Kamasi Washington | photo by Koof Ibi Umoren for WXPN
Watch Kamasi Washington’s new ode to an old jazz hero
Calling the work of jazz icon Kamasi Washington “earth-shattering” would simply be an understatement. His 2018 sophomore album Heaven and Earth is a masterpiece of adrenalized improvisation with roots in Afro-Latin rhythms. The series of music videos accompanying the latest album seem to be piecing together a larger narrative, one laden with political and cultural significance. His song “Hub-Tones” is a take on trumpeter Freddie Hubbard’s 1963 piece of the same name, and in its new music video, directed by Jenn Nkiru, the camera focuses on three hypnotic women dancing for a full nine minutes.
In a statement, Washington commented:
“As an African-American, a lot of us don’t know the country of our origin, that’s why most of us take on the ideology of Pan-Africanism. I was trying to connect to my ancestors by connecting African rhythms with a Freddie Hubbard tune which gave me that connection in a different way.”
The acclaimed saxophonist comes to Philly November 9th at Franklin Music Hall (formerly the Electric Factory). Find more details at the WXPN Concert Calendar. Watch the music video below.