In almost equal measure,
Black Radio III is both different from and similar to
Robert Glasper's first two natural syntheses of R&B, jazz, and hip-hop carried out with his fluctuating gang of singers, rappers, and instrumentalists. It's as much an extension of
Glasper's activity since 2016's
ArtScience -- what stands in 2022 as the last
Robert Glasper Experiment session -- part of a sequence that follows August Greene, Collagically Speaking,
Fuck Yo Feelings, Dinner Party, a bunch of soundtracks, and dozens of concomitant recordings the keyboardist augmented as a collaborator. The change most evident from the outset is that
Black Radio III is not credited to
Robert Glasper Experiment.
Derrick Hodge is the bassist on more than half of the cuts, and fellow band vet
Chris Dave drums on two of them, but
Glasper in the rhythm section is often flanked by other familiar associates such as
Burniss Travis II and
Justin Tyson. The additional musicians enhancing the shared complex simplicity of the principal players are greater in number, ranging from turntablists
Jahi Sundance and
DJ Jazzy Jeff to guitarist Isaiah Sharkey. Also unlike the first two volumes, this was over a year in the making and enabled by remote contributions, rather than knocked out within a week with everybody in a room. In one way or another, each selection is either a love song in the traditional sense or at least filled with love. Interpersonal ballads are most common. "Better Than I Imagined," a Grammy-winning 2020 single, is a meeting between a distressed
H.E.R. and seductive
Meshell Ndegeocello that smolders.
Jennifer Hudson struts and shrugs through "Out of My Hands," a midtempo thumper (co-produced by
Terrace Martin) that rates with her "Spotlight" and "Angel."
Ledisi and
Gregory Porter make the best match of all on the quiet fire of "It Don't Matter," harmonizing as
Glasper takes a lilting rare solo. No more than a foot behind them are the vocal duo that bobs through "Why We Speak," a bolt of sunshine.
Glasper's stink face-inducing electric lines set up luminous
Esperanza Spalding, singing mostly in French with a dizzying mix of percussive and elongated notes -- reminding "not to sell our soul" -- and
Q-Tip somehow finds a seam to further brighten the song without getting in the way. There are also some harder-hitting moments, such as a poignant opening with unwavering
Amir Sulaiman poetry leading to a pro-Black summit with
Killer Mike,
BJ the Chicago Kid, and
Big K.R.I.T. The unexpected touches, such as
Glasper's own drunk-funk drums on "Shine" and the
Theo Parrish-like beatdown house gait of "Everybody Love" (featuring
Musiq Soulchild and Posdnous), are as welcome as the familiar ones. Speaking of which, the
Lalah Hathaway-fronted cover here is a slow-swaying update of
Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" that would have made for an apt finale. Instead, it's smack in the middle, and no less effective for it. ~ Andy Kellman