Kamasi Washington
Kamasi Washington | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | Los Angeles, California |
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | Saxophone (usually tenor) |
Years active | 2000–present |
Labels | |
Associated acts | |
Website | kamasiwashington |
Kamasi Washington (born February 18, 1981) is an American jazz saxophonist, usually playing tenor saxophone.[1]
Career[]
Washington was born, on February 18, 1981, 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, Gerald Wilson, and Billy Higgins, who mentored a quartet with Washington, pianist Cameron Graves, and the brothers Stephen ("Thundercat") and Ronald Bruner. They released their debut album Young Jazz Giants in 2004 on Birdman Records.[3][4]
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.
Washington has played along with a diverse group of musicians including Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Horace Tapscott, Lauryn Hill, Nas, Snoop Dogg,[8] George Duke, Chaka Khan, Flying Lotus, Mike Muir, Francisco Aguabella, St. Vincent, the Pan Afrikaan People's Orchestra and Raphael Saadiq.
On June 25, 2020, Washington, Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, and 9th Wonder announced the formation of the supergroup . They released a single, "Freeze Tag", and their debut extended play, Dinner Party, was released on July 10, 2020.[9]
On June 18, 2021, Washington released a new song "Sun Kissed Child" as part of The Undefeated's Music for the Movement series.[10]
Awards and nominations[]
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1999 | John Coltrane Music Competition | Won | [11] | ||
2015 | Worldwide Winners | Album of the Year | The Epic | Won | [12] |
2016 | American Music Prize | Won | [13] | ||
NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Jazz Album | Nominated | [14] | ||
Libera Awards | Album of the Year | Nominated | [15][16] | ||
Best Breakthrough Artist | Nominated | ||||
Groundbreaking Album of the Year | Won | ||||
Heritage Album of the Year | Won | ||||
2018 | UK Music Video Awards | Best Urban Video - International | "Street Fighter Mas" | Nominated | [17] |
Libera Awards | Best Jazz Album | Harmony of Difference | Won | [18] | |
2019 | Worldwide Winners | Jazz Album of the Year | Heaven and Earth | Won | [19] |
Libera Awards | Album of the Year | Won | [20] | ||
Best Jazz Album | Won | ||||
Creative Packaging | Won | ||||
Video of the Year | "Heaven & Earth" | Nominated | |||
Brit Awards | International Male Solo Artist | Himself | Nominated | [21] | |
UK Music Video Awards | Best Alternative Video - International | "Hub-tones" | Nominated | [22] | |
Best Special Video Project | "As Told to g/d Thyself" | Nominated | |||
2020 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score) |
Becoming | Nominated | [23] |
Libera Awards | Best Sync Usage | Music in Apple Shot on iPhone XS commercial | Nominated | [24] | |
2021 | Grammy Awards | Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media | Becoming | Nominated | [25] |
Discography[]
As leader/co-leader[]
Studio albums
- Young Jazz Giants with Cameron Graves, Stephen Bruner, Ronald Bruner Jr. (Birdman, 2004)
- Live at 5th Street Dick's (self-released, 2005)
- The Proclamation (self-released, 2007)
- Light of the World (self-released, 2008)
- The Epic (Brainfeeder, 2015)[26][27]
- Heaven and Earth (Young, 2018)[28]
EPs
- Harmony of Difference (Young, 2017)[29]
- The Choice (Young, 2018)
- Becoming – Music from the Netflix Original Documentary (Young, 2020)
- Dinner Party with Robert Glasper, Terrace Martin, 9th Wonder (Sounds of Crenshaw/Empire, 2020)
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)
- Emergency Exit (Wide Hive, 2020)
As sideman[]
- Gold by Ryan Adams (Lost Highway, 2001)
- Blackberry Belle by The Twilight Singers (One Little Indian, 2003)
- The Golden Age of Apocalypse by Thundercat – on "Is It Love?" (Brainfeeder, 2011)
- Perseverance by Phil Ranelin (Wide Hive, 2011)
- DreamWeaver by George Duke – on "Ball & Chain" with Teena Marie, and 5 other tracks (Heads Up, 2013)
- Chameleon by Harvey Mason – on "Black Frost" (Concord, 2014)
- Up by Stanley Clarke – on "I Have Something to Tell You Tonight" (Mack Avenue, 2014)
- You're Dead! by Flying Lotus (Warp, 2014)
- To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar – saxophone on "u", string arrangement for "Mortal Man" (Aftermath/Interscope, 2015)
- The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam by Thundercat (Brainfeeder, 2015)
- Run the Jewels 3 by Run the Jewels – on "Thursday in the Danger Room" (Mass Appeal/RED, 2016)
- Drunk by Thundercat (Brainfeeder, 2017)
- Damn by Kendrick Lamar – strings on "Lust" (Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope, 2017)
- Ash by Ibeyi - on "Deathless" (XL, 2017)
- Masseduction by St. Vincent – on "Pills" (Loma Vista, 2017)
With the Gerald Wilson Orchestra
- In My Time (Mack Avenue, 2005)
- Monterey Moods (Mack Avenue, 2007)
- Detroit (Mack Avenue, 2009)
- Legacy (Mack Avenue, 2011)
External links[]
- Kamasi Washington at AllMusic Kamasi Washington on Bandcamp Kamasi Washington discography at Discogs Kamasi Washington discography at MusicBrainz
- Official website
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b Serrano, Shea (2012-07-05). "Music Picks: Hootenanny, The Moonbeams, Kamasi Washington". Laweekly.com. Archived from the original on 2015-07-09. Archived July 9, 2015.
