There is no question that the term Supergroup is used pretty loosely. Sometimes, you find groups that have don’t have the collection of experience to obtain the distinct “supergroup” title.
With Dinner Party, that is not the case at all.
Dinner Party, a newly-formed Supergroup that includes Kamashi Wahington, Robert Glasper, Terrace Martin, and 9th Wonder, have just released their debut album.
It is important to note that each one of these men has spent their entire careers moving between the realms of soul, jazz, and hip-hop. It was only a matter of time until something like Dinner Party came together to craft a blend of each unique influence.
This self-titled, seven-track album has been in the works for quite some time, and arrive this past week on July 11. The album features Phoelix, a renowned Chicago singer, on a number of tracks.
As for the name Dinner Party, it was chosen to convey the overall vibe of the project and the group. Even Martin was keen on stressing the point that the album is as “laid-back” as the name suggests. He talks about it as a meeting of four good friends letting loose in the studio and crafting a musical story that sounds somewhat like a dinner conversation.
“We wanted to break that barrier down and just make it more about the music”, said Martin.
This album comes after two years of work. At the end of 2019, Terrace Martin, a man most famous for his work with Kendrick Lamar, rented out a Los Angeles studio by the name of Chalice Studios for the four artists to work out the ends of the project.
You can hear Washington and Martin tearing it up with saxophones on the debut album, along with Glasper playing the keys, and 9th Wonder taking production duties.
You can check out the new Dinner Party album here.
According to the popular music website Stereogum, the musicians have quite a bit of history behind them. In fact, Terrace Martin and Kamasi Washington were friends in high school. They met and played together at band camp back in the early 90s.
Martin was out on the road with Robert Glasper when the idea for the Dinner Party supergroup came into fruition. The duo eventually linked up with 9th Wonder and Washington.
The lead single off the album entitled “Freeze Tag”, may have a warm,\ and sunny sound, though it actually grapples with the harsh realities of racism and police brutality.
The song “Freeze Tag” comes complete with a video that shows the supergroup working on the track in the studio.
In our opinion, the album is absolutely seamless. The seven songs on the album are a mix of throwback beats from 9th Wonder, mellow keyboard sounds from Robert Glasper, and groovy saxophones from Martin and Washington.
Phoelix sits on five of the seven songs on the album, sometimes providing lead vocals while other times providing a bit of falsetto to accent each instrument.
Overall, it’s a hard A+ and an album that you should certainly listen to this summer.
