Terence Blanchard: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

When he started to make the music that appears on his new album, trumpeter Terence Blanchard wasn't thinking of Eric Garner, Michael Brown or any of the other recent high-profile police killings of African-Americans. He was thinking of desired collaborators: Donald Ramsey, a bassist and high-school classmate; Oscar Seaton, a drummer with whom he'd worked on film projects; Fabian Almazan, the pianist of his other band; and Charles Altura, a guitarist he'd encountered online. And he was thinking about a sound different from the left-center jazz quintet he leads: something overtly funky, with electric bass and guitar and processing and human voices and dance grooves.
As the E-Collective came together - both as a band and in terms of its repertoire - it took on another guiding light. Blanchard, no stranger to political statements, saw the music as an opportunity to speak out on current events he was unable to ignore, especially as a black man. The eventual recording came to be a commentary on the treatment of minorities by American law enforcement, in the vein of the #blacklivesmatter movement. The album's title references Eric Garner's last words, "I can't breathe"; it's called Breathless.
The heavy and the party recently came together for a week-long run at a jazz club in D.C., though the mood was much more on the party side when the E-Collective stopped at NPR headquarters. The mood was relaxed and jovial from the time the group stepped into the lobby, with Englishman Chris Bailey supplying plenty of backbeats on our house drum set - though there was a moment toward the end of the set when Blanchard casually explained the project, setting up a lyrical, almost elegiac solo. This music was a modern update on jazz fusion, sure, but also one where we dance to ward off despair.
Set List
"Soldiers"
"Confident Selflessness"
"Breathless"
Credits
Producers: Patrick Jarenwattananon, Morgan Walker; Audio Engineer: Brian Jarboe; Videographers: Morgan Walker, Adam Wolffbrandt, Lani Milton; Assistant Producer: Elena Saavedra Buckley; photo by Lani Milton/NPR

[@ethancooney3331]

I admire Blanchard's silence here. He's not interested in being the star of the show and wowing everybody with his amazing skill. He's interested in the music. He uplifts his band members, and in turn that makes the music better. Brilliant stuff, this is a great performance.

[@Blink182POPPUNK]

If anyone ever saw Mo' Better Blues, that was Terence playing the trumpet.

[@vernellthomas6644]

One of the best movies ever!

[@olander666]

Mo' Better Blues is probably responsible for turning me into a jazz trumpet fan. I had no idea who Terence Blanchard was, but I'm a fan now! LOVE funky, dance groove jazz like this.

[@RyanVanBelleghem]

The sound from that guitar! Woo!

[@stanL9]

Charles Altura is so good !

[@randyclere2330]

Right??? flawless. he has a great sensitivity with his chops and a beautiful palette of tone

[@vince8081]

My favourite guitarist since a few years, he's incredible.

[@dorianrowan5167]

Pro trick : you can watch series at Flixzone. Me and my gf have been using it for watching all kinds of movies recently.

[@nikolaiarchie5958]

@Dorian Rowan yea, been watching on flixzone} for years myself :D

[@jaceeleven426]

I didnt know him, but wow, you're right, he's awesome

[@toddbevans4192]

I fell in love with Terrence Blanchard when I Spike Lee interviewed him in his documentary, "When the Levees Broke", on Hurricane Katrina. I don't cry much, but that documentary will break you down and make you infuriated at our government's inability to quickly render aid to New Orleans. Seeing Terrence as a human being and not as a musician really made me like his music even more...

[@Chickenparmm]

Wow this pianist really brings so much I didn’t even realize

[@staticwavelength]

That’s Fabian Almazan for ya, a righteous player in his own right.

[@memoherrerasounds]

The bass lines... Wow!

[@stephenburt3978]

ok charles made me paint my nails

[@ColeKempcke]

Saw these guys live last night and boy are they incredible! The guitarist was on fire!!

[@MrSmallpoxSatan]

Great music thanks. Don't worry too much about the race hustling next time.

[@franciscopimentel7034]

charles altura straight fire

[@RDXO17]

Charles Altura !!!!

[@funkflip]

sick drumming. he remainds me of billy cobham!!! great!!

[@tito61274]

charles dear idol (I notice you I am 80 years old and a good part of guitar-jazz) I admire your technique and ideas tremendously, but can you give us a pleasure to know how to interpret with those unforeseen ideas and well placed on the fretboard with some themes Modern bipbob something that I imagine how big you would do. Well with a quartet Charles with additional flute or tenor saxophone, give us the pleasure, can it be?

[@tajmacameron1693]

Amazing ❤❤❤❤

[@alejandrogu7525]

guitar guy killed it

[@Boonzzy]

Kudos to Tiny Desk Concert engineering team - I was blown away with the high sound quality. It was clearly noticeable when you hear this sound right after other KZbin videos!

[@BluStrat22]

Thanks for the kind words, Masato! I recorded this, and I'm so tickled with how it came out. Really honored you liked it! Cheers, Brian

[@TheLazyClips]

At 17:55 Blanchard introduces the project and music.

