Saturday, February 06, 2016

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Kamasi Washington

Artist:Kamasi Washington
Song:Final Thought
Album:The Epic





Sax player Kamasi Washington is the new "it" boy in jazz. The Epic has done very well on the jazz charts despite it being a 3CD set. He has talent but I think he's trying to do too much. Washington was mostly a session musician before The Epic. He was born Feb. 18, 1981 in Los Angeles the son of sax player Rickey Washington who was a member of the 70s funk group Raw Soul Express. While attending UCLA, Washington was mentored by legendary big band leader Gerald Wilson. Washington appeared on Wilson's 2005 CD In My Time. He played local clubs with his band Young Jazz Giants and released a few CDs independently. Then he started getting session work. Washington has recorded with Snoop Dogg, George Duke and Flying Lotus. You may have heard Washington's sax solo on Kendrick Lamar's 2015 hit single To Pimp A Butterfly. Flying Lotus signed Washington to his Brainfeeder label. The Epic is Washington's first release on the label. It's a sprawling 3CD set with an orchestra and voices. But mostly Washington works with guys he has known since high school. This includes Ronald Bruner Jr. on drums and his brother Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner on bass along with Brandon Coleman on keyboards. The album did very well on the jazz charts and also on the independent music charts because Washington isn't on a jazz label. Washington has been on tour since The Epic was released. Check him out if he's coming your way. Here's Kamasi Washington performing Final Thought at the Pickathon Mountain Stage near Spokane, WA July 31, 2015.

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