'Black Radio' and 'Black Radio II' are landmark albums that have shaped the genres of jazz, hip hop and r&b for the past decade. Direct lines can be drawn to Kamasi Washington, Thundercat, Kendrick Lamar, and black music writ large. For 'Black Radio III', 4-time grammy winner Robert Glasper cements his legacy as producer, curator and cultural icon. These collaborations range from the most powerful voices in contemporary black music (Killer Mike, ty dolla $ign, D Smoke, PJ Morton) to the most important lyricists and performers of the past 30 years (Jennifer Hudson, Ledisi, Common, Gregory Porter, Musiq Soulchild, India.Arie). 'Black Radio III' is also a statement for these times. It is Glasper's most direct statement of the frustration and opportunity of a world disrupted by social change. It is at once beautiful, powerful and innovative.
Jazz musician Keyon Harrold has become the go-to trumpeter when Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Maxwell and others need a hand, and was the pick when Don Cheadle needed to conjure up the sound of Miles Davis for the Grammy-winning Miles Ahead soundtrack. On his new album, The Mugician, Harrold returns to his own music, and brings a few of his friends and past collaborators, including Gary Clark, Jr., Big K.R.I.T. and Bilal, along for an vibrant and wide-reaching set of tunes, which sometimes arrive in grand, sweeping arrangements ("MB Lament," "Wayfaring Traveler") or in jagged, concise snippets ("Lullaby").
Another great collection of jump blues and R&B from Rev-Ola, this time featuring heavyweight singer and sax player Big John Greer recorded between 1949 and 1955. His earlier sides follows the pattern of the blues shouters like Roy Brown and Wynonie Harris. Over several 1949/50 sessions Greer belts out some great rockin' songs like his hot cover of Stick McGhee's Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee plus Long Tall Gal/ I'm The Fat Man and others along with some storming instrumentals like Rockin' With Big John and Big John's A Blowin'. The later sessions find Big John mostly just exercising his mighty lungs with the sax chores handed over to the awesome Sam "The Man" Taylor.