Kamasi Washington, 43, is arguably the most important jazz musician of this century. Alongside the likes of Norah Jones, Jacob Collier, Gregory Porter and recent standout, Laufey, this tenor saxophonist, composer, and bandleader from Los Angeles has demonstrated his ability to defy odds and become an unexpected celebrity. Seen as a beacon of refreshment, Washington crosses the boundaries of genre and generation, liberating jazz from its own constraints and returning it to the mainstream.
Washington gained notoriety following the release of his bravely ambitious triple album, ‘The Epic’ in 2015 – a near three hour-long magnum opus involving a 10-member jazz collective, a choir of 20, and a 32-piece orchestra. His innovative blend of spiritual jazz, cosmic fusion, captivating melodies, modal rhythms, virtuosic soloing, gospel vocals, and orchestral strings has reshaped modern jazz. Much like his London counterparts, he’s presented jazz as a vital, all-inclusive urban music that not only engages communities but also has a wider appeal.
Washington’s affinity with hip-hop powerhouses such as Kendrick Lamar and Flying Lotus, who are known to redefine and push artistic boundaries; his unforgettably vibrant performances at high-profile festivals including Glastonbury and Coachella, alongside a performance at the BBC Proms; and his emergent status as an emblem of black empowerment and self-assurance have propelled him to almost unanimous praise and critical approval.
His first album in six years, ‘Fearless Movement’ radiates a sense of command and invulnerability, a credence echoed in Washington’s appearance with his full beard, free-styled Afro, ceremonial attires, medallions, rings, and cane which give him the aura of an Afro-futurist warrior or possibly a spiritual guide, and this predominate the album’s music too. Equally exciting, Washington will be gracing Dublin’s 3Olympia on the 23rd of October and, I can exclusively reveal, the Cork Opera House on the 25th of October.
The double album, Fearless Movement, is somewhat lesser and more than The Epic and its comparably broad sequel, Heaven and Earth, despite being a humble 86-minute, 12-track. The choir and orchestra are absent, yet it prominently features some of Washington’s long-time allies – Thundercat the bass guru, Terrace Martin the altoist, and Patrice Quinn the soulful singer. They are joined by special guests, including André 3000 on the flute, George Clinton providing vocals, and rappers Taj and Ras Austin. Regardless of its condensed form, the ensemble still mostly emanates a grand and layered sound; the multifaceted compositions, intense polyrhythms, and quick-paced solos are expansive, hectic and frequently taxing as one might expect from its aural representation of Los Angeles. It feels like being a co-traveller in a rapid, high-end supercar: there’s plenty to absorb.
Drawing influence from “the act of dancing, moving, and channelling spirit through body movements” Washington was conceptualising his record. As stated in the album’s description, the benign proposal behind Fearless Movement is that “everyone’s born flexible, but disuse could result in the loss of it”. For an artist whose universal and abundant style appears to command pretty much every accessible resource, sometimes excessively, the fear of losing it seems unfounded.