Photo Credit: Mike Schreiber
I am admittedly biased about Robert Glasper. He is my best friend and my life partner. He is also a brilliant musician… disclosure and disclaimers aside.
When Robert asked me to write the liner notes for his album, Black Radio, I was honored, humbled, and terrified. I had three days to express a musical ideology of sorts on a project which is, I believe, the most significant creative stance of his career thus far. I took a deep breath, sent up a prayer, and got to work.
Surprisingly, the words flowed unlike anything else I’d ever written. One could surmise that our close relationship had a great deal to do with that; and it very well may have. Yet and still, this would be a half-baked deduction. The truth of the matter is that Black Radio represents something which is bigger than either one of us. It is a declaration, a call to action, and in many ways, a challenge to both those who are fatigued by force-fed commercialism, and those who believe the state of mainstream Black music is in good standing.
As more and more of our music libraries become digital, I realized that many people who follow my writing would not have an opportunity to read my liner notes. I’d like to share them here. I hope they reach you.
System Error: Remuneration for music which is stultifying to the mind, dissuading to the spirit, and unfulfilling to the heart…
“Big bird flying down on a mountain pass,
Only thing to survive the crash…
Black Radio”
black radio
| noun: | an indestructible device in an aircraft that records technical data during a flight, used in case of an accident to discover its cause. |
For centuries, music from the souls of Black people has been not only the narrative of our experiences, but it has remained the American blueprint for most everything which has followed. Emulated, envied, and countlessly re-imagined by the rest of the world, our music is the pinnacle of inventiveness, and the highest artistic form of ourselves.
We can all point to a profusion of culprits when it comes to the musical polar which we have now found ourselves. Worship of wealth, the lack of a respectable industry barometer, and false realities of what is deemed talent, have all compromised the future of our legacy. The collective “dumbing down” of our music is the greatest tragedy we can impose on generations to follow.
Black Radio represents the veracity of Black music. Like the aviator’s black box, black radio holds the truth and is indestructible. Our music remains innovative and inspiring amidst and despite pop culture’s bleak representation of the spectrum of Black music, especially as it pertains to hip hop and R&B. Jazz, which is at the helm of it all, is the perfect platform and best catalyst to bring that message home.
Additionally, it is a statement that while the overabundance of mediocrity surrounds our present, the solution is not to keep reaching behind us for authenticity. Retrospection should influence, but cannot be the sole definer of legitimacy. Modernism is now! We stand on the shoulders of our predecessors, but fly with our own wings. This is the principle that has driven the best of our innovation. The collaborators found here independently and collectively epitomize the Black Radio Movement; each fearlessly original and undoubtedly gifted.
When minstrelsy fades, and monotony jades, there will still be Black Radio.
Real music is crash protected.
Awesone article. Robert Glasper is my favorite!! I entered into the remix contest for “Move Love” so honored to be able to rework the track. We have to support this album!!
Thank you!
My favorite lines
“Like the aviator’s black box, black radio holds the truth and is indestructible.”
“When minstrelsy fades, and monotony jades, there will still be Black Radio.”
“Real music is crash protected.”
. These are liner notes!? This was a fantastic read.
I am checking this music out for sure. If I get this kind of experience as an Introduction, I must stay for the show!
Thank you so much! I appreciate your kind words very much!
Give Glasper my best, and tell him I’m definitely spinning “Black Radio” on my own personal BLACK RADIO program, on WPFW, Pacifica Radio in DC (the Ancient/Future program, Thursday mornings).
Peace,
Willard Jenkins
http://www.openskyjazz.com
Home of The Independent Ear
I will and thanks for the love; we appreciate it!
I certainly will; and thank you!
Robert Glasper is the man!
I love that album….can’t wait to get my hands on it!
You just gotta love Glasper’s jazzy soulfulness.
It’s too legit…too legit to quit lol.
LOL!
This is nuts; I just finished listening to his song on Spotify. I thought to myself, “Oooh, let me click on this song” and I log onto wordpress and you are his life partner. Wow. Just wow.
Wow, that is something! Enjoy!
Awesome …
love!
In one word, LOVE!
That’s all I can say about this article.
That is so very kind of you, thanks SO much for the love!
I still go out and buy cd’s just to read the liner notes
Great post!
Me too! Thanks so much!