[@dexterthomassr975]

Ya Mon, this would make Miles SMILE!

[@sonyabell9640]

Just saw them in Jacksonville Florida tonight, 5.5.24! AWESOME!!!

[@delasessi]

I fell in love with T's sound, when I watched Spike's movie "She hate me". He speaks and feels with his music and translates in melodies what Spike writes in his scripts and what the actors feel. Awesome

[@WLOMA]

really great compositions!

[@lenslemonbenzem6907]

he has attitude terence as jazzmen. for me cos im guitarist so beautiful line charls plays

[@gessecrash]

Oscar Seaton, the drummer, he so amazing. I remember the movie "whiplash"

[@olander666]

Was Seaton in Whiplash? That's an INCREDIBLE movie about jazz, and the music is outstanding.

[@enape42]

Seen them live in Cleveland.. incredible band and great guys!

[@octavio2681]

De inmediato se conoce , siente, escucha, vive la gran calidad y dominio de estos grandes.

[@trav2190]

I love the way Terrance plays. I wanna learn it now

[@carolmcghee2076]

I as as as a a

[@johnnathanielgertler2670]

Did he play this whole set without a mouth piece on his trumpet?

[@AllIn1Studio]

It’s seriously masochistic! If that’s the new style of mouth bleed, I mean mouth piece..

[@ricaard]

Looks like that very, very, VERY expensive horn took a fall 😮

[@ArtBusker]

Funk HD !!!!!! Terence Wow !

[@Etakon.]

Looks likes shakey graves turned up playing guitar lol.

[@viscosepowermongrel]

Maybe worth credting the drummer, NPR!? Chris Bailey on drums!

[@xxjerzyrecordsxx]

Yeah, they have it listed as Oscar Seaton - pretty sure he didn't get their names wrong when he introduced them...

[@thebeetmaker]

Hey thank you..:)

[@phoenixafrobeatorchestra204]

#Heavyweights

[@GuitarManNik]

Amazing!!!!!

[@rayafilms]

This is fab!

[@leandrojeronimo4276]

Fenomenal, very good 👏👏👏👏

[@abutomatto]

Who is that guitarist?? He is awesome. Is anyone know his name??

[@GV_777YT]

+Gray Piano Flying i also wanna know haha

[@BogoJazz]

+Gray Piano Flying the guitarist is Charles Altura. :)

[@abutomatto]

+Reb0und Thanks!!! He is nice.

[@曹小博]

Charles Altura

[@MattBoucher7M]

I saw Altura playing with Chick Corea's Vigil band if I'm not mistaken

[@jazzercaster4749]

Great! Anyone know what Charles is using on the first tune? sounds like a wah or envelope filter.

[@Rhougue]

Jazzer Caster must be a wah, sounds very crybabish

[@BluStrat22]

Jazzer Caster it was a Wah!

[@saladprod6849]

Great !

[@Salvojazz]

Che gruppo da sogno... meravigliosi.

[@PecktheTownCrier]

Bringin' it

[@bmuhamad]

Interesting new sound from Mr. Blanchard & Band.

[@mr.brosio7915]

This is so good!!! I wish the trumpet was louder in the mix though...

[@timeisnow4116]

Terence is easily one of my favorite trumpet players, and all together the band sounds dope, but that guitar player did something extra to my soul, clearly he has spent a lot of time with the piano, or just practicing alternative voicing with play alongs, and his ear and theory knowledge are exceptionally obvious, Terence has the same thing going on, which makes them sound so out there but in.

[@michaelziegler104]

This is fantastic 🤘🏼

[@binoimathew1]

Loved it

[@papanino4415]

I'm not sure how a piece of smooth jazz is meant to signify anything related to racism and police violence. Can't I just enjoy the music for once?

[@Jugglevision]

1. This is not smooth jazz. 2. Music often signifies themes. If you don’t like the theme of this music either ignore the message or don’t listen

[@papanino4415]

@@Jugglevision I'm sorry, I didn't know I needed to ask your permission before being allowed to listen to whatever I want.

[@joseespinoza6283]

Una banda vergataria como decimos aquí en Venezuela! No es usual que se escucuchen aplausos en medio de la ejecución de una pieza. Thanks to NPR for sucha a wonderful band!

[@mikikomurdoch5985]

I'm catching their 9pm show at SF Jazz center this coming Saturday.

[@Mamusiqueamoi1]

I'm a huge Terrence Blanchard Fan

[@hgeithus]

Nice!

[@franbrisuela]

so gooood !!!!!

[@halhal98]

yeahhh... funky shit!

[@milesbehrstihl5718]

TB> one of my Favorites. Met him in Dallas TX at Sambuccas -

[@JulianFernandez]

Drummer is not Oscar but Chris Bailey...

[@trytwicelikemice7516]

+JulianFernandez read the full passage

[@s1t9o7r6m]

Great music...one of the things I dread as a keyboard player...dealing with hard to play out of tune pianos detracts from the musicians ability to feel comfortable and express himself...

