Jordan Hamilton
Jordan Hamilton, cellist of Last Gasp Collective and the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra (PC: Helen L. Fox Gospel Music Center)
Who They Are
Jordan Hamilton is a Michigan-based cellist, playing jazz-fusion pieces with Last Gasp Collective and classical arrangements with the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra. As a solo artist, Hamilton has produced and recorded an LP, EP, and single that all deftly blend hip-hop, rap, neo-soul, jazz, and folk influences to put a modern twist on the laid-back charm of early-nineties jazz hipsters like A Tribe Called Quest.
Why You Should Listen
Hip-hop remains the most popular style of music in the world, achieving an unparalleled level of universality due to its compositional flexibility and propensity for reinvention, and one can easily make a case that Jordan Hamilton is among the most compelling artists in today’s vast underground scene. Hamilton’s debut full-length, My Thoughts Are, combines The Roots’ hallmark experimentation with Digable Planets’ sonic intricacy to provide an altogether pleasant listening experience that is equal parts satisfying and engaging. Moreover, Hamilton’s skillful cello playing, augmented by samplers and loop pedals, not only adds a new layer of depth and warmth to the instrumentation but also brilliantly complements his svelte vocal melodies. Dig into the lyrics behind those melodies and you’ll find intellectual poeticism that channels contemporary Aesop Rock. For instance, Hamilton teams up with Nelly Fuentes-Donnachello on “Foreign Land” to address the cultural threats and vulnerabilities spurred by growing American nationalistic fervor. Meanwhile, he explores how the core human sensitivities—namely love, peace, gratitude, and forgiveness—can help deal with feelings of loss and despair on the delicate and introspective “No Songs for the Weekend”.
What You Should Listen To
Taking the roughly 45 minutes to go through the entirety of Hamilton’s discography will be time well spent. My Thoughts Are is easily one of my favorite hip-hop albums from the last decade, and Forrenland, with its opening politically-charged Spanish poem, expertly-chosen samples, and polished cello arrangements, is a particularly elegant eight-minute listen. Also, be sure to watch Hamilton’s breathtaking set on Audiotree Live, and if you still haven’t gotten enough, check out his work with Last Gasp Collective for a slightly different flare.