Yes, well…they’re the words of Robert Glasper, in an interview with the generally erudite and brilliant pianist from The Bad Plus Ethan Iverson. This interview has kind of set the jazz internet alight this last week, with most comments I have read expressing near-universal disdain, not to mention disgust, at Glasper’s remarks. Iverson comes in for a bit of a beating for 1) reporting them verbatim, 2) not choosing to NOT report them, and then 3) making rather lame excuses about how much he respects women, usually the resort of someone who feels the opposite,
And all this came in the week of International Women’s Day.
As with a lot of things I seem to have posted lately, this piece is a bit of a long read. But it’s a necessary discussion. Jazz musicians, most of whom are male, are pretty sexist beasts.