Often times, we come across new artists in our universe that completely fire us up and inspire our musical progress. One of these artists is Kamasi Washington. What started as a small snippet of audio from digital satellite radio (in between sets at a gig) has blossomed into an exciting new exploration into the incredible work of this artist.

A relatively younger cat on the scene (b. 1981), Kamasi Washingon is mostly known for his tenor sax playing, in addition to his work as a composer, producer and band leader. He is the product of a well versed L.A. music education, having the privilege to perform along side of greats such as Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, George Duke and others along the way. He ventured into “big band” music circa 2005 and has kept the larger ensemble philosophy current in his creations since then, notably featured in his 2015 debut recording “The Epic”.

I had a chance to dive into “The Epic” recently, when looking around the web for new music. It was footage of a live concert of the work put together by Jazz Night in America, and it was well worth the watch. Immediately I had audio visions of something like George Clinton & Parliament, Roy Hargrove, John Coltrane, and perhaps even Sonny Rollins all rolled into one adept performer. The Epic reminded me of the wide open spaces available in large group music that allows the form to shift, the groove to progress continually and the music to evolve several times over in literally one composition. The overall vibe was very uplifting and surprisingly spiritual–not in a religious way, but more to core of the soul of music, and musicality.

Kamasi himself is one hell of a player as well. While his band is certainly exceptional, it is Kamasi’s large presence on stage that really seems to command the audience. He is instrumental in accentuating the underlying grooves present in his compositions and allowing them to segue almost seamlessly from one movement to another. To the trained ear, there is quite an improvisational experience underlying the more fixed portions of his work, and this (to me) allows for more of a spiritual appreciation and consciousness of the nuances that really drive the synergy of each composition. Although the studio format outlines only about 6 or 7 tracks on The Epic album, each one of these tracks is a 20-30 minute exploration into the soul at his live performances. It really is awe inspiring, uplifting, and fun to be a part of.

As musicians, we owe it to ourselves and the community to continually search and progress into the world of music, where ever it may lead us. Better yet, when we find gems among the blase world of musical rocks, we have an obligation to share these with the group, with the idea of helping all of us move forward with our own musical explorations. Kamasi is one of the rare performers today who is continually striving to attain greater consciousness via music, and is a performer we should all look to for inspiration, regardless of musical taste. It is our wish to share Mr. Kamasi Washington with you. Enjoy!!