— Five-time Grammy award-winning pianist and composer Robert Glasper has earned yet another esteemed nod with his 14th Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Jazz Album for Code Derivation.
On his second release of 2024, Robert Glasper splits the difference between jazz and hip-hop, emphasizing their shared genetics. Code Derivation is largely comprised of two versions of the same track, one played live in studio by Glasper’s band and a version “flipped” by a producer of his choosing.
“Jazz is literally in the beginning-bones of hip hop.That’s why I even used the word derivation, because it’s a derivative of jazz. I’ve played with the masters of both of these genres so I wanted to do a project where it’s like, ‘Hey, I’m going to do jazz songs that I wrote with my band — with my friends — and I’m going to get dope producers that are my friends to sample me.” — Robert Glasper to Apple Music
On the band side of things, that includes names like Walter Smith III, Mike Moreno, Kendrick Scott, Vicente Archer and Keyon Harrold, with an additional feature from Marcus Strickland. On the production side, Glasper has called on some of his likewise favorite friends and collaborators, people like Hi-Tek, Black Milk, Taylor McFerrin, Kareem Riggins, and the one guest Glasper would be hard pressed to deny as his favorite of the bunch, his son Riley. On the MC front, Glasper’s called on acts like Beaumont, Texas-hailing Jamari (a frequent collaborator of his son), Minneapolis’ MMYYKK, and Brooklyn-born Oswin Benjamin, young rhymers who Glasper says became the project’s pièce de résistance.
Code Derivation is one of four albums released by Glasper this past year, including Apple Music exclusives Keys to the City: Vol 1 and Let Go plus the recently widely released In December, on top of another monumental year of shows for the jazz giant, including The Black Radio Experience in Napa, CA and the widely heralded sixth annual Robtober at the Blue Note NYC.
More info on all things Robert Glasper coming soon!