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Along with the lightning speed comes a certain grace. Glasper, like some young football geniuses, can twist and turn elegantly making spectators catch their breath. And as is this case with many of these said geniuses, Glasper is also blessed with a mature mind, allowing an almost ‘less is more’ approach, a sparcity which results in devastating results.

All these factors — the dynamism, graceful playing, twist and turns and the use of space comes to the fore on Glasper’s fourth album Double Booked (if you have not got Glasper’s first album “Mood”, and most people haven’t rectify this immediately). “Double Booked” makes a good use of ‘samples’ and Pete Rock (don hip hop producer) type production (tough drums and a shimmer of repetitive melody)which will add to Glasper’s growing hip hop fanbase (helped by an endorsement by the Stones Throw label).

Except the ‘samples’ used are not quite samples. Yes, the cover of Monk’s “Think of One” masterfully includes a segment of Ahmad Jamal’s Swailaihand (sampled by artists as disparate as Joey Negro and De La Soul) but it is the tune’s spacious change in pace and repetitive nature seemingly like a ‘sample’ highlighted by drummer Chris Dave which is closer in hip hop in nature. A similar effect is gained from the album’s various fade outs, little 30 seconds bursts of magic which render a Stussy wearing crowd closer to a Brooks Brothers crowd. “Downtime” furthers the jazz and hip hop marriage, where crisp, slightly out of key drums hold hands with some beautifully, executed jazz.

One of Glasper’s greatest tricks, is the ability to seemingly suspend play, followed by a pregnant pause, and then turning out an infectious melody. “Yes I’m Country (And That’s OK)” (Glasper is originally from Houston) is one such example. Flights of piano led jazz touch a Southern hint of country but at almost once Glasper brings the country twang of Texas back to the hustle and bustle of New York via some pieces of haunting beauty on the piano.

The album is cut between two different ‘homes’, Glasper’s jazz side played by his band the Trio play jazz, and his other band The Experiment play the hip hop side. Don’t be fooled by the marketing, each ‘side’ is closer in nature than you would think, the jazz and hip hop flow coherently through the set. The only spike of ‘oddity’ is Casey Benjamin’s vocoder on The Experiment side which sits firmly away from the jazz camp, though after around five plays I was a fan.

“Double Booked” is a remarkable album by an artist very much at the top of his game. Hopefully “Double Booked” will cement Glasper’s reputation as one of the finest musicians of his generation.