Robert Glasper Trio live at London Jazzfestival 2010

Robert Glasper, piano

Derrick Hodge, bass

Mark Colenburg, drums

recorded live at Barbican Hall, November 14th 2010

1. Rise and Shine/ I Have A Dream/  Smells Like Teen Spirit/ FTB

(Robert Glasper/ Herbie Hancock/ Kurt Cobain/ Robert Glasper)

2. Canvas (Robert Glasper)

"It was a very special set indeed. The high point came with the arrival onstage of Glasper's regular drummer Chris "Daddy" Dave, a fireball of energy, with Terence Blanchard for the final number of the set, Glasper's composition Canvas. Glasper had been working on it with the East London Creative Jazz Orchestra, and they were all present in the audience, and were clearly appreciative.

But if that tune stayed uppermost in the mind afterwards, it shouldn't in any way devalue what had gone before. For the main part of the set the drum chair had been occupied by Mark Colenburg. Colenburg is a very different drummer from Chris Dave. Colenburg is more cerebral, more calculating, but a remarkable player.

Colenburg's influence on the constantly watchful and attentive Glasper was to take him off in very different and fascinating directions. Glasper is known for incorporating hip hop and gospel. But on the evidence of last night, they are just a small part of the stylistic palette which he can summon up. He has an internalized memory and an imagination into which he can dig very deep and find resources from surprising places - I thought I heard takes on the cult piano minimalists and texturalists Conlon Nancarrow and Terry Riley. Then there was a very fine moment when the band pulled the audience's ears in, and settled into a compelling, assured, anthemic groove - in what sounded like 11/8 time. At another moment the audience were quick to pick up that the trio had found its way cleverly into Nirvana's Teen Spirit. But in this context, with this drummer it was hushed, seen through the prism of Keith Jarrett. This was an intensely lyical take on the tune which was so quiet, I could hear the tick of my neighbour's watch.

A special word too about Derrick Hodge. Hodge thinks and hears low. His sound is big, his presence imposing yet genial. He had one wonderful feature using the open E string as a pedal note. Think Ron Carter, only with more of a sense of mischief." - Review of this concert on londonjazz.blogspot.com
Robert Glasper´s most recent album "Double Booked" was released on Blue Note in 2009.