2015 · Album
Covered
Recorded December 2 and 3, 2014 at Capitol Studios, Hollywood · Blue Note Records · Produced by Robert Glasper (producer); Don Was and Nicole Hegeman (executive producers)
Live Covers, Real Stakes, New Company
Glasper takes on Radiohead and Joni Mitchell with guests like Musiq Soulchild, recorded live in one December night.
By the time Robert Glasper brought Covered into the studio, he'd already established himself as a restless interpreter of jazz piano — someone less interested in tradition for its own sake than in finding what happens when you push contemporary music through a jazz lens. Recording Covered: Recorded Live at Capitol Studios (2015) over two nights in December gave the album its defining character: these aren't polished studio takes but live-session energy, captures of Glasper and his guests figuring things out in real time.
The album's real strength is its guest list and what they bring. Bringing in Musiq Soulchild, Harry Belafonte, and others meant Glasper wasn't just reinterpreting songs — he was creating conversations across genres. The covers draw from unexpected places: Radiohead, Joni Mitchell, John Legend. There's no obvious throughline except curiosity. On a record like this, that matters more than consistency. Some covers land harder than others, as tends to happen when you're working live, but the energy never flags. The original tracks mixed into the setlist give it shape without overshadowing the main event.
Covered arrived during a busy period in Glasper's work, neither a turning point nor a departure so much as a logical move for someone already known for collaboration. The live recording format — fast, committed, no safety net — suited the material better than overdubs would have. This is the kind of album that rewards repeat listening more than it demands immediate attention. It won't be the first Glasper record most people reach for, but for anyone interested in how he works with other voices and how jazz can hold space for contemporary songs without diminishing them, it's worth the time.
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