by Jeremiah Flack
To book musician Jeremiah Flack, contact him at jeremiah@jflackproductions.com or message him on Instagram @J.Flack_Productions.
Katrina Spencer, Vinegar Hill Magazine’s associate editor (KS): Tell us what makes you prepared to write about Robert Glasper’s oeuvre (body of work).
Jeremiah Flack, working musician at large (JF): My name is Jeremiah Flack, and I am a professional trumpet player from Washington, D.C. For the past 15 years, I have devoted myself to developing an artistic practice across jazz, go-go, classical, contemporary and gospel music, as well as composition and arranging. I began my formal training in instrumental music at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. After graduating, I continued my education at Michigan State University, where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Studies. My experience as both a working artist and a scholar gives me an intimate understanding of jazz — its history, its evolving language and the musicians who continue to shape it.
KS: I grew up listening to my dad’s jazz collection: Joe Sample, Fourplay, Boney James and even Michael Franks. When I got to college, I tasted Miles Davis, and I’ve sampled a little Herbie Hancock. Something about Robert Glasper’s music feels different, a bit outside the norms of jazz… perhaps experimental, willfully hybrid, insistently collaborative, a bit esoteric and novel all at once. Can you help me to name what that is?
JF: What you are hearing is not a rejection of jazz, but a modern expression of its long-standing process of reinvention. Glasper approaches the music as earlier practitioners did: he absorbs the sounds of his own time and brings them into jazz’s ongoing conversation. In his case, those sounds include hip-hop, R&B, funk, gospel and other late-20th- and 21st-century influences.
His harmonies can feel spacious and contemplative, while his grooves and production choices reflect the musical world in which he came of age. Think of him as a child of jazz — an artist standing on the shoulders of musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis and Roy Hargrove. Rather than treating jazz as something to preserve unchanged, he uses its language to imagine what the music can become next.
KS: What’s Glasper like in concert? Why is his performance style a source of controversy?
JF: Glasper’s concerts often feel intimate, informal and deliberately unpolished. Rather than presenting jazz as a distant, formal recital, he may appear in street clothes, speak freely with the audience and create the sense that everyone in the room is participating in the journey.
At their best, his shows can resemble the communal energy of a Baptist church service: audience reactions are welcomed, call-and-response feels natural and spontaneity is part of the experience. He is also known for bringing out an impressive range of special guests, creating the possibility of a rare, once-in-a-lifetime collaboration. The appeal is that no two performances feel exactly alike.
The controversy comes from that same looseness. Recently, some fans have described what they view as an uncharacteristic pattern at several shows, alleging late arrivals, apparent intoxication, and more time spent talking than performing his celebrated catalogue. One audience member, Reddit user u/Minimum-Raisin5106, reviewing a Blue Note performance in New York in a post shared on October 10, 2026, described Glasper arriving more than an hour late and spending much of the set talking with jazz saxophonist Terrace Martin rather than playing. Although the reviewer praised guest appearances by Ledisi and Little Simz, they estimated that Glasper performed for only about six minutes and played roughly two additional songs afterward. The reviewer also reported that Glasper and Martin repeatedly discussed being intoxicated, leaving the attendee feeling that the performance did not justify the price of admission.
Given the high cost of tickets, the frustration is understandable when audiences receive extended conversation instead of the sustained musical performance they expected. Such accounts illustrate why some listeners enjoy the humor, surprise guests and unpredictability, while others expect tighter pacing, more playing and closer attention to the advertised start time and repertoire.
KS: Who are Glasper’s peers?
JF: Glasper’s peers span jazz, hip-hop, R&B, funk and adjacent creative fields. Musically, that circle includes bassist Thundercat, vocalist Lalah Hathaway, the late Casey Benjamin, saxophonist Terrace Martin, Erykah Badu, trumpet player Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah, bassist Derrick Hodge, saxophonist Kamasi Washington, BJ the Chicago Kid, Kendrick Lamar, drummer Justin Tyson and Chris Dave. The late J Dilla is also an important artistic influence and kindred innovator, even though he belongs to an earlier generation rather than Glasper’s immediate peer group.
Glasper’s collaborative world extends beyond music as well, including comedians and actors such as Dave Chappelle and Affion Crockett. What unites these artists is their comfort crossing genres and treating Black musical traditions as living, connected forms rather than separate categories.
KS: If someone of my generation wanted to get to know his work, where would you recommend they start? What 3 songs are representative of his style and what he’s trying to achieve?
JF: I would begin with three recordings that reveal different sides of Glasper’s musical philosophy. First is “Afro Blue,” featuring Erykah Badu, from Black Radio. The familiar jazz standard provides an accessible doorway, but Glasper transforms it through contemporary rhythm, harmony and production. It is not simply a hip beat placed beneath an old tune; it is an argument for how jazz can speak in a 21st-century voice.
Next, listen to Kendrick Lamar’s “For Free? (Interlude)” from To Pimp a Butterfly. Glasper and Terrace Martin help provide the musical foundation for a track that connects modern rap delivery with the urgency, swing and improvisational motion of bebop. Lamar functions almost like a horn soloist over an ensemble that constantly shifts beneath him. The result demonstrates Glasper’s knowledge of the jazz tradition and his ability to apply it in an entirely contemporary setting.
Finally, hear “Change of Tone” from Collagically Speaking. Its lush harmonies, layered textures and ensemble interplay show how Glasper expands his sound without abandoning its roots. Together, these selections offer a useful map: a reimagined standard, a genre-blurring collaboration and an original work that points toward the future.
KS: Any warnings or reservations? Final thoughts?
JF:Robert Glasper’s recordings and performances reward openness, but concertgoers should have realistic expectations. His shows can offer spontaneity, humor, improvisation, and memorable guest collaborations. However, recent audience accounts, including a TikTok video posted on October 10, 2026, by Jasmine (@phasesbyjasmine), describe substantial delays, extended conversation, limited playing time, and apparent intoxication. These reports are not independently established facts, yet they raise understandable concerns about professionalism and value, particularly given high ticket prices.
An informal atmosphere may enhance a concert; it does not erase expectations of a substantial musical performance. Despite these reservations, Glasper’s contributions to contemporary jazz remain significant. His work connects jazz with hip-hop, R&B, gospel and funk, introducing listeners to the music’s continuing possibilities. I recommend exploring his recordings while considering recent audience feedback before purchasing concert tickets. Ultimately, appreciating his artistic achievements does not require overlooking concerns about the live experience. Listeners can celebrate his innovation while expecting punctuality, meaningful playing time and a performance that respects their investment.
KS: I’ve been schooled! Thank you.