August Greene (Common, Karriem Riggins, Robert Glasper) - August Greene [2LP]

2022 repress - Rapper Common, drummer and beatmaker Karriem Riggins, and keyboardist Robert Glasper were well acquainted long before they debuted as August Greene in early 2018. The first two artists have been close associates since the late '90s. Two decades later, Glasper hosted Common on Black Radio 2 and reciprocated by contributing to a few songs on Common's Riggins-produced Black America Again. Among the latter album's tracks to feature all three figures was "Letter to the Free," written and recorded for Ava DuVernay's acclaimed slavery-to-mass incarceration documentary 13th. After that song took the 2016-2017 Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, the trio recorded this resolutely pro-black affair with bassist Burniss Travis and vocalist Samora Pinderhughes, both of whom also participated in the writing process, and a few guests. The set's predominantly reflective mood and nuanced composites of jazz, soul, and hip-hop make it sound like an extension of Glasper's Black R