Robert Glasper

Born April 6, 1978, in Houston, Texas. Pianist and composer/arranger. Influenced by his mother, he played piano at their church, encountering gospel, jazz, and blues. While attending the New School University in Manhattan, he performed gigs with Christian McBride, Russell Malone, and others. He has since collaborated with artists across a wide spectrum, from jazz to hip-hop, including Nicholas Payton, Bilal, Q-Tip, and Mos Def. In 2003, he released his debut album 'Mood' (Fresh Sound New Talent). In 2005, he signed with Blue Note. In 2007, he released 'In My Element,' a definitive piano trio work bridging jazz and hip-hop, gaining attention as a new generation pianist for Blue Note. In 2009, he released the highly anticipated 'Double Booked,' which unified his two driving bands—the acoustic-oriented 'Trio' and the hip-hop-oriented 'Experiment'—on a single album, earning him a Grammy nomination. In 2012, he released 'Black Radio,' his first album composed entirely of 'Experiment' material. This album also received two Grammy nominations.

I Want to Break Down the Barriers

──Welcome to the program. How many times have you visited Japan now?

I've lost count, honestly (laughs). Since 2005, I've been coming about once a year with my solo project, Robert Glasper, and before that, I came with Q-Tip and Bilal.

──I went to your live performance at Billboard Live Tokyo yesterday, and I was surprised by the wide range of the audience. There were people who listen to soul, hip-hop, jazz... it felt like people who normally listen to different genres were mixed together in the audience, and it was very enjoyable. From the stage, could you feel that atmosphere in the audience?

Yeah, it was great! Some people are more into hip-hop, others a bit more into jazz, some into soul. To see people with these different backgrounds sitting in the same audience enjoying my music – there are no 'barriers' there. Music is uniting them, and that makes me incredibly happy. Just as Stevie Wonder did in the past, I want to break down barriers with the power of music.

──Given your ability to captivate audiences across genres, it's fitting that you're nominated for two Grammy Awards at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards on February 11th (Monday): 'Best R&B Album' for 'Black Radio' and 'Best R&B Performance' for 'Gonna Be Alright (feat. Lalah Hathaway)'. How did you feel when you received the nominations?

I thought, 'This is the ultimate crossover!' When 'Black Radio' first charted simultaneously on the hip-hop/R&B and jazz charts, I was overjoyed, thinking, 'We've crossed a barrier!' But I never expected to be nominated in the R&B category at the Grammys, let alone for Best Album. It's an honor beyond measure. I'm still in shock (laughs).

──In terms of 'crossover,' your own work already embodies it. On your first album, 'Mood,' you covered Herbie Hancock's 'Maiden Voyage,' and on your third album, 'In My Element,' you merged it with Radiohead's 'Everything in Its Right Place' into a single track. On your latest album, 'Black Radio,' you reinterpreted David Bowie's 'Letter to Hermione' and Mongo Santamaria's 'Afro Blue' in entirely new ways.







These reinterpretations feel natural rather than forced. It's less about 'arranging rock or hip-hop songs for jazz' and more about deeply internalizing and re-arranging songs you feel strongly about. How do you perceive this yourself?

That's right. When I remake a song, I try not to overdo it. I aim to remake it in a way that preserves the spirit of the song. I try to follow the natural flow as much as possible, without forcing it or overworking it.

──On your fourth album, 'Double Booked,' you included works from both your acoustic-oriented 'Trio' and your more hip-hop-oriented 'Experiment' bands. After performing live as 'Experiment,' you completed 'Black Radio' under the 'Experiment' name. However, listening to your performance yesterday, I felt a significant shift in both the playing and the atmosphere compared to your previous 'Experiment' tour. It felt like a step forward from 'Experiment.' Is it fair to say you're intentionally progressing and evolving? And will this evolution lead to your next album?

I think it's an evolution that has happened naturally. As a band, we've grown little by little. In fact, the more we play, the more we find our own sound and incorporate more experimental elements, which makes it more enjoyable. I'm not the type of person who decides beforehand, 'I'm going to do this.' So, I'm very excited to see how what we're doing now will evolve.

Jazz Was Always Playing at Home

──When you started making music, why the piano?

I think my mother's influence was significant. I always heard her playing and singing at the piano. We had an upright piano, a grand piano, and a keyboard at home, so I just started because the piano was there (laughs). And as I played, I became more and more absorbed.

──What songs was your mother playing or singing then? What kind of music was playing at home?

My mother's favorites were jazz standards like Johnny Green's 'Body and Soul,' Harry Warren's 'There Will Never Be Another You,' and Harry Woods' 'What a Little Moonlight Can Do.' We often found ourselves in situations where I would play the piano and my mother would sing.

──So, from a young age, you were exposed to jazz with your mother. Do you think those early experiences formed the foundation for you to pursue jazz later on?

Yes. Without that experience, I don't think I would have pursued jazz.

──I think few people can clearly define what the word 'jazz' refers to, both now and in the past. I myself perceive jazz as something that absorbs all kinds of music and moves forward, which differs somewhat from the general public's understanding of jazz. It's the same when I DJ; whether it's jazz, hip-hop, Latin, or techno, if I feel 'jazz' in a track, I play it alongside the others.

I believe your music, Glasper, is the musician's equivalent of that. Your approach, not leaning too heavily on jazz, is what feels like 'modern jazz.' What are your thoughts on the future of jazz?


If hip-hop and soul had existed in the 1960s, Miles (Davis) would have definitely jumped on them (laughs). He wasn't afraid of change. He was always challenging new things as times evolved. Jazz should inherently be like that. Standing still somewhere is not jazz at all. Jazz is improvisation, change, and evolution. Herbie (Hancock) also said this, and I personally believe jazz is something that is constantly changing.

──So, for you, what is music? Please answer in one word.

For me, it's life itself. 'Life.'

──Finally, if you had to choose just one piece of music that has most influenced your life, whose song would it be?

Just one? That's difficult. If I had to pick, maybe Michael Jackson's 'I Can't Help It.' Michael sings it, but it was written by Stevie Wonder. I listen to the album 'Off the Wall,' which features this song, almost every day. 'I Can't Help It' in particular holds a special place for me because it involves two musicians I deeply admire.

──Whether it's the jazz scene or the broader music scene, your role, Glasper, will only become more important. As a fan, I will continue to support you, so please keep forging new paths.

(In Japanese) Thank you!

In cooperation with: Billboard Live Tokyo