This past Labor Day weekend, the rolling hills of Napa, California filled with fans in town for the Blue Note Jazz Festival's Black Radio Experience, curated by Robert Glasper. The iOne Digital team was on hand to host the Black Radio Experience and we were moved by the display of music, art, wine and culture.
The Blue Note Jazz Festival's Black Radio Experience kicked off on the first day of Labor Day weekend and took place at Meritage Resort and Spa. The BRE team did a great job transforming the massive resort into an inviting performance space, with branded merchandise installations, a wine garden, food trucks, VIP experiences and plenty of seating for fans to watch the shows.
On day one (August 30), vibraphonist Joel Rosshas Good Vibes by Joel Ross kicked off the festival on the Blue Note Stage, with producer Madlib and drummer Daru Jones taking to the Black Radio Stage. Madlib also brought guests to his set, including Loot Pack band member Wildchild, who some may know as the father of actor Miles Brown, singer Stacy Epps and rapper Your Old Droog.
Source: Black Radio Experience / BRE
Source: Black Radio Experience Content Team
Terrace Martin rocked the Blue Note Stage, taking listeners through his wide-ranging musical journey, taking on a variety of instruments and also sharing humorous tidbits about himself throughout his performance. Common and Pete Rock, currently on tour in support of their new album, The Auditorium Vol. 1put on a spirited rendition of their classics alongside tracks from new work.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
Source: @sandrajamphoto
At the resort's Estate Cave, André 3000 performed three separate shows titled 'New Blue Sun Live' which featured him performing alongside a band and using multiple brass instruments, as he did on his latest album of the same name. Three Stacks performed three shows daily throughout the festival at Estate Cave. Golden Globe winner and singer Andra Day was another early highlight with a passionate performance that had the audience on their feet.
Source: Todd Cooper
The first night concluded with the legendary Jill Scott proving once again why she's in demand as a performer, going through just about every song you'd want to hear, including the sultry 'Crown Royal' and the Go-Go-ing 'It's Love ” among other successes.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
On day two (8/31), drummer Kendrick Scott kicked things off on the Blue Note Stage with an energetic set that showcased his mastery of the sticks. DJ Jazzy Jeff was set to perform on the Black Radio Stage, but DJ Premier of Gang Starr fame playfully filled the venue with an enjoyable set full of grooving soul tracks and R&B from the 1970s and beyond.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
Bassist Derrick Hodge rocked the Blue Note Stage shortly after and did double duty on Saturday with a follow-up set with Color of Noize Orchestra. At the same time, Tank and The Bangas were setting the Black Radio Stage on fire and as we've seen before, Tarriona “Tank” Ball gave it her all on stage with a mix of poetry, rap and song.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
As this festival was the brainchild of Robert Glasper, the talented musician made the rounds during several sets throughout the weekend and hosted his first full set with special guest, Marsha Ambrosius.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
John Legend closed things out on Saturday with all the style and professionalism imaginable. At one point during his set, Legend explained to the crowd how he came to work with Kanye West, now known as Ye, and the origin of his stage name among other anecdotes. Based on our observation of the crowd, this was another standout moment of the festival.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
On the last day, we spent much of our day in interview mode, so unfortunately we missed a lot of sets from the likes of RC & The Gritz, Christian McBride, Cimafunk and Eric Roberson. However, we did manage to catch up with Erro and will share more from our conversation in future posts. In between the busy schedule of interviews, we got to see some of Ledisi's sets from the Pattern Beauty suite – more on that later – and we also got to witness the “New Blue Sun Live” experience up close.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
Source: BRE / Still Harper
The final sets of the night were Niles Rodgers and CHIC and Glasper alongside Musiq Soulchild, capping off a weekend full of music, wine and many examples of black elegance and excellence.
The iOne Digital team also attended some of the on-site experiences, including the JAM Session with Robert Glasper & Chef Ken L. Polk from Chicago, with Glasper as his sous chef.
We also checked out the Ladies First Power Hour: Cocktails & Conversation with Kendra Anderson & Imane Hanine and had the pleasure of interviewing the couple after the experience. We also got to get some brunch among the elevated vineyards via Soul Brunch “For the Love of Jazz” by Chef Jay Foster and DJ Mara Hruby, featuring John Legend's LVE wine.
Source: @sandrajamphoto
In the coming weeks, we'll be sharing some of the content we captured from the venues, including the aforementioned interviews. We've interviewed Andra Day, Derrick Hodge, Frankie Zombie and more, so stay tuned.
Once again, the iOne Digital team owes a big debt of gratitude to the Black Radio Experience team for their hospitality and help that allowed us to experience the festival as it should have been.
To learn more about Blue Note Jazz, click here.
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Photo: iOne Digital/BRE
