(The Root) — Jazz pianist Robert Glasper and other special guests, including Lalah Hathaway, Eric Roberson, Mint Condition's Stokely Williams and Questlove from The Roots, are scheduled to perform a night of songs from Stevie Wonder's catalog at New York City's Harlem Stage on Dec. 13 and 14. The event, called "Songs in the Key of Life," is a tribute to the soul music legend, which Glasper said he felt compelled to perform.
"Stevie is one pop artist every jazz musician has to take seriously," Glasper has said. "He has a knack for turning complex songs into deceptively simple radio hits, but we are going to dig deep into his nearly half-century-wide catalog."
It's not the first time Glasper has dabbled in soul music. With his Robert Glasper Experiment group, he has recorded songs with Musiq Soulchild, Meshell Ndegeocello, Erykah Badu and many others. His Grammy-nominated album Black Radio features Mos Def, Bilal and Lupe Fiasco and is a perfect example of Glasper's ability to connect jazz with R&B and hip-hop.
With his "Songs in the Key of Life" shows, Glasper has a good opportunity to mine that common ground in a live setting.
Date: Dec. 13 and 14
Time: 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. each night
Location: Harlem Stage at the Gatehouse, 150 Convent Avenue, New York City
Tickets: $20 to $45, based on seating. Click here for more information.
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