Robert Glasper
Mood/Canvas

In 2003, a young Robert Glasper (just 23!) debuts with "Mood". A remarkable effort as a leader in a standard trio formation: piano-double bass-drums. In 2005 follows "Canvas". Alongside Damion Reid on drums, who shares with him a very young age, tastes, current and original technical preparation, musical philosophy, and a "kamikaze" approach to music. As a young American musician of his age, perfectly integrated into the New York hip hop scene and a sought-after session musician for both similar and more jazz-oriented projects, when it comes to recording under his own name, he chooses the idiom that belongs to him most and that he feels is his own: jazz.
In some tracks of "Canvas", we find guests like Bilal on "ethereal" vocals, Mike Moreno on guitar, John Ellis and Marcus Strickland on saxophones. In "Mood", besides some glimpses of Bilal, a vocalist following McFerrin-like experiments, Mark Turner appears on sax in two pieces. For the most part, however, the trio is heard in a series of situations dangerously and fortunately close to live performances. The variety of moods and the already well-defined personality of the young man already surely predict a future as a star on the international jazz scene.

Nine tracks (Mood) and ten (Canvas) one more beautiful and original than the other, especially when it comes to the interpretative manner (mood) that often brushes the deconstruction of phrases in order to paint on the canvas in absolute freedom; yet never getting to the point of completely cutting off from the main melody. In this, the music is facilitated by the enormous effort required of the two great double bass specialists: Bob Hurst on the first and Vincent Archer on the second, who, like good patient new Hercules, take on the task of keeping the thread of the discourse at all times.
In the first album, six out of nine pieces are by Glasper and in the second nine out of ten. Remarkable creative streak. In both albums, there is a heartfelt interpretative homage to Herbie Hancock, with two pieces by the master: "Maiden Voyage" and "Riot", respectively. In the notes, Robert clearly explains the special relationship between him and Damion: both develop figures that are on time, but in different ways and thanks to careful collective listening, these misalignments in some way coinciding constantly change the climate and mood of the pieces, which are often performed in clusters of three or four, without interruption.

The mastery and ease of this young man come from having played, even at a very young age, often in… disastrous situations everywhere and especially in the club "down the street"; with many people: sometimes of excellent stature and other times absolutely terrible, so as to have to strive to "solve" and bring home results. Breathtaking tempos and phrases of great melodic and introspective breadth overlap and alternate with great taste and results. Glasper is the prototype of the new contemporary pianist as a perfect musical transgender. You can't even say that he plays jazz: like Matt Munisteri, he plays "the jazz that people like".

If you can, buy them both right away. Both of them.