AS London Jazz Festival kicks off, Southampton proves that it is not only in the capital that great jazz can be heard with renowned jazz pianist Robert Glasper and his trio performing at Turner Sims.
From the moment he enters the stage, Glasper is charming, witty and oh so cool. He jokes with the audience before settling down to play a 45-minute first set beginning with Rise and Shine from his second album Canvas, and ending with Herbie Hancock’s I Have a Dream. Hip hop driven grooves and immense jazz technique are perfectly fused to create an original sound.
Stopping only for a couple of minutes, Glasper takes requests from the audience before he really lets loose in the second half, a highlight being his comical reference to jazz standard, Take The A Train. He is clearly a joker but also proves that he is a serious, genuine artist playing purposefully and with soul from the heart.
The trio end the evening with Yes I’m Country (And That’s OK) from Glasper’s latest album Double Booked. Glasper says: “It’s not really work for us guys…we’re just up here having fun.” This is certainly evident and Glasper and his trio return to the stage to play an incredible encore lasting well into 15 minutes.
Glasper has proven his ability to speak both hiphop and bebop with ease this evening, bringing jazz into the 21st Century with style.
ROSIE HANLEY
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