Latest news with #KamasiWashington
ABC News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Kamasi Washington on composing for Lazarus anime, Fearless Movement, and his Australian tour
Is there anybody who's done more to make jazz hip again in the past decade than Kamasi Washington? A virtuoso saxophonist, composer and band leader, the Grammy-nominated musician splices jazz with elements of hip-hop, soul and funk. His sprawling excursions resonate with modern audiences and jazz purists alike. It certainly helps he counts Snoop Dogg, Lauryn Hill and Brainfeeder record label boss Flying Lotus among his many collaborators. He also got a shout-out on Kendrick Lamar's GNX album (on recent US #1 hit 'squabble up'), after first linking up for the rapper's To Pimp A Butterfly — one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the 2010s. Since the crossover success of his 2015 triple album The Epic, Washington has continued expanding his repertoire — from scoring the 2020 Michelle Obama documentary, Becoming, to an electrifying live show that gets prime position on festival bills worldwide. That includes Australia. Ever since his debut on our shores (as part of Bluesfest 2016), Washington has regularly toured here, playing bigger shows on each visit. This month, he plays Vivid Sydney and headlines concerts in Melbourne and Brisbane. Backing him will be his ensemble of crack instrumentalists, some whom he's played with since his days as a 19-year-old UCLA music student. "I'm bringing an eight-piece band: three horns, a vocalist, keys, bass, drums," he tells Andrew Ford on The Music Show. But there are a few added twists, including vocalist Patrice Quinn and LA hip hop producer DJ Battlecat. "He's going to do some work on the turntables, percussion, and some talk box. So, it's a pretty interesting band." Rickey Washington, Kamasi's father, will also be breaking out the passport. Washington Sr has regularly played flute and soprano saxophone with his son since the mid-2000s, when Kamasi was in The Young Jazz Giants — a UCLA-bred group that featured a who's who of California's current jazz scene. Namely, saxophonist-rapper-producer Terrace Martin, drummer Ronald Bruner and his younger brother, Stephen Bruner, better known as bass virtuoso Thundercat (all of whom also featured on To Pimp A Butterfly). Joined by his father and live band, Washington's current Australian shows are in support of his 2024 album, Fearless Movement, which adds a new name to the muso's star-studded CV: his daughter, Asha. "She's four, almost five [years old] now," Washington remarks. But she was "around two" when her tinkling on the keys inspired the melody for the track 'Asha The First', earning the toddler a co-writing credit. "She's pretty musical. She would get up every morning and just play the piano. She was pretty random," Washington explains. "Then one day it was like she discovered she could control the piano. She played this little melody and just kept playing it over and over and over. "And so, I recorded it and then added some harmony and some words, then we made it into a song. It's beautiful." Fatherhood often changes people and, for Washington, parenting Asha became "like a restart of my journey in music, because I'm playing her all my favourite albums. Going back and introducing her to music in a way that reintroduces it to myself as well". "Right now, she's into James Brown," he notes. Understandably, jazz was one of her formative favourites. "It was actually Eric Doplhy's Out To Lunch! — that album [and] song. I was like, 'What kind of baby do I have!?' Washington has described Fearless Movement as a "dance album", a tribute to the art of movement where he reconnects with the roots of rhythm. "I've always been drawn to rhythm [but] definitely, for this record, it felt like it was even more there than normal." The result? Washington's penchant for sprawling, cosmic soundscapes gets hot-wired by funked-up rhythms, fiery rapping and compelling collaborations. Parliament-Funkadelic's George Clinton and Inglewood rapper D Smoke guest on the strutting 'Get Lit', and rapper-turned-flute wizard André 3000 appears on the fittingly titled 'Dream State'. Meanwhile, twin brothers and MCs Taj and Ras Austin liven up 'Asha The First', where Washington instructed his band to play as if they were supporting a horn solo. "Normally when we hear rap, it's always over