Beverly Glenn-Copeland: Keyboard Fantasies Reimagined

Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s backstory could take pages to relate, but briefly: in 1986, the black transgender electronic music innovator self-released about 200 cassette tapes of an album called Keyboard Fantasies. Difficult to classify (meditative electronica soundscapes topped with fragile vocals didn’t receive too much attention in the mid-1980s) and even more problematic to attract interest from record labels, it sold about 50 copies.

Cassette copies

Fast forward several years ago when the musician, then aged 72, received an email from an influential Japanese record collector: were any cassette copies left, and if so, could they be purchased? A ripple effect began and the resurgence of interest in Copeland increased to the point where Keyboard Fantasies and other recordings were reissued.

Reworked versions

Which brings us to that same album's songs being reimagined as a marker of its 35th anniversary. It might help to be aware of the original recordings, but don't fret if that isn't possible as the reworked versions here stand proudly on their own. With five of the eight tracks over six minutes (and one, Ever New, as elegantly redrafted by Kelsey Lu, touching 10 minutes), there is plenty of time to allow the magic to take effect. Along with the Kelsey Lu remix, other highlights include Blood Orange weaving a plaintive oriental spell on Sunset Village and Julia Holter scrubbing up Fastest Star to make it shine even brighter.

beverlyglenncopeland.com