Kamasi isn't the first tenor wielding Washington to arrive on the scene with a fully formed, mature statement of intent. Back in 1967, 23-year old Tyrone pulled together a stellar band of jazz heavyweights for a Blue Note date that touches on several of the key styles of the day, from groovy boogaloo and heavy-swinging hard bop to lilting ballad and breezy latin vamp – and even ends with an exploratory piece of free expression. Washington's tone, too, seems to nod to several leading players, incorporating the raw, tortured cry of Archie Shepp, the soulful abstractions of Joe Henderson and the high, pained altissimo of Albert Ayler. After just a few more recording dates in the early 1970s, Washington left music altogether to pursue a religious calling. Natural Essence has been released on CD in Japan twice but, here in the west, it's as forgotten as the artist that made it.

Vinyl sold for $75 at ebay.com in June 2015