Jazz Pianist Matthew Shipp Slams André 3000’s New Improvisational Piano EP

Earlier this week, André 3000 surprise-dropped an improvisational piano EP and confirmed as much as the Met Gala with a whole piano on his again. It serves because the follow-up to his 2023 flute album New Blue Solar, however jazz pianist Matthew Shipp shouldn’t be a fan.

In a Fb submit, Shipp ranted that 7 Piano Sketches is “full and utter crap” and “doesn’t even deserve the eye of a critique it’s so dreadful.” Right here’s what he wrote:

so a buddy referred to as me up and talked about that Andre 3000 has a piano album out–i used to be like what . I checked it out on youtube — my impression of it. I feel it’s full and utter crap -horrific-god terrible insipidly wretched nothing . oh my fucking god that is some atrocious shite — is he some sort of fucking asshole ? is he a whole and utter dilletante ? I may go into element about why every minimize is stillborn –however why hassle –it doesn’t even deserve the eye of a critique it’s so dreadful . the man shouldn’t be a pianist -that is the start and the tip of it — what an unpleasant piano sound — lets not even discuss telling a narrative with concord —feels like he listens to a bunch of music will get a few gestures in his head –sits down in a stream of consciousness and will get at some gesture for a couple of bars of one thing that he has not internalized -and barely is aware of on essentially the most superficial degree after which he loses the thread–in fact there’s zero composition occurring within the improvisations –no language to talk of just some cliches in his head that he can’t truly play the cliche however he hits and tries at it till he peters out shortly — wow — he’s so horrible at enjoying concord –so many horn gamers that piano shouldn’t be their instrument play so a lot better — this sounds to me like pure fraud —- what a scarcity of respect for the self-discipline by somebody who for my part is a whole asshole for doing this — it’s miserable that this rubbish will get any consideration as a result of he has a reputation and fame — there’s nothing refreshing concerning the naivety of it –it’s simply downright dreadful and terrible–true fucking crap –insipidly wretched nothing –

To be honest, André 3000 clarified within the EP announcement that he was enjoying with out the intention of releasing them. “These piano sketches are improvisations. To conjure them up, I unfold my fingers out on the keys and randomly however with function transfer them round till I discover one thing that feels good or fascinating,” he wrote. “If it feels actually good I’ll attempt to repeat it. I can’t identify which notes, keys or chords that I’m enjoying. I merely just like the sound and mechanics of piano enjoying. A few of my favourite piano music composers and gamers that encourage me are Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner, Philip Glass, Stephen Sondheim, Joni Mitchell and Vince Guaraldi.”