Kamasi Washington – West Coast Uprising
Thursday, November 26, 2015
The emergence of Los Angeles saxophonist Kamasi Washington this year as one of the hottest names in jazz – thanks to the avalanche of music he unleashed on his remarkable triple-disc debut album The Epic – has caused shockwaves on both sides of the Atlantic.
Not only has The Epic come out at No.1 in Jazzwise’s 2015 Album of the Year Critics Poll, it’s won almost universal acclaim from both the jazz and rock press. This new LA scene’s wider impact now sees Herbie Hancock working with influential jazz-influenced über-producer Flying Lotus and bass-guitar whirlwind Thundercat. Kevin Le Gendre spoke to Washington and his bassist Miles Mosley, joining the dots of this expansive collective and tracing its deep links from contemporary rap star Kendrick Lamar to 1990s psychedelic hip hop and the 1960s spiritual jazz of Alice and John Coltrane
This is an extract from Jazzwise Issue #203 – to read the full article Subscribe to Jazzwise, save money and receive a fantastic FREE CD