# CD review: Robert Glasper – Black Radio III – 2022: Video, CD cover

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2022/03/12/cd-review-robert-glasper-black-radio-iii-2022-video-cd-cover/
- Published: 2022-03-12T04:05:16+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Robert Glasper has spent years as a bonafide bridge filtering jazz into the mainstream.
He lent his pen to the likes of Herbie Hancock and was an instrumental player on
Kendrick Lamar’s _To Pimp a Butterfly_. Hell, he even played piano for Beyoncé in
high school (they were classmates). The constellation of contemporary jazz, rap 
and soul is the centre of his _Black Radio III_, reviving the franchise for the 
first time in nine years.**

Glasper’s composition brings the best out of his veterans, including Q-Tip and Esperanza
Spalding. “It Don’t Matter” is a particular standout, a slow jam duet between Gregory
Porter and Ledisi, while Common sounds especially fired up on his addition to a 
transformative cover of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.”

It’s worth noting that this instalment of the trilogy is newly informed by Glasper’s
string of residencies at the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club. It’s in those moments,
where the freewheeling live energy is tangible on tape, that _Black Radio III_ really
shines. _III_ sutures together the disparate threads of Black expression, driven
by fragments of pop, soul, jazz and rap as well as spoken word and memoir.  Across
mediums and genres, Glasper’s Experiment fills the gaps between, while keeping us
firmly rooted to contemporary jazz’s smooth centre.

It’s been nearly nine years since the Robert Glasper Experiment released Black Radio
II, the second, Grammy-winning installment of his mélange of contemporary jazz, 
beat-heavy hip-hop, and neo-soul melodies.

Since then, Glasper disbanded the Experiment, embarked on soundtrack work such as
the 2020 film The Photograph and the Bel-Air TV series with Terrace Martin, and 
engaged himself in damaging social media controversies. There has been a resurgence
in popular support for jazz, too, and that’s partly thanks to Glasper (he contributed
to Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 masterwork To Pimp a Butterfly) as well as key recordings
by Martin, Kamasi Washington, Nubya Garcia, Floating Points, and many others.

As an aesthetic, Black Radio may no longer carry the same vital energy as Glasper’s
original statement, which pushed back against the marginalization of “real” jazz
from the pop mainstream. He won that argument. But the Glasper sound remains. “I’m
in this R&B shit now,” he said in a recent interview. Black Radio III should fulfill
expectations generated by the first, excellent 2011 album (as well as its solid 
but less revelatory 2013 follow-up). There are starry, honeyed voices; J Dilla-esque
rhythms, and themes of love and community renewal.

A few surprises lie amid the familiar pleasures. Esperanza Spalding sings delightfully
in French over the funk fusion of “While We Speak.” Justin Tyson’s drumming underneath
H.E.R.’s lead vocal on “Better Than I Imagined” gives that track a dynamic pulse.
It closes with an entreaty from Meshell Ndegeocello to her lover as she alludes 
to a distance created by the pandemic, and her warm baritone feels as comforting
as a blanket. Meanwhile, Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” has
gotten the R&B treatment before — see Anthony David’s 2011 cover — but any interpretation
by Lalah Hathaway is always welcome. It’s great to hear Posdnous, too, as the De
la Soul hero slides alongside Musiq Soulchild over the deep house of “Everybody 
Love.”

Despite the Experiment’s demise, former band members such as bassist Derrick Hodge
and drummer Chris Dave add instrumentation. Other players include DJ Jahi Sundance
as well as DJ Jazzy Jeff, the latter chipping in on “Black Superhero,” a roundelay
between BJ the Chicago Kid, Killer Mike, and Big K.R.I.T. The best moments retain
Glasper’s jazz perspective, whether it’s his own piano flurries that close “Shine”
or the gruff, emotive presence of Gregory Porter on “It Don’t Matter.” But too many
numbers regurgitate the same Black adult-contemporary template, making it difficult
to distinguish “It Don’t Matter” from Jennifer Hudson’s “Out of My Hands.” And the
album closes with a handful of weaker cuts like Ty Dolla $ign and “Bright Lights.”
As an enjoyable fan-service sequel intended to offer music of comfort and solace,
Black Radio III is fine. As an artist, Glasper is allowed to get into his beatmaker
bag, relaunch the Black Radio brand, and leave the New Jazz Thing bleeding edge 
to others. But one can’t help but wish the stakes were a bit higher.

01. In Tune
 02. Black Superhero 03. Shine 04. Why We Speak 05. Over 06. Better 
Than I Imagined 07. Everybody Wants To Rule The World 08. Everybody Love 09. It 
Don’t Matter 10. Heaven’s Here 11. Out of My Hands 12. Forever 13. Bright Lights

![Robert Glasper - Black Radio III](https://i0.wp.com/linkstorage.linkfire.com/medialinks/
images/2916a5c1-a73a-4f42-9094-f0bf9dd87fde/artwork-600x315.jpg?resize=640%2C336&
ssl=1)

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