[@ralphdavella554]

awesome

[@ChaaShaq]

What I can take from your statement is that this music is very sensual,which is not a bad thing in my opinion. Miles,Max,Mingus are on record saying they hate the term jazz,probably because it puts borders on music that involves improvisation based on the blues,harmony and syncopated rhythms.

[@crossjazz]

show terence

[@tomitorres7313]

12:41 that bass fill yessir

[@samoliver2371]

who's the pianist?

[@BluStrat22]

Fabian Almanzan…. He’s a beast

[@samoliver2371]

@@BluStrat22 cheers my guy

[@tipplers3417]

Saw these bad muthafuckas wit Oscar Seaton on drums. They were absolutely on 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@MadamSteamfunk]

sick horn!

[@zaitesushion]

Love the nail polish on the guitarist. Hawt.

[@nehemiahwhite1606]

11:44

[@amorfati9861]

Synergy

[@bytheway1031]

Happy Birthday Terrence Blanchard 🎂 03-13-2022

[@ianmoore5502]

The keys on the first one is just absolutely next level to me

[@pavlotreba]

I don’t get the sound of Terence trumpet

[@ivorodrigues9789]

Does Terence Blanchard play with TCE embouchure?

[@agamhamzah2924]

Amazing Band Great Composition

[@0ptimus]

the call @3:13 subtle and sick af

[@jaimeretamalsalazar5758]

muy muy buena

[@chuckyspell]

Fabian's solo at 20:21

[@guillepunx]

I need some Photo Opps

[@czeslawkoepke3330]

What to say, super.

[@jamiecesar3585]

Kool love 😻 this.,

[@youngreckless82]

is their a special name for that trumpet he is using?

[@QuincyWalters]

It's made by Monette

[@mraverybrown4621]

Incredible! 🙌🏿

[@Shrimpilla]

8:04 Confident Selflessness 18:43 Breathless

[@Shrimpilla]

21:07

[@Lotlus]

Is that an Adams A8?

[@mikutakiseko2351]

Lotlus That’s wrong. Terence use a "Monette Raja" .

[@THEGlassIED]

Jazz makes my brain hurt.

[@RayasNegroOvejas]

Any kind?

[@smeltnight2002]

THEGlassIED I'm sorry.

[@drthunda]

THEGlassIED Jazz makes my ears hurt... j/k. this jam was dope. better than the elevator muzak out there.

[@Rickriquinho]

+THEGlassIED This is not jazz.

[@michaelmishaw]

Yeah. It hurts so GOOD!!!

[@lucasdelgrecco411]

Damn... I would love to get my trombone and jam with these guys.

[@guryildiz]

who is the bass player? and does anyone knows the brand of the bass? pickups sound like bartolini's to me

[@Bassiturra]

I was wondering the same... I was trying to get the brand of the bass at 2:22 but couldn´t get it. The bass player is a fucking beast, what a tight groove!

[@meauxstacker980]

That's my uncle guys!!! His name is Donald Ramsey and more than likely those are Bartilini pick ups!!! That's all uses!!!

[@meauxstacker980]

His is name is Donald Ramsey.. He's my uncle and you're exactly right.. Those are Bartolini pick ups.. That's all he uses!!!

[@randyclere2330]

@@meauxstacker980 Dang, I really dig Donald's playing, hip tone, groove, playing just what the tune needs. Consummate player

[@nicholascreus]

Whos the pianist?

[@lordkfunk]

Fabian Almazán

[@MarcosChrispimMARCOSCHRISPIM]

very well.

[@andrewmyers933]

im a better guitarist!!

[@iplaytrumpet]

Andrew Myers Go search his name, Charles Altura. You're probably not.

[@LukeDallert]

Andrew Myers Wanna hear that.. Charles Altura is one of the most awesome talents I saw and heard the last years.. his incredible with Chick Corea. So you must be one of the great young talents of today and you shoudn't have problems to get in the Chick Corea Band..

[@andrewmyers933]

+Luke Dylan he just didn't sound great on that first song. Maybe it was an off day. I'l have to listen to a bit more from him but I could definately play better than he did on the first song. You haven't heard me play it will make you do a lil sex wee.

[@snartled2247]

+Andrew Myers post a cover of that song then? please and thank you

[@avsky837]

this is all just sounds like 70's porno music. i do love jazz though- but this has no bite.

[@cbautist]

J Earnest I don't think your ears are big enough.

[@avsky837]

christopher b alright i'll go back to duke ellington and john coltrane with my 'big ears'. fuck off.

[@cbautist]

Ellington and Coltrane would slap the shit out of you.

[@avsky837]

christopher b if they slapped me, i'd knock em both out. i like their music though.

[@thewookeyjack4223]

J Earnest You should seriously consider making a change in the type of porn you frequent if this is your comparison. There's a world of jazz beyond Ellington and Coltrane you narrow-minded shmuck.

[@0livingdeadgirl]

Our family loves everything about you all thank you!