- ^ Welch, Will. "Meet Kamasi Washington, the High Priest of Sax." GQ, January 5, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
- ^ Young Jazz Giants at AllMusic. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ Kellman, Andy. "Kamasi Washington | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ^ Blanco, Edward. "Gerald Wilson Orchestra: In My Time." Allaboutjazz.com, January 4, 2006.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Colter Walls, Seth (8 May 2015). "Kamasi Washington: The Epic". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ^ "Listen to Kamasi Washington Talk Kendrick, Coltrane, More With Marc Maron on "WTF"". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
- ^ "Hear The New Supergroup From Kamasi Washington, Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, And 9th Wonder". Stereogum. 2020-06-25. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
- ^ Hussey, Allison (18 June 2021). "Listen to Kamasi Washington's New Song "Sun Kissed Child"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "Five Fun Facts: Kamasi Washington". Live Nation. February 27, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ Bonnell, Emily (March 3, 2020). "Kamasi Washington draws inspiration from former jazz icons". Jazz.fm. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ Weiner, Natalie (March 7, 2016). "Kamasi Washington on Winning First-Ever American Music Prize & How Jazz Doesn't Have to Be 'Daunting'". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ "'Straight Outta Compton,' 'Empire,' Michael B. Jordan Top NAACP Image Awards". Variety. February 5, 2016. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ "SoundExchange Presents The 2016 A2IM Libera Awards". Shorefire. April 11, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
- ^ White, Caitlin (June 17, 2016). "Alabama Shakes And Kamasi Washington Win Big At The Independent Music Awards". Brooklyn Magazine. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
- ^ "UK Music Video Awards 2018: all the nominations!". Promo News. September 27, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ Aswad, Jem (June 22, 2018). "Aimee Mann, Funky Four +1 Perform, Slowdive Wins Big at Indie Libera Awards". Variety. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
- ^ "Worldwide Awards 2019". Gilles Peterson Worldwide. February 1, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ Houghton, Bruce (June 24, 2019). "A2IM Libera Indie Music Awards 2019 – Full Winners List". Hypebot. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
- ^ "Full list of Brit awards 2019 winners". The Guardian. February 20, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ Garner, George (September 26, 2019). "UK Music Video Awards 2019 nominations revealed". Music Week. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ Strauss, Matthew (July 28, 2020). "Trent Reznor, Kamasi Washington, RZA, More Nominated for 2020 Emmys". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ Brandle, Lars (April 2, 2020). "Chance the Rapper, FKA Twigs, Courtney Barnett & More Shortlisted For 2020 A2IM Libera Awards". Billboard. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ^ William, Chris. "Grammy Awards Nominations 2021: The Complete List". Variety. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ "Kamasi Washington – The Epic". Bandcamp. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
- ^ Thom Jurek. "The Epic – Kamasi Washington | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
- ^ Wicks, Amanda (April 9, 2018). "Kamasi Washington Announces New Album Heaven and Earth". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
- ^ "Kamasi Washington announces Harmony of Difference EP release on 12". Thevinylfactory.com. July 31, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- 1981 births
- Living people
- Jazz musicians from California
- Musicians from Los Angeles
- 21st-century American male musicians
- 21st-century saxophonists
- African-American jazz musicians
- American jazz saxophonists
- American male saxophonists
- Brainfeeder artists
- American male jazz musicians
- XL Recordings artists