Admittedly, up until Monday I had never heard of Robert Glasper or any of his music. I just so happened to be looking for something to do this weekend in Atlanta and his name popped up so I Youtubed him and I was very much impressed. Since Monday I’ve heard SO MUCH positive feedback about so I’m excited for the opportunity to see him this Sunday in Atlanta. He’s blessed to have someone like you, your writing is amazing and I can’t wait for this show on Sunday.
I appreciate your kind words, thank you very much, and enjoy the music!
Wow! Definitely going to have to go make sure I get my hands on a physical copy just to have those liner notes. One legitimate reason to continue purchasing physical copies of albums.
And the album is incredible! I loved it from beginning to end. My favorite track so far is the cover of “Letter to Hermione” with Bilal. I’ve been listening to that particular track almost non-stop and will definitely include it on my next radio show, as well as many of the other tracks.
Great post! ^_^
Thank you! Agreed; I still love to have original CD or vinyl just for the notes!
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verey great post bro
Thank you for turning me onto Robert’s wonderful music. Black, white, pink, flouro yella – it’s all wonderful music to me. Thank you and thank you for Black Radio !
Bright
Soulful.
Great job Little Sis!!!
Huge congratulations to RG! Can’t wait to see him in Los Angeles this month.
Sending lots of love to both of you!!!
Thanks sis! Enjoy L.A.! Sending you love right back!
Angelika,
Awesome post! You are such a good writer that your words always woo me but this was especially resonant, poetic and revelatory. Mirroring, as it did, my own thoughts about Black music, our legacy, and the tragedy of commercialism which has polluted our “soul”. Love inspires.
So, I had to go and have a listen and I’m nothing short of elated. I LOVE “Everything In It’s Right Place”. Wordstress that I am, I’m always vibing off a good lyric but one of the things I most love about jazz and instrumentation is the aural articulation of emotion. It takes true talent to transport someone – wordlessly. I love the melodies, dizzying ascension of the song’s register and the way it seamlessly tapers off into peace. Truly, truly, beautiful.
And, “My Umi Says” is one of my favorite songs so I totally dig the YouTube clip w/ The Robert Glasper Experiment, Lupe Fiasco & Mos Def.
Y’all are fly, in my humble opinion
. Can’t wait to see hime live!!
Peace, Art & Progress.
Again sister, your words are moving. Thank you for the support and I’m thrilled that you’ve discovered some new music that you love. This clip….that is just a lovefest.
Your words mean a lot, and I hope you feel it.
PS. I’m not getting notified when you post new pieces
But I be checkin’ you 
Angelika,
WordPress does what it wants sometimes, go figure
.
I listened to the song with my SO yesterday who is a jazz musician and was surprised that he already knew and loved the song. We both felt it.
I was blowing you both up on Twitter yesterday but forgot to cc: you lol. The responses were just great so hopefully you get some more traffic and followers. Spread Love! I also found Robert on Twitter! Very cool.
Peace & Love,
C.
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I have to admit I laughed out loud at your intro and disclaimer. I didn’t realize, having only casually followed this blog, the connection. But I recall meeting Robert Glasper in 2003 at a John Ellis show in New York and being suitably impressed and then thrilled at noticing his ascent. It is so rare that jazz gets on national television. (And Bilal worked with John too; or who met whom first?)
Thanks for your comment…
I must tell you, whether you followed my blog casually or avidly, it’s not a connection you would have been able to make. The disclosure was solely from a journalistically ethical standpoint. (The light-hearted humorous edge was intended, however
) But, John Ellis, what a great musician. Actually John, Robert and Bilal are all featured on Robert’s leader debut “Mood” (Fresh Sound). It’s true, it’s a huge win for jazz to be showcased on the national television platform and we need more of it. I believe it’s only the beginning.
I wasn’t being snarky. I met Robert very briefly at one of John’s shows and he has the aura of “The Man” in the John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters kind of way. Also Tank Gully had some of that stature, among John’s crowd. So mazel tov and much respect to RG, you and all your scene. I will have to reroute my day to drive 7 miles to the last standing record store in my area, Palo Alto, Cali, 35 miles from SF, to buy “Black Radio”. I saw it there, at Rasputin’s of Mountain View, yesterday where I went looking for Matthew Shipp but came home with Bill Frisell doing John Lennon. Dig?