HEAVEN AND EARTH

Description

After the release of his first album, The Epic (a triple album featuring nearly three hours of music) in 2015, Kamasi Washington was very quickly considered the harbinger of jazz's revival. Born in the tough neighborhood of Inglewood in Los Angeles, Kamasi Washington grew up amidst gang wars, but it was reading Malcolm X's autobiography and especially jazz that prevented him from falling into delinquency. At 18, the young saxophonist won the prestigious John Coltrane award, then began working with big names in the hip-hop world such as Lauryn Hill, Nas, Snoop Dogg, as well as R&B singer Raphael Saadiq and the essential Herbie Hancock. These numerous contributions shaped his approach to jazz. While respecting its codes and traditions, Kamasi Washington nevertheless pushes the boundaries of the genre without disavowing or alienating his past, and especially his audience. In 2011, a long writing process began to express and develop his own ideas; four years later, he released The Epic on Flying Lotus's label, Brainfeeder. A surprising label choice, but the album was quickly acclaimed by all critics, a debut album bringing together the work of nearly fifty collaborators. That same year, Kamasi collaborated with Kendrick Lamar on the magnificent and demanding To Pimp A Butterfly, thus establishing himself as one of contemporary jazz's outsiders. After a very successful EP, Harmony Of Difference, his first record on the Young Turks label, Kamasi Washington is back with Heaven & Earth, an ambitious quadruple vinyl album and double CD on which he continues his exploration of jazz territories, sometimes flirting with the groove and funk of the 70s, thus once again imposing his truly unclassifiable jazz. A little marvel! marvel!