In 2023, André 3000 released his flute album New Blue Sun. Now, in conjunction with a piano-themed outfit at tonight’s Met Gala, he has surprise released 7 Piano Sketches, a collection of instrumental music recorded solo on a piano.
"warning: no bars," he quipped on Instagram, continuing:
These piano sketches are improvisations. To conjure them up, I spread my fingers out on the keys and randomly but with purpose move them around until I find something that feels good or interesting. If it feels really good I will try to repeat it. I cannot name which notes, keys or chords that I’m playing. I simply like the sound and mechanics of piano playing. Some of my favorite piano music composers and players that inspire me are Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner, Philip Glass, Stephen Sondheim, Joni Mitchell and Vince Guaraldi.
These piano pieces weren’t recorded with the intention of presenting them in any formal way to the public. They were personal, at home recordings. I would sometimes text them to my family and friends.
Pardon the sound quality, they were all recorded with my iPhone sitting directly on the piano or my laptop microphone with the exception of "Blueberries." (recorded in studio)
Most of these were recorded in Texas. The house my son and I were renting had no furniture at all. Only a piano, our beds and tv screens.
This collection of songs was recorded almost a decade before New Blue Sun. The original title for it was The Best Worst Rap Album In History and here is an excerpt from the original liner notes.
“It’s jokingly the worst rap album in history because there are no lyrics on it at all. It’s the best because it’s the free-est emotionally and best I’ve felt personally. It’s the best because it’s like a palette cleanser for me.”
André 3000's Met Gala look was created by Burberry in collaboration with benji bixby and styled by Law Roach. The theme of this year’s event is Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.
Meanwhile, the imminent Rock & Roll Hall Of Famer has been trying to find a notebook he lost in Amsterdam by putting up missing posters. Stream 7 Piano Sketches below.
