Sound the trumpets: the jazz world has a new kid in town, here to subvert all kinds of convention and venture forth in his quest of exposing a new generation to the endless potential of this still-vibrant musical movement.
Alright, so the kid in question might be in his 30s. Still, in jazz years Kamasi Washington might as well still be a toddler – which is fittingly ironic, given a love of music was instilled in the LA native from around that very age.
“I don’t think that there was ever any question that I’d find my way into playing music,” he begins. “It was almost as if it was inherited. Both my parents are musicians – my dad played jazz saxophone and my mum played flute and played a lot of gospel music. I can remember getting a drum kit when I was three years old – I thought I was pretty good, too! That eventually led to learning piano when I was about seven or eight, and by the time I was 13, I had moved onto saxophone. I’m in my 30s now, and it feels like there has never been a time in my life where I wasn’t actively playing music.”
In a considerably short period of wider exposure, Washington has risen to prominence as one of the most notable jazz musicians of the modern era, thanks in no small part to the vast array of artists he has come to collaborate with. These famously include Kendrick Lamar – who featured Washington on last year’s Grammy-winning instant classic To Pimp A Butterfly – as well as Lauryn Hill, Flying Lotus and even Snoop Dogg, to name but a few. It’s put to Washington that his acceptance and willingness to participate within any genre is something that reflects in the music he makes under his own name. He agrees, but is quick to emphasise that this is not something exclusive to him.
“I think it’s in the nature of every jazz musician to explore outside of that immediate bubble,” he says. “I mean, you go back and you look at that early bebop stuff, that’s all just show tunes that have been done up in this new style. [John] Coltrane always wanted to see what was going on in all sorts of music. That’s definitely been a part of my life – I mean, before I properly got into jazz as a teenager, I was super into gangsta rap. I had no idea that kind of attitude could be expressed through playing jazz as well.
“I’ve always been a curious person – it’s inherent to my nature. When I hear music that’s unfamiliar, it doesn’t scare me. It entices me. I study a lot of different approaches to music and I’ve studied a lot of psychology behind them. You have to always be on a quest for something new.”
Washington’s most recent album is entitled The Epic, and the likelihood of you finding a 2015 LP with a more fitting name is slim to none. Not only does the entire triple album run for a jaw-dropping 173 minutes, it also details the deeply layered concept of a dojo, a guardian of a mythical city and a battle of warriors that bleeds between reality and fantasy. It’s a lot to take in – especially considering it’s an instrumental record. Washington insists, however, that the medium is the message when it comes to his music – as he testifies, it will guide you every step of the way.
“Music communicates on a deeper level than just words,” he says. “Lyrics can say one thing, but the music can convey [its] own message. Say, for instance, you hear a song in a language you don’t speak. You might not be able to understand a single thing they’re saying, but you can ascertain as to what the song is about due to the nature of its composition. In a lot of ways, it’s a language unto itself. When you’re playing from the heart, it gives listeners a glimpse into who it is you truly are. I don’t necessarily have to try and put a message into the music – the message is already there. It’s an extension of who I am. It’s where I’m at. It’s where I’ve been. It’s where I’m going.”
Washington is set to appear as part of the exhaustive Bluesfest lineup across the Easter long weekend, which will feature some of the biggest names to have ever appeared on the festival bill. He will also do two headlining dates in Sydney and Melbourne, all of which will mark the first time he has ever performed in Australia. Washington’s excitement for visiting and playing to Australian audiences is palpable – especially when he lays out what people will get out of coming to see him and his band perform.
“We play songs from The Epic and we play some new compositions I’ve been working on,” he explains. “That said, that’s just song titles on a piece of paper – we always play these songs differently. Even I have no idea where we might end up with them. For us, it’s about reading the crowd and playing to their energy, seeing what they respond to. Whoever comes to see me and the band play are going to get an experience entirely unique to them.”
Kamasi Washington’sThe Epic is out now through Brainfeeder. Washington appears atMetro Theatre Wednesday March 23; then at Bluesfest 2016, Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Thursday March 24 – Monday March 28.
