Robert Glasper on his path to the piano: 'It became a part of me'

Jeremy Siegel: This is GBH's Morning Edition. Grammy winning pianist Robert Glasper is known for his genre bending hip hop and jazz inspired music, as well as big name collaborations with artists like Kendrick Lamar and Mac Miller. He's in town this week, playing multiple nights at the City Winery in Boston, and I got a chance to speak with him ahead of the performance. Let's go back to the beginning. You are so known for your work as a pianist, as a keyboardist, and you often hear of, like, musical geniuses as a child behind their instrument at, like three years old. Did things start for you at a young age, behind the keyboard?

Robert Glasper: Actually, no. I actually started playing drums when I was around five, six years old. I played drums for a minute, and then I got into sports, so I didn't really sit behind the piano in a real way, like at least learn how to play, until I was 11, and that's when I started playing, literally, I started playing Happy Birthday with one finger.

Siegel: Happy Birthday with one finger. So how do you go from Happy Birthday with one finger at 11 years old to the career that you've had?

Glasper: Yeah. That's the tricky part. I don't know. It was very fluid. Once I started, then I just took off from there. Like I couldn't get enough of the piano. Like I didn't even really know the kids in my neighborhood because I just played piano. When they were out playing basketball, I was playing the piano.

Siegel: What were you listening to? What were the influences that you were hearing at that time?

Glasper: Chick Corea was my first tape. That was my first, like, jazz tape that I had. I believe I was in like seventh grade, sixth grade, seventh grade, when I got that tape. So it was Chick Corea. It was Oscar Peterson. It was Keith Jarrett. Those are like my three. And then also it was Kenny G. I love Kenny G. Because in junior high school, for sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth grade, I played clarinet in the stage band. And so I used to try to play my clarinet like Kenny G played his soprano sax, out the side of my mouth, like with a lot of vibrato. And my dad used to get so mad at me. But Kenny G was also a bridge for me for jazz. He was kind of in my progression of understanding how to ride the line between popular music and jazz as well as me listening to straight ahead jazz people at the same time, you know?

Siegel: At this point in your career, you've won five Grammys, been nominated 12 times in 11 categories. You won an Emmy.

Glasper: You know, I also, not to brag, but I also have a Peabody.

Siegel: I mean, it's wild to think of that. I mean, you have this list. You're, like, among the few people who have all of these things: a Peabody.

Glasper: Yeah.

Siegel: A Grammy, several Grammys.

Glasper: Yeah.

Siegel: I mean, what's next? Are you going for the Oscars?

Glasper: I would love the, you know, an Oscar and a Tony. I would love it. Let's go. Let's get this, it's called PEGOT. That's what it is. PEGOT.

Siegel: So being somebody who's sort of defied the odds or the traditional story of someone like you being an 11-year-old playing with one finger behind the piano.

Glasper: Yeah.

Siegel: Is there any advice that you've gotten over your career, advice that you could give for someone else who you know, isn't that kid who's been playing piano or violin or clarinet since they were born, basically, but has dreams of doing what you've done?

Glasper: Yeah, I would say, it worked out for me because my gift ended up being my passion, and I realized that early, I realized that that at pretty much at 12 years old. Like, once I started playing piano, I realized I really loved it. And there's a quote I love that says: winners forget they're in a race. They just love to run. That's how I feel. Like, I just love playing piano so much, and I love composing, and I love music so much that it was just who I am, it became a part of me. I always tell students like, hey, your path is not the same as the path of the person that's right next to you, so don't feel like you have to do exactly what they're doing. Don't feel like you have to go to that party. If you want to stay home and do whatever it is you love doing, do that. Don't feel like you have to go play basketball. If you want to practice, do that.

Siegel: Robert Glasper, it's been a real pleasure talking with you. Really looking forward to having you in Boston. Thanks so much for coming on.

Glasper: Absolutely. Thank you, man. Appreciate you.

Siegel: Robert Glasper is performing at the City Winery tonight and tomorrow night in Boston. You're listening to GBH News.