-You might not be aware of it, but London’s jazz scene is on the verge of a golden age. A rising generation of young players is breathing new life into a genre marred by tradition. Sons of Kemet have been active since 2011, wowing live audiences with pounding tribal rhythms and unrestrained jamming.
Eschewing traditional quartet formats, the group features Shabaka Hutchings on saxophone and clarinet, Theon Cross with tuba, and then a rotating roster of drummers from which at least 2 appear on every track. This minimal setup leads to an obsession with rhythm, supplying each track with unstoppable energy.
The drummers will often begin a track by pounding out a simple rhythm, leaning towards world influences. Atop this foundation, the horns echo simple melodic phrases while a percussive storm ramps up behind them. Shabaka is particularly adept at using repetitive melodies to build tension before launching into expressive soloing which tears through the dense hive of polyrhythms beneath it.
Record highlight My Queen is Angela Davis showcases this ferocious energy as the band race to the song’s conclusion. Beginning as a lumbering groove, Shabaka’s sax stabs soon work the rhythm section into a frenzy. Frantically ascending tuba basslines attempt to accommodate unrestrained soloing in the back half; it’s jazz infused with all the energy of a grime MC.
Looking deeper into each member’s playing, subtle influences from UK culture begin to emerge. Theon’s tuba blasts near the end of Doreen Laurence imitate booming sub-bass, while Congo Natty appears on Mamie Phipps Clark for a jungle tribute. Traces of London club life can be heard in cluttered drum breaks, a connection only helped by the inclusion of vocal features.
Josh Idehen delivers impassioned political poetry on the first and last tracks, shouting to be heard over the band’s cacophony. Spoken word is always a risk in instrumental music, but I struggle to imagine a better execution. Idehen's speech becomes a war cry, zealous protest for a history of oppression. The other players improvise around his rhythmic articulations and it’s electrifying.
The band moves from strength to strength on each of the nine tracks, changing up their formula just enough to keep me interested. Weak points come only in the form of slower moments, where the obtuse instrumental structure only sounds out of place. I also wish some of the more intense jams developed further before their conclusions.
Though it might be more danceable than traditional jazz, this album carries the same defiant energy that initially birthed the genre. Sons of Kemet are moving this music forward, taking London with them. Instrumental mastery, wild soloing, intense improvisation; everything that makes jazz great is uncompromised in their artistic vision, and that alone deserves your attention.
- Boddhi Farmer.