Downtime

I have to thank my friend Art for hipping to this man. Robert Glasper is an amazing piano player and his song “Downtime” is the perfect soundtrack for those “lazy Sundays”. Off of his third album “Double Booked”, “Downtime” is the kind of track you cue up on your stereo while you’re in the kitchen making pancakes or reading the paper in your robe. It’s the perfect compliment to a day where the last thing on your mind is putting clothes on and going out. And if it’s raining or snowing then all the better.

If you haven’t been able to tell, I am always looking for new music and new doesn’t have to be fresh out the wrapper. New for me could be something that was released fifteen years ago but I just never heard it and my friends know this and Art had ever asked me if I’ve ever heard of Robert Glasper and I said no. He suggested I look into him (and his drummer, the amazing Chris Dave) and take a listen to “Double Booked”. The album was definitely impressive and one of the best cuts on the album in my opinion is “Downtime”. To me there’s nothing better than jazz on a Sunday morning and this song is the embodiment of that casual feeling.

Chris Dave is amazing and even on such a cool out, mellow tune his drumming is like an animal contained. His high hat work throughout the song from beginning to the end seems out of place at first but you slowly realize it’s just not random, that he’s playing his own little melody along with Roberts piano playing. For the majority of the song it’s just Robert and Chris but seemingly smack dab in the middle comes the cool upright bass played by Vincente Archer.

Do not, I repeat do NOT play this song while you’re in a rush to get somewhere. It will not put any pep in your step and in fact it may just slow you down and make you late. Hey, don’t say I didn’t warn you.