- Bandleader, arranger and tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington first cut his teeth playing on other peoples’ records, but his stature as an artist in his own right was confirmed with the release of 2015’s triple album The Epic.
The result was a bunch of hip hop fans who heard his work for Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus and Run The Jewels suddenly found themselves immersing themselves into lengthy instrumental suites, and Washington became the biggest crossover jazz star in recent memory.
Washington’s last album was certainly not low-key and while his new record Heaven and Earth is a double (not triple album), it still runs at nearly two-and-half hours, with each half divided into sections that reflect his interpretations of earthly and cosmic matters. As a result, it’s a record that touches on contemporary, spiritual and sci-fi elements, fantastical and utopian on one hand, gritty and earth-bound on the other.
Opening song Fists of Fury recasts an old Bruce Lee movie theme into an epic anthem for the Black Lives Matter era – “Our time as victims is over” articulates Patrice Quinn yet, like nearly all of the album, it is the instrumental journey that dominates the lengthy track. There are gentler, more surreal soundscapes as well, such as the luxurious Space Traveller’s Lullaby and more direct funk workouts like Street Fighter Mas.
As with his last album, the arrangements and instrumentation are immense. Washington remains a jazz maximalist, never afraid to enhance his songs with orchestras and swooping, soaring choirs. Like many jazz soloists, he also provides plenty of room to showcase the other musicians. His saxophone is the guiding instrument, but there are many moments where keyboards, synths, double basses, drums and other members of the horn family are given time to shine as well.
And for all the epic lengths and arrangements, Washington also understands the power of restraint so there are moments where the music steps back and lets something as simple and graceful as gentle arpeggios from a piano provide moments of quiet reflection.
But it’s the virtuosic walls of sound that truly inform these tunes, and the album’s combination of density and clarity is absolutely spot-on. Washington actually makes a pretty good entry level to the crazy world of jazz, because his music is progressive and adventurous enough to be interesting while mostly avoiding the discordance and abrasion of more avant-garde performers. He can make a sprawling, toweringly ambitious album, but imbue it with focus and accessibility. Washington simply gets the balance right.
- Matt Thrower.