Black Radio III

by Robert Glasper

Overview

In almost equal measure, Black Radio III is both different from and similar to Robert Glasper's first two natural syntheses of R&B, jazz, and hip-hop carried out with his fluctuating gang of singers, rappers, and instrumentalists. It's as much an extension of Glasper's activity since 2016's ArtScience -- what stands in 2022 as the last Robert Glasper Experiment session -- part of a sequence that follows August Greene, Collagically Speaking, Fuck Yo Feelings, Dinner Party, a bunch of soundtracks, and dozens of concomitant recordings the keyboardist augmented as a collaborator. The change most evident from the outset is that Black Radio III is not credited to Robert Glasper Experiment. Derrick Hodge is the bassist on more than half of the cuts, and fellow band vet Chris Dave drums on two of them, but Glasper in the rhythm section is often flanked by other familiar associates such as Burniss Travis II and Justin Tyson. The additional musicians enhancing the shared complex simplicity of the principal players are greater in number, ranging from turntablists Jahi Sundance and DJ Jazzy Jeff to guitarist Isaiah Sharkey. Also unlike the first two volumes, this was over a year in the making and enabled by remote contributions, rather than knocked out within a week with everybody in a room. In one way or another, each selection is either a love song in the traditional sense or at least filled with love. Interpersonal ballads are most common. "Better Than I Imagined," a Grammy-winning 2020 single, is a meeting between a distressed H.E.R. and seductive Meshell Ndegeocello that smolders. Jennifer Hudson struts and shrugs through "Out of My Hands," a midtempo thumper (co-produced by Terrace Martin) that rates with her "Spotlight" and "Angel." Ledisi and Gregory Porter make the best match of all on the quiet fire of "It Don't Matter," harmonizing as Glasper takes a lilting rare solo. No more than a foot behind them are the vocal duo that bobs through "Why We Speak," a bolt of sunshine. Glasper's stink face-inducing electric lines set up luminous Esperanza Spalding, singing mostly in French with a dizzying mix of percussive and elongated notes -- reminding "not to sell our soul" -- and Q-Tip somehow finds a seam to further brighten the song without getting in the way. There are also some harder-hitting moments, such as a poignant opening with unwavering Amir Sulaiman poetry leading to a pro-Black summit with Killer Mike, BJ the Chicago Kid, and Big K.R.I.T. The unexpected touches, such as Glasper's own drunk-funk drums on "Shine" and the Theo Parrish-like beatdown house gait of "Everybody Love" (featuring Musiq Soulchild and Posdnous), are as welcome as the familiar ones. Speaking of which, the Lalah Hathaway-fronted cover here is a slow-swaying update of Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" that would have made for an apt finale. Instead, it's smack in the middle, and no less effective for it. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	09/29/2023
Label:	Loma Vista
UPC:	0888072525207

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Robert Glasper   Primary Artist,Bass,Drums,Piano,Vocals,Keyboards,Synthesizer
Posdnous   Primary Artist
Lalah Hathaway   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Jennifer Hudson   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Q-Tip   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Meshell Ndegeocello   Primary Artist,Featured Artist,Spoken Word
Amir Sulaiman   Primary Artist,Spoken Word,Featured Artist
Killer Mike   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Bilal   Primary Artist,Vocals
India.Arie   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
PJ Morton   Primary Artist,Vocals,Keyboards,Featured Artist
Emily King   Primary Artist,Vocals
Musiq Soulchild   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Posdnuos   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Big K.R.I.T.   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
D Smoke   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
H.E.R.   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Luke James   Primary Artist,Vocals
BJ the Chicago Kid   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Estelle   Primary Artist,Vocals
YEBBA   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Gregory Porter   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Mac Miller   Primary Artist,Vocals
Ty Dolla $ign   Primary Artist,Vocals
Tiffany Gouche   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Alex Isley   Primary Artist,Vocals
Esperanza Spalding   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Ant Clemons   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Common   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Ledisi   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Christian Scott   Spoken Word
Isaiah Sharkey   Guitar
Pino Palladino   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
DJ Jazzy Jeff   Turntables
Marcus Strickland   Clarinet (Bass)
Chris Dave   Drums
Bryan-Michael Cox   Synthesizer
Corey Henry   Organ
Keyon Harrold   Trumpet,Trumpet (Muted)
Jahi Sundance   Turntables
Terrace Martin   Bass,Keyboards,Saxophone,Synthesizer,Sax (Soprano)
Cory Henry   Organ
Thaddaeus "Terry" Tribbett   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Derrick Hodge   Bass,Strings,Guitar (Bass)
Marlon Williams   Guitar
Lisa Harris   Vocals
Justin Tyson   Drums,Keyboards
Burniss Travis   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Riley Kirkland Glasper   Voices,Children's Voices
Rilley Glasper   Voices
Josephine Hodge   Voices,Children's Voices
Joe Harley   Keyboards

Technical Credits

Jahi Lake   Composer
Ledisi   Composer
Roland Orzabal   Composer
Jennifer Hudson   Composer
Robert Glasper   Composer,Producer,Recording Producer
Pino Palladino   Composer
Ronald Isley   Composer
Rudolph Isley   Composer
Q-Tip   Vocal Engineer
Marvin Isley   Composer
Esperanza Spalding   Composer
O'Kelly Isley   Composer
Michael Render   Composer
Kamaal Fareed   Composer
Amir Sulaiman   Composer,Vocal Engineer
George Huff   Producer
DJ Jazzy Jeff   DJ
Chris Dave   Composer
Bryan-Michael Cox   Composer,Producer,Recording Producer
Ian Stanley   Composer
Kelvin Mercer   Composer
Chris Jasper   Composer
Joe Harley   Composer
Chris Athens   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Chris Hughes   Composer
PJ Morton   Composer
Paul Morton, Jr.   Composer
Musiq Soulchild   Vocal Engineer
Estelle Swaray   Composer
Bryan Sledge   Composer
Tyrone Griffin   Composer
Muhammad Ayers   Composer
Jahi Sundance   DJ,Producer,Recording Producer
Travis Sayles   Composer
Curtis Jews   Producer
Gregory Porter   Composer
Vincent Bennett   Executive Producer
Jordan Cooper   Composer
Taalib Johnson   Composer
Terrace Martin   Composer,Producer,Recording Producer
India Arie Simpson   Composer
Ryan Whalley   Executive Producer
BJ the Chicago Kid   Composer
Ernie Isley   Composer
Alexander Lloyd   Composer
Ledisi Young   Composer
Gabriella Wilson   Composer
Qmillion   Mixing,Engineer,Recording
Mac Miller   Composer
Ty Dolla $ign   Composer
Justin Scott   Composer
Jon Zacks   Vocal Engineer
Justin Tyson   Composer
Burniss Travis   Composer
Tiffany Gouche   Composer,Vocal Engineer
Michael Law Thomas   Vocal Engineer
Brittany Barber   Composer
Christopher Leckie   Design,Art Direction
Meshell Ndegeocello   Composer
Abbey Smith   Composer
John Rooney   Recording
Ant Clemons   Composer
Reginald Nicholas Jr.   Vocal Engineer
Emily Cowings   Composer
Jay Cooper   Programming
Dylan Del-Olmo   Engineer
Mancy Gant   Photography
Travis Sales   Producer
Daniel Farris   Composer,Vocal Engineer