Today, we are celebrating the birthday of one of the most prolific bass players of our time, Derrick Hodge.
A lot of us know him from his continuous collaboration with the famed jazz keyboardist Robert Glasper. Derrick recorded on the latter’s eminent, Grammy Award-winning albums “Black Radio” and “Black Radio 2” and has been a steady contributor with Robert Glasper ever since.
In 2011, he signed with Blue Note Records and released his first album as a leader in 2013, titled “Live Today” and had guest appearances from artists such as Common, Glasper, Chris Dave among others.
Check out his song “Dances with Ancestors” from his freshman album “Live Today” played live at the Kennedy Center. This concert features an all-star lineup of Hodge, Federico Peña on keyboards, Michael Aaberg on keyboards, Keyon Harrold on trumpet, and Mark Colenburg on drums.
Derrick Hodge has also been heavily involved in the neo-soul movement of the early 2000s. While still being in college, studying straight-ahead jazz in NYC, he was recruited to be the bass player and musical director for artists such as Jill Scott, Maxwell, Musiq Soulchild, and Nas to name a few. All while maintaining a promising career in the straight-ahead jazz scene of NYC with artists such as Terence Blanchard and Mulgrew Miller.
Derrick Hodge is a two-time Grammy Award-winning artist and has been named a Sundance Composer Fellow, and received a Motif Award which is the highest award for Child Advocacy.
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