a loop. So, instead … I wanted it to be over music that was moving, growing and expanding. "Ras and Taj Austin — they're so musical that I knew they would really get it. And they nailed it. The meter's shifting, the chords, the feel — there's so much going on. It was fun to hear." Fearless Movement also features an earnest re-imagining of 'Computer Love' by 80s electro-funksters Zapp (which is where DJ Battlecat's aforementioned talk box comes in), while 'Prologue' interpolates Argentinian tango composer Astor Piazzolla. "I've been a fan for a long time. I always refer to him as the meanest of Argentina," Washington laughs. "I just love his work. I love his melodies, they're so powerful." "That melody has always been one of my favourite melodies ever since I heard it, years and years ago." Washington and pianist Cameron Graves were "messing around" with Piazzolla's 'Prologue (Tango Apasionado)' when fellow band mate Brandon Coleman walked in, "listening to some drum-and-bass music. And we all were like 'Oh, let's do it like that!" Earlier this year, Washington released a swift follow-up to Fearless Movement: an album that reaches audiences in the wildly popular medium of Japanese animation, courtesy of a bucket-list collaboration with anime master Shinichirō Watanabe. Washington grew up a teenage anime fan in the 90s, seeking out DVD copies of legendary titles like Dragon Ball Z, Ghost In The Shell, and Cowboy Bebop. Watanabe-san's most famous and influential work, Cowboy Bebop, used a fusion of big band jazz, blues and beyond to underscore action, melancholy and dystopian sci-fi themes. Washington has said it deeply informed him as an artist. Music continued to play an integral role in Watanabe-san's anime. Samurai Champloo blended hip-hop with traditional Japanese music, while Carole & Tuesday concerned a female duo trying to make it in the music industry… on a colonised Mars dominated by AI-produced pop. Lazarus, Watanabe-san's much-anticipated new series, saw the director tapping Washington, as well as electronic producers Bonobo and Floating Points to each compose the show's soundtrack. Once again, Lazarus employs evocative music to amplify Watanabe-san's unique sci-fi setting and storytelling, concerning a rogue team of misfits tasked with saving humanity from a ubiquitous, cure-all drug that's revealed to be a deadly toxin. Washington, however, knew none of this when he was initially brought on board the project. "It wasn't finished," he notes. "[Watanabe] didn't really have me write the music to picture. He had me write it to prompts. Like, he gave me an idea… a story or plot line, and he asked me to write something that felt like that emotion, which is a very different way for me than I've worked on films in the past." "For example: 'There's a group of people, they're searching for this guy, but keep running into road blocks.' It was like creating music from written word rather than from a visual." Instructed to create an original album, rather than a soundtrack, Washington gave Watanabe-san the individual, isolated audio elements of each recording and "he took the music and made it fit". "There's some editing that he did — it's pretty seamless. I think it was a two-way street, he was adjusting the music and adjusting the picture at the same time." For instance, Washington intended the track 'Lazarus', with its wild flurries of brass and grand choir, to be the show's theme song. Instead, Watanabe-san used the piece for a chase sequence and ultimately selected an edit of the thrilling 'Vortex' to become the main theme. Washington only learned of the decision after the show's completion. Kamasi Washington plays the following dates on his Fearless Movement Australian tour, with support from Micah Heathwood. Tickets available now. Sunday, June 8 — Carriageworks: Gadigal Land, SydneyWednesday, June 11 — Palais Theatre: Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Land, Melbourne Thursday, June 12 — QPAC Concert Hall: Turrbal Jagera Land, Brisbane
ABC News
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Kamasi Washington's Fearless Movement and Gregory Day's Southsightedness
