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Kamasi Washington

Jez Nelson presents highlights from the launch of The Epic, the debut album by rising star saxophonist Kamasi Washington, held at the Regent Theater in Los Angeles.

Jez Nelson presents highlights from the launch of The Epic, the debut album by rising star saxophonist Kamasi Washington, recorded live at LA's Regent Theater in May 2015.

Epic in every sense of the word, the album is 172 minutes long and features a 32-piece orchestra and 20-strong choir. At its heart is a 10-piece band of fellow Los Angeles musicians including bassist/producer Thundercat and two drummers, fronted by Washington's fearsomely energetic blowing. A recent Pitchfork review described it as an 'extravagant love letter to... soul jazz, John Coltrane... and 1970s fusion leaders like Miles Davis and Weather Report', while the Guardian's John Fordham drew comparisons with Art Blakey and Sun Ra.

But Washington's sources of inspiration go beyond jazz. In addition to working with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, he has appeared on albums by rapper Kendrick Lamar and producer Flying Lotus (whose label Brainfeeder released The Epic). Their influence on this tour de force is just as strong.

Presenter: Jez Nelson
Producer: Chris Elcombe.

1 hour, 30 minutes

Last on

Mon 7 Sep 2015 23:00
Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Kamasi Washington

    Askim

  • Snoop Dogg

    G Funk (Intro)

    • Doggystyle.
    • Interscope Records.

  • Kendrick Lamar

    Alright

    • To Pimp A Butterfly.
    • Top Dawg Entertainment.

  • Kamasi Washington

    The Magnificent 7

  • Max Roach

    Freedom Day

    • We Insist! - Max Roach's Freedom Suite Now.
    • Candid Records.

  • Kamasi Washington

    Miss Understanding

  • Kamasi Washington

    Seven Prayers

  • Kamasi Washington

    Changing Of The Guard

  • Matana Roberts

    Dreamer Of Dreams

    • Coin Coin Chapter 3 - River Run Thee.
    • Constellation.

  • Sokratis Sinopoulos Quartet

    Thrace

    • Eight Winds.
    • ECM.

Kamasi Washington's The Epic line up:

The Next Step:  Kamasi Washington (saxophones); Ryan Porter (trombone); Dontae Winslow (trumpet); Patrice Quinn (vocal); Cameron Graves (piano); Brandon Coleman (keyboards); Miles Mosley (upright bass); Stephen 'Thundercat' Bruner (electric bass); Tony Austin (drums); Ronald Bruner (drums); Leon Mobely (percussion)

String and Choir Conductor: Miguel Atwood-Ferguson 

String Section: Paul Cartwright (violin); Tylana Renga (violin); Jim Simone (violin); Molly Rogers (viola); Andrea Witt (viola); Ginger Murphy (cello); Atryom Manukyan (cello)

°ä³ó´Ç¾±°ù:ÌýCharles Jones; Dawn Norsleet; Mashica Winslow; Nia Andrews; Steven Wayne; Taylor Graves; Thalma de Freitas

Broadcast

  • Mon 7 Sep 2015 23:00
    Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 3

Jazz Now

Jazz Now

The new home of contemporary jazz on Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 3

Related Links

  • (www.kamasiwashington.com)
  • (thebluemoment.com)
  • (www.efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk)
  • (www.npr.org)