TheGrio’s 100: Jason Moran, the future of jazz

If Johann Sebastian Bach and Thelonius Monk were both alive today, they would probably be impressed by the musical ingenuity of Jason Moran. This jazz pianist has been making waves since his debut 1999 album Soundtrack to Human Motion, which is a mix of avant-garde jazz, hip-hop and spoken word.

Moran, a Texas native, started to receive classical piano lessons at the age of six from his late mother, an amateur cellist. However, when he was 14 years old, he had the pleasure of listening to Thelonius Monk’s The Composer, and realized his true musical passion.

“For me, it was hearing the piano as I had never heard it,” Moran said of Monk in a 2007 Smithsonian Magazine interview. “There was a clarity and direction, and in hindsight, I’d say it reminded me of what you’d hear in a hip-hop song — it’s very roguish and attractive. I just listened to that record over and over again.”

Twenty years and six studio recordings later, fellow musicians and leagues of fans have labeled Moran the future of jazz. He has not only worked with some of the greats in the music industry, but he has also branched out into other avenues in the art world, including recent collaborations with artists Kara Walker and Glenn Ligon.

He also just completed a multimedia presentation paying homage to his role model Thelonius Monk. Like Monk, Moran’s inventiveness will leave a mark on music for a new generation of fans and future jazz musicians. When asked in a recent interview about all the musicians who have inspired his career, he said it was all about mutual respect for the craft.

“You have to really look up to the mentors that you have and really trust yourself that you’re gonna learn and grow as they learn and grow,” he said. “Once you learn and grow together, then, hopefully, you will be in a fruitful position to be a successful musician.”