Tenor saxophonist, composer and bandleader Kamasi Washington makes music that appeals to even the most avowed jazz haters. His latest album Fearless Movement puts rhythm front and centre and includes the voices of rappers alongside his signature sounds of choirs, double drum kits and pulsing horns. He speaks to Andrew ahead of his tour here next month about how fatherhood has made him hear the world differently and what drives his continual exploration across musical genres. Gregory Day is a musician and writer. His latest volume of poetry, Southsightedness, spans twenty years and draws on familiar themes of place (specifically the west coast of Victoria), and culture. He joins us to talk about his music and the sound of his poetry. Kamasi Washington in Australia: Sun 8 Jun - Vivid Live, Carriageworks - Sydney, NSW Wed 11 Jun - Palais Theatre - Melbourne, VIC Thu 12 Jun - QPAC Concert Hall - Brisbane, QLD Gregory Day's Southsightedness is published by Transit Lounge. Music heard in the program: Title: Asha the First (ft. Thundercat & Taj Austin & Ras Austin) Artist: Kamasi Washington Composer: Kamasi Washington, Akili Asha Washington Album: Fearless Movement Label: Young Title: Prologue Artist: Kamasi Washington Composer: Astor Piazzolla Album: Fearless Movement Label: Young Title: The Lower East Side Artist: Dinner Party Composer: Terrace Martin, Kamasi Washington, Trevor Lawrence Jr. Album: Enigmatic Society Label: Sounds of Crenshaw Title: Vortex Artist: Kamasi Washington Composer: Kamasi Washington Album: LAZARUS Soundtrack Label: Cartoon Network Title: Sing the Changes Artist: The Fireman Composer: Paul McCartney Album: Electric Arguments Label: MPL Title: First Ever Car Artist: Gregory Day Composer: Gregory Day Album: The Flash Road Label: Dex Music Title: The Trees They Do Grow High Artist: Ellen Stekert Composer: trad. Album: The Early Years (1958-62) Label: Smithsonian Folkways The Music Show is produced on Gundungurra Country and Gadigal Country with engineers Roi Huberman and Tegan Nicholls.
Tokyo Weekender
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
Upcoming Concerts and Music Events in Tokyo: May 2025
Discover the best music events happening in Tokyo during May 2025. From Boyz II Men to Joe Hisaishi tributes, May has something for all Tokyo music lovers. List of Contents: Tokyo Concerts and Music Events in May Related Posts Tokyo Concerts and Music Events in May Angura Presents: 'Pop Peach Planet' Angura's next event features four exciting and creative pop acts in Japanese indie like Puff and Wang Dang Doodle, and some top-class DJs. Date & Time May 14, 2025・19:00~・Doors open 18:30 Price ¥3,200 (inc 1D Location Shinjuku Marz More Details Boyz II Men Japan Boyz II Men touch down in Japan for a three-date arena tour, taking in Osaka and Nagoya before moving onto Tokyo for a final date. Date & Time May 16, 2025・19:00~・Doors open 18:00 Price from ¥15,000 Location Tokyo Garden Theater More Details Emo Night Tokyo The Saddest Party in Tokyo returns May 17! Join Emo Night in Kabukicho for an angsty celebration with Martin Johnson of Boys Like Girls, live bands and a nostalgic DJ set. Date & Time May 17, 2025・17:00-22:00 Price ¥5000-¥5800 Location 新宿ACB HALL More Details Kamasi Washington Live in Tokyo 2025 Kamasi Washington, aka one of the coolest saxophonists in the business, comes back to Japan for four solo dates across the country. Date & Time May 23-28・17:30~・Playing four times across two days. 1st OPEN 16:30 / START 17:30 | 2nd OPEN 19:30 / START 20:30 Price from ¥16,500 Location Billboard Live Tokyo More Details Candlelight : A Tribute to Joe Hisaishi Experience the music of Joe Hisaishi like never before at a candlelit tribute concert in Tokyo's Kanze Noh Theater, featuring iconic Studio Ghibli scores performed live by Ensemble Themis. Date & Time May 24-Jul 21・ Price ¥4000 - ¥8200 Location Kanze Noh Theatre Ginza More Details The Beach 2025: A New Beach Festival Dedicated to Dance Music The Beach 2025 — a brand-new beach festival in Japan that's dedicated to dance music — makes its debut on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Date & Time May 31, 2025・12:00-21:00・Doors open at 11:00 Price General admission: ¥15,000 | At the gate: ¥18,000 Location Makuhari Seaside Park (Chiba) More Details Hibiya Music Festival 2025 A 'free and borderless' music event, the Hibiya Music Festival returns this May, bringing live performances by top artists to Hibiya Park. Date & Time May 31-Jun 01・10:30-20:30 Price Free Location Hibiya Park More Info Some venues may require entry fee. See website for details More Details Related Posts Concerts Coming to Japan in 2025 Best Japanese Music of 2024 Kansai Music Venues You Need To Visit
