Robert Glasper Recording Masterclass & Residency
This last week was a mix of happiness and craziness as two very amazing opportunities happened to me.
The week carried on, at first, like every other; packed to the brim with class and working on-campus so I was shuffling along like every other student.
The beauty of the element of surprise is that you have no idea when it will happen but it is always, or the most part, some thing good.
Towards the end of the week, I was contacted to be a student participant for the Recording masterclass and residency of visiting artist, Grammy award wining pianist Robert Glasper.
Prior to this, within my first year at Berklee, I treated myself to a ticket to watching a show of his at Sculler's Jazz Club and, going solely, they put my table right behind him at the piano, so this was almost like a dream come true as Mr. Glasper's music and arrangement's are absolutely adored back in Nairobi and is music that I have grown up listening to.
Simultaneously, I was also contacted by former Berklee alumnus Selah Simone Poitier to be a part of her band 'The Soul Deacons' and we were set to open for George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic that weekend.
It seemed like the week had barely started and it was already speeding off without me!
Additionally, I was a part of a 160 Berklee Cafeteria Show, being produced by Kamvalethu Nombembe entitled Worship House. I was up to my neck in performances for just that week.
Learning to juggle all three and still trying to get homework done, as well as maintain good attendance was not easy at all but it really showed me that this would very easily be the life I lived outside college and taught me important lessons on balance.
The Experience of recording and working with mr. Glasper taught me the importance of being able to incite and inspire growth in people by treating them as your equal rather than by bringing your accolades before them.
All three performances were a hit and I came out of the week amazed at how, at any moment in time, before you even knew it, you are being prepared for the things that will happen to you.
I hope you're all having a purpose-filled week :)
Don't forget to dream!
