograph, across the street I saw some nice artwork on the side of a building. I looked at the front of the building to see the name of the business which was Decatur CD. Girlfriend and I decided we would stop in for a second on the way back to the office.
Why on earth did we do that?
The place gets no interior design points but it gets MASSIVE points for its music collection and the memories it invokes of the neighborhood record shops of old. They have CDs and Vinyl which collectors will surely enjoy. What made me particularly excited was the jazz collection. Being a worshipper of the Emperor Coltrane, the jazz section was my first stop. A large portion of my Coltrane collection was on cassette, all of which was discarded over a decade ago with the intention of replacing these items by either recording to CD my father’s vinyl (which is massive) or re-buying everything on CD. Digital was never an option for Coltrane as I MUST HAVE the liner notes to see the musicians and as well as the where and when of the recording. Low and behold two of my favorites (well they all are) were in the stack, Impressions and Africa/Brass. Since I didn’t have sufficient funding I hustled my tail back to the office to get my card and went back to make the purchase.
The store owner’s sales records are decidedly old school, notebook and pen. He said, “this is how we kept track of everything before computers.” (He does have a credit card machine). I’ve got no qualms with the way he keeps records as long has he has good music, I’m good.
If you’re in the neighborhood, go check out my man at Decatur CD and forget about leaving there empty handed.
Note: Africa/Brass was my first listening selection. When I heard those first bass notes of the intro, I went into a FULL SHOUT in the car.
I don’t know if there was journalistic hype about the
project, but I know I was hyped about the release of Kamaal The Abstract. Q-Tip is a musician not just an MC, not just a
lyricist, not just a producer. We all
get to hear his musicality on this set.
Here’s my track by track opinion.
1)Feelin – this cut is heavy on the guitar and keys with
about a one minute rap vocal. The remaining vocals are all sung by Q-Tip and
female background vocalists with a solid musical arrangement. The sound is hip-hop in the beginning but
becomes more groove as it goes on.
2)Do You Dig You – all vocals on this cut are sung and at
about three minutes in the song becomes all about the music particularly the
flute by Gary Thomas. Upbeat with the synth bass making the cut hip-hop in
sound but the remaining instrumentation has more of a fusion sound.
3)A Million Times – all vocals are sung and there are only
two phrases “We’re gonna do it again and again.” “I thought I told you a
million times.” The song is really about the guitar, the keyboards, the groove.
4)Blue Girl – all vocals are sung, with a brief verse and
repeats of the chorus. The feature on this cut is the piano.
5)Barely in Love – Q-Tip and the female vocalist singing
about a girl and being barely in love. The cut has more of a rock vibe. This
one is made for live performance. (Did
see the Jimmy Fallon performance but unable to pull it)
6)Heels – this song immediately put me in mind of early 90’s
Red Hot Chili Peppers. Q-Tip performs a rap vocal about high heels and the
sexiness of said heels on a girl in different settings. The refrain, “put your
heels on girl, put them heels on lady.” Love the energy of this one.
7)Abstractionisms – Q-tip delivers “abstractionisms” on a
brief rap vocal but the cut is really all about THE alto saxophonist Kenny
Garrett.
8)Caring – a sweet short song that features more of the
female vocalists than Tip.
9)Even If It Is So – My favorite track on the CD is about a
girl doing what she has to do to get educated and make things better for
herself and her daughter. Really nice groove on this one.
10)Make it Work – This is the only cut in which Q-Tip
delivers a full-on rap vocal that is longer than a minute or two. This is most hip-hop of all the cuts on the
CD and could have easily fit on the last ATCQ CD.
My first spin through Kamaal the Abstract was cool. I wasn’t
hot, hot for it I believe because I’ve spent the last year listening to The
Renaissance which had a much bigger sound.
Kamaal the Abstract for lack of a
better term is “tighter”. The tracks are more intimate, more out of a jazz
tradition and more about Q-Tips musicianship and the musicianship of the
artists featured on this project. If the
listener is looking for a hip-hop record I would say, it is hip-hop but not
like anything we hear right now. He’s
not Jeezy, Weezy, Ye nor Hov and this CD is void of all things autotune,
thankfully. The shelving of the project was mind boggling to me but in the end the
timing turned out to be fortuitous. There is a major vacuum in hip-hop. Outside
of the hot boys mentioned above (of which Jay is the only one I listen to)
there is a dire lack of creativity, artistry and musicianship. As such hip-hop
fans of “a certain age” like me and fans who just don’t like all that’s being
played on traditional radio right now are left wanting. That said, Kamaal the Abstract is welcome
relief, one that will stay in the rotation.
Good music is good music, that’s what Q-tip is delivering on this one.
Like many Maxwell fans, I breathlessly awaited the release of his latest CD on July 7. I pre-ordered on Amazon and ran to the mailbox everyday. is CD finally arrived over the weekend and I got a listen today. Here's my track by track assessment.
We lived in a brick house on 12th Street,
probably my favorite home of the places we lived in. My dad had an office,
right in between the dining room and the living room. In that office housed his
desk, his work and most importantly to me, his music. It was in this house, in Daddy’s office that
I was first authorized to touch his stereo system. I was fairly young, around
seven or so, when he showed me how to work it. What knobs on the receiver we
work what we called back then, the record player and what knobs would work the eight
track player. He was and still is a big
time audiophile, and thankfully into component systems instead of those
monstrous all-in-one wooden units. He’s been an owner of vitually every music
related piece of technology except for a DAT machine, including way way back in
the day a reel-to-reel. In Daddy’s
office, on Daddy’s stereo was where my musical tastes were formed. Daddy’s Office is a sampling of some of the
music heard in the office or inspired by it and the memories that were created
there.
The first entry from Daddy’s office, is dedicated to what we
now call jazz fusion, funk jazz and smooth jazz. Back then I didn’t have any earthly idea what
it was. All I knew was that it sounded
good, it was a good backdrop for anything that was going on around the house
and that daddy always played his music the same way I do to this day, LOUDLY! Enjoy.
Note: The version of Scratch is a MUCH later live
version, if you have the original recording, please hit me up.