Kamasi Washington

Kamasi Washington is an American jazz saxophonist, usually playing tenor saxophone.[1]

Kamasi Washington
At the BRIC JazzFest Marathon, Brooklyn, New York, 2015
Background information
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsSaxophone
Years active2000–present
LabelsYoung Turks, XL, Brainfeeder
Associated actsFlying Lotus, Ibeyi, Kendrick Lamar, Run the Jewels, Thundercat, Dinner Party (band)
Websitekamasiwashington.com

Career
At Coachella in 2016

Washington was born in Los Angeles, California.[2] He is a graduate of the Academy of Music of Alexander Hamilton High School in Beverlywood, Los Angeles.[1] Washington next enrolled in UCLA's Department of Ethnomusicology, where he began playing with faculty members such as Kenny Burrell, Billy Higgins and band leader/trumpeter Gerald Wilson. Washington features in the album Young Jazz Giants in 2004.[3] He has played along with a diverse group of musicians including Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Horace Tapscott, Gerald Wilson, Lauryn Hill, Nas, Snoop Dogg,[4] George Duke, Chaka Khan, Flying Lotus, Thundercat, Mike Muir, Francisco Aguabella, the Pan Afrikaan People's Orchestra and Raphael Saadiq.

Washington joined the Gerald Wilson Orchestra for its 2005 album In My Time.[5] Washington played saxophone on Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly.[6] His debut solo recording, The Epic, was released in May 2015.[7] The mini-album/EP Harmony of Difference followed in September 2017. His second full-length studio album, Heaven and Earth, was released in June 2018, with a companion EP titled The Choice released a week later.

Kamasi Washington was featured in the final episode of Homeland as himself, performing a live show where protagonist Carrie Mathison was in the audience.

On June 25, 2020, Kamasi Washington, Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, and 9th Wonder announced the formation of a supergroup, Dinner Party. They released a single, "Freeze Tag", and their debut album is forthcoming July 10, 2020.[8]

Awards
  • Winner, 1999: John Coltrane Music Competition

Discography

As leader

Studio albums

EPs

Live albums

As sideman

With Throttle Elevator Music

  • Throttle Elevator Music (Wide Hive, 2012)
  • Area J (Wide Hive, 2014)
  • Jagged Rocks (Wide Hive, 2015)
  • Throttle Elevator Music IV (Wide Hive, 2016)[12]

With the Gerald Wilson Orchestra

References
  1. Serrano, Shea (2012-07-05). "Music Picks: Hootenanny, The Moonbeams, Kamasi Washington". Laweekly.com. Archived July 9, 2015.
  2. Welch, Will. "Meet Kamasi Washington, the High Priest of Sax." GQ, January 5, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  3. Kellman, Andy. "Kamasi Washington | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  4. "Listen to Kamasi Washington Talk Kendrick, Coltrane, More With Marc Maron on "WTF"". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  5. Blanco, Edward. "Gerald Wilson Orchestra: In My Time." Allaboutjazz.com, January 4, 2006.
  6. Weiner, Natalie (March 26, 2015). "How Kendrick Lamar Transformed Into 'The John Coltrane of Hip-Hop' on 'To Pimp a Butterfly'". Billboard. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  7. Colter Walls, Seth (8 May 2015). "Kamasi Washington: The Epic". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  8. "Hear The New Supergroup From Kamasi Washington, Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, And 9th Wonder". Stereogum. 2020-06-25. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  9. Thom Jurek. "The Epic – Kamasi Washington | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
  10. Wicks, Amanda (April 9, 2018). "Kamasi Washington Announces New Album Heaven and Earth". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
  11. "Kamasi Washington announces Harmony of Difference EP release on 12". Thevinylfactory.com. July 31, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  12. "Throttle Elevator Music – Album Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
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