{"id":3724,"date":"2022-01-19T21:18:14","date_gmt":"2022-01-20T03:18:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/?p=3724"},"modified":"2022-01-21T20:09:53","modified_gmt":"2022-01-22T02:09:53","slug":"spero-chicago-experiment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/spero-chicago-experiment\/","title":{"rendered":"Technology and Community: A Conversation with Greg Spero on The Chicago Experiment and NFTs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 2001, Ropeadope Records released The Philadelphia Experiment<\/em>, a unique collaborative effort by three artists from the city of Brotherly Love who built off of their community\u2019s rich musical history to create something new. Part of the project\u2019s success came from the diverse musical backgrounds of its three leads. From hip hop and R&B came Amir \u201cQuestlove\u201d Thompson. From classical and jazz, Uri Caine. And straddling all areas, Christian McBride. After their meeting met rave reviews, two follow-ups followed, each with a different cast of artists; The Detroit Experiment <\/em>(Ropeadope, 2003) and The Harlem Experiment <\/em>(Ropeadope, 2007). While the liner notes to Harlem<\/em> teased listeners to \u201clook for new experiments\u201d, for over a decade there was radio silence. Occasionally rumors would pop up, but nothing ever materialized. Now, more than two decades after the original Experiment<\/em>, a new trip was planned to one of America\u2019s premier musical cities; Chicago. As a result of the \u201cGreat Migration\u201d of poor workers from the South, the Windy City has birthed many branches from the great tree of Black American Music, including electric blues, avant-garde jazz, soul, house, gospel, and Chi-town rap. Greg Spero\u2019s The Chicago Experiment <\/em>(Ropeadope, 2022) draws from these traditions but, like its predecessor albums, uses them to carve a path all its own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A testament to the continued strength of their hometown\u2019s musical scene, the septet presented on The Chicago Experiment<\/em> is nothing short of impressive. From original compositions to reimaginings of Gil Scott Heron and Blue Note Records, drummer Makaya McCraven has established himself as a powerful force in improvised music. Marquis Hill – who regularly fuses jazz, hip-hop, R&B, Chicago house, and neo-soul- ranks among the best trumpeters of his generation. Joel Ross is a master of the vibraphone, breathing new life into an instrument far too often overlooked outside of Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, and Bobby Hutcherson. Saxophonist Irvin Pierce has played a significant role with the group Resavoir and with Junius Paul. From Tortoise to Rob Mazurek\u2019s Chicago Underground to The New Breed<\/em> (International Anthem, 2016), guitarist Jeff Parker needs no introduction. On bass, Darryl Jones, whose credits include Miles Davis, Sting, and an almost thirty-year run with the Rolling Stones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to being a gifted pianist, Greg Spero has been a fascinating figure on the business side of music. He\u2019s been called “a new breed\u201d of record executive, partly due to his start-up weeBID<\/a>, the world\u2019s first fan-initiated crowdfunding platform. Spero also runs his own label, Tiny Room<\/a>, which tries to showcase the transmutability of all genres. And he has been at the front lines of using new technology – whether Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and cryptocurrency or Virtual Reality (VR) concerts. We sat down with Spero to discuss The Experiment<\/em>, his influences, and the coming changes emerging technology may bring to the music business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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