Dinner Party Insane - Featuring Ant Clemons
Thursday 23 March 2023
The word “supergroup” has gotten thrown around loosely over the years, and sometimes the collected
resumes don’t always add up to that distinction. But that is ... very much not the case with Dinner Party.
The new band is the project of Terrace Martin, Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper, and 9th Wonder.
These guys have spent their whole careers eliding the boundaries between jazz, soul, and rap, and that’s
exactly the intent with Dinner Party – STEREOGUM
"It’s not every day you run into a supergroup as exciting as Dinner Party." - HYPEBEAST
“This group is full of musicians who have been leading the jazz/hip hop crossover moment for years” –
BROOKLYN VEGAN
“One of the most formidable supergroup lineups imaginable...Dinner Party’s self-titled debut is a
seamless-sounding project, seven songs that sit in the sweet spot between 9th Wonder’s throwback
beats, Glasper’s mellow keys, and the two saxophonists’ melodic digressions. ” – THE FADER
"As the name lends, Dinner Party is invite-only for those who not only live in the now, but also cook up
recipes that will be shared for years to come." - ESSENCE
Dinner Party, the incomparable supergroup of Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington
and friends, teamed up with Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter Ant Clemons and
Grammy-winning producer Sounwave on a new single “Insane (ft. Ant Clemons)” released today. The
song's foundation is laid by a looped drum sample from Mtume’s song “Juicy Fruit” with a buoyant palette
of slinky saxophone, rhythmic piano, groovy bass, hypnotic guitar, and Clemons’ sleek vocals. Dinner
Party encapsulates the ability to fuse jazz instrumentation with soulful R&B melodies over classic hip-hop
production while redefining what is expected of popular music. With each release, they reach to inspire
and give back to their fans and their community with an expression of joy, fun and laughter without ego -
good friends coming together and all bringing different ingredients to the table. The single arrives only a
day ahead of their performance at Terminal 5 in NYC with more new music due out later this year. The
single artwork was painted by Kamasi Washington’s sister Amani Washington.
Dinner Party is also set to perform at Coachella in April. The group previously released their self-titled
EP Dinner Party in 2020 followed by a reimagined version titled Dinner Party: Dessert, that featured
Cordae, Herbie Hancock, Buddy, Bilal, Tank and the Bangas, Punch and Rapsody, alongside
newcomers Reuben Vincent, Malaya and Alex Isley, plus vocals from resident Dinner Party guest
Phoelix.
Dinner Party started as an idea that came together while Martin and Glasper were on the road, touring
with Glasper's R+R=NOW. The two longtime friends originally met in 1996 at a jazz band camp and have
continued to work closely on their own projects and producing for others. With the idea to meld many of
their influences and practices into a new sound, nodding to jazz and soul but ultimately rooted in hip-hop,
the idea for the new group was born. Martin called on Washington, a longtime friend that he met in 1992
in a high school jazz band, and seminal beat-maker and producer 9th Wonder to elevate the project
musically. With all four as masters of their craft and then some - Martin and Washington on saxophone,
Glasper on keys and 9th Wonder doing production.
Each of the four prodigious members have the musical pedigree that deserves the accolades they have
received. Terrace Martin, a 5-time Grammy-nominated artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist,
featured heavily on Kendrick Lamar's good kid, M.A.A.D. city and To Pimp A Butterfly, along with
contributions to recent projects from Travis Scott, Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, Herbie Hancock and
more. 5-time Grammy winner and 12-time Grammy-nominated producer and pianist Robert Glasper,
who has been a major force in music for decades most recently winning a Grammy for Best R&B Album
at last month’s awards show, as well as film, including his Grammy win for the soundtrack to Miles
Ahead and an Emmy for his contribution to "Letter To The Free" from Ava Duvernay's documentary
13th. Saxophonist Kamasi Washington was awarded the American Music Prize and Gilles Peterson
Worldwide Album of The Year for his critically acclaimed 2015 LP The Epic. DJ and producer 9th
Wonder has worked with some of the most influential artists in music, such as Erykah Badu, Kendrick
Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Drake, Nipsey Hustle, Anderson.Paak and many more.
"As the name lends, Dinner Party is invite-only for those who not only live in the now, but also cook up recipes that will be shared for years to come." - ESSENCE