Los Angeles Times
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
New LACMA building preview event stars Kamasi Washington with 100 musicians
Los Angeles County Museum of Art's new David Geffen Galleries will become a sonic vessel in late June when Grammy-nominated composer and jazz musician Kamasi Washington, joined by an ensemble of more than 100 musicians, will perform a series of shows inside the new Peter Zumthor-designed building. The artists will be dispersed throughout the 110,000 square feet of gallery space, and the building itself will become an integral part of the acoustic experience, the museum said. Washington is set to perform his six-movement suite, 'Harmony of Difference,' a concept album that was released to critical acclaim in 2017. Many of the musicians joining him are L.A.-based artists that Washington has played with over the years. The performances — on June 26, 27 and 28 — will mark the first time that the suite has been performed in its entirety in front of a live audience, and the music is meant to unfold as a work of art, in a way that can't be replicated again. 'The Geffen Galleries has a truly unique acoustic environment that is perfect for 'Harmony of Difference,' ' Washington said in the announcement. 'As people walk through the galleries, they will directly hear the musicians they are closest to, while hearing the 'spirit' of the other groups.' Washington's appearances are the first of many events leading to the grand opening of the building in April 2026. Tickets for the shows will go on sale on three dates. The first performance goes on sale May 2 at 10 a.m. The next performance goes on sale May 22 at 10 a.m. The final performance goes on sale June 12 at 10 a.m. Tickets are $48 to $100. From June 29 through July 6, LACMA members will be invited to tour the building prior to the art being installed. Work began on the David Geffen Galleries in 2020, and 90% of construction was completed late last year. The 900-foot-long poured concrete structure spans Wilshire Boulevard. The museum has announced a trio of recent commissions and released a detailed outline of its restaurants, theater and amenities.
The Guardian
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Kamasi Washington review – hip-hop and P-funk inform an outrageously joyful set
'I don't need to be from here to tell you I love you,' Kamasi Washington says, teeing up the velvet soul of Lines in the Sand. From the back of the room comes a voice, propelled as much by the convivial brilliance that has lit up the stage for the past half an hour as it apparently is by a couple of Thursday-night beers: 'I love you too, mate!' The title of the Los Angeles bandleader and tenor saxophonist's recent album Fearless Movement promised much and largely delivered, but when live, its all-in-it-together spirit grows extra legs. As Washington and his band draw out its tracks into giddy, 15-minute jazz extemporisations coloured by P-funk squelch and rowdy hip-hop, their joy at being able to play together is obvious and wonderful. When his father, Rickey, takes the lead on Asha the First, pulling dizzying flurries of notes from his soprano sax over a hook first picked out on a piano at home by his four-year-old granddaughter, Washington sits centre stage, nodding insistently. It's a similar scene as trombonist Ryan Porter plays a liquid solo on Together, while amid Road to Self (KO), Washington breaks into laughter at the absurd skill powering Brandon Coleman's keyboard expedition, which sutures G-funk style on to proggy fusion phrasing. Washington's willingness to cede the floor means that it feels like an event whenever he approaches the mic with sax in hand. During Lesanu he arrives at something dazzling by responding to almost imperceptible tempo shifts plotted by drummer Tony Austin and bassist Joshua Crumbly, the trio eventually clicking in a manner that recalls a rapper finding a cadence that makes a beat feel whole. There is a similar dynamic at play throughout Prologue, where Washington and Austin spin off from its ingenious melody – somehow driving and patient at the same time – before tumbling into a monumental groove that is greeted by raucous cheers from the crowd. 'We gonna have some fun?' Washington intones to open the set, but by the end it's clear he wasn't asking a question.
