Kamasi Washington

Kamasi Washington – Life, Career, and Musical Vision

Explore the life, career, and artistic legacy of Kamasi Washington — American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader reshaping modern jazz. Delve into his albums, collaborations, philosophies, and musical impact.

Introduction: Who Is Kamasi Washington?

Kamasi Tii Washington (born February 18, 1981) is an American saxophonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader.

Washington is known for his expansive projects (such as the triple album The Epic), his collaborations across hip-hop, electronic, and classical music, and his role in the Los Angeles jazz collective, the West Coast Get Down.

Early Life and Musical Roots

Kamasi Washington was born in Los Angeles, California, on February 18, 1981.

Washington was raised in Inglewood, a community in the greater Los Angeles area, which exposed him to the rich and varied musical cultures of the city.

From a young age, Kamasi showed curiosity about music. According to All About Jazz, when he was 13, he took up his father’s saxophone and began to explore music more seriously.

He attended Alexander Hamilton High School’s Academy of Music in the Beverlywood area of Los Angeles.

These early environments—family, city, academic settings, and exposure to jazz masters—shaped both his technical grounding and imaginative outlook.

Career and Major Works

Early Years & Session Work

Before his wide recognition as a leader, Washington worked extensively as a sideman and collaborator.

He appeared on albums by diverse artists, spanning genres beyond jazz. Notably:

• He played saxophone on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly (2015).

• He contributed to Thundercat’s The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam and Drunk.

• He has collaborated with artists across jazz, hip-hop, R&B, and experimental music—such as Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Flying Lotus, Snoop Dogg, Nas, Lauryn Hill, and many others.

Parallel to that, he released self-produced albums and projects in his early years.

Breakthrough as Leader: The Epic

Washington’s breakthrough came with The Epic, released in May 2015 on Brainfeeder.

The Epic is a monumental triple-album (nearly 3 hours long) that features his large ensemble, a choir, orchestration, and adventurous compositions that blend jazz, spiritual, classical, and groove elements.

Critics hailed it as a landmark in modern jazz, seeing in it a bold attempt to expand jazz’s reach and relevance.

The album also won the inaugural American Music Prize and the Gilles Peterson Worldwide Album of the Year award.

Subsequent Projects & Evolution

Following The Epic, Washington has continued to innovate and broaden his musical palette:

• Harmony of Difference (EP, 2017): This shorter, meditative project explores counterpoint and harmonic ideas, often collaborating with visual artists.

• Heaven and Earth (2018): A double album exploring dualities (heaven/earth, macro/micro, human/nature).

• The Choice (EP, 2018): Accompanied Heaven and Earth as a companion piece.

• Fearless Movement (2024): Washington describes this album as his “dance album” in spirit—less grandiose, more focused on movement, groove, fun, and expression.

In 2020, Washington co-founded Dinner Party, a collaborative supergroup with Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, and 9th Wonder, merging jazz, hip-hop, soul, and experimentalism.

In 2025, he participated in composing the soundtrack for the Japanese anime series Lazarus with Bonobo and Floating Points.

Artistic Approach & Vision

Washington’s music is expansive and ambitious—but also deeply rooted in feeling, narrative, and community. Some key features:

• Genre fluidity & fusion: He draws from jazz, spiritual jazz, classical, hip-hop, soul, funk, and electronic textures.

• Large ensembles & orchestration: His works often incorporate choirs, strings, multiple rhythm sections, larger instrumentation, weaving intricate textures.

• Spiritual and social themes: His music often engages with transcendence, struggle, identity, community, and the human condition.

• Ambition in scale: He resists limiting himself to short jazz albums—he thinks in suites, journeys, and broad arcs. The Epic is a prime example.

Legacy and Influence

Kamasi Washington is often credited with helping bring jazz into broader cultural conversations in the 2010s and beyond. His music has:

• Expanded jazz’s audience: Many listeners who do not typically engage with jazz discover it through Washington’s albums.

• Inspired younger musicians: His model of ambition, fusion, and collaborative openness is influential in younger jazz, neo-soul, and experimental scenes.

• Bridged genres: By working with hip-hop and popular artists, he has helped blur the boundaries between jazz and contemporary music.

• Shock to expectations: In a field sometimes seen as insular or retrospective, Washington pushes ahead with vision, scale, and boldness.

He stands as a figure who both reveres jazz traditions and seeks to push them outward, making space for new voices, new forms, and new audiences.

Selected Tracks, Collaborations & Musical Highlights

Here are some notable musical moments and collaborations:

• “Re Run Home (All the Way Home)” and “Change of the Guard” from The Epic — showcase Washington’s expansive compositional voice and ensemble writing.

• Participation on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly — saxophone and string arrangements, connecting jazz with hip-hop’s cultural reach.

• Guest appearance on Thundercat’s “Them Changes” — reflecting his close connections with the L.A. music community.

• “The Garden Path” — a track featured in promotion of Fearless Movement.

Lessons & Takeaways from Kamasi Washington’s Journey

1. Dream big while working deeply. Washington’s ambition (e.g. The Epic) is grounded in disciplined musicianship and community.

2. Build bridges across genres. Cross-genre collaborations can extend reach and enrich creative possibilities.

3. Honor both tradition and innovation. Washington listens to jazz’s past while imagining its future.

4. Art as expressive spirituality. His work shows how music can carry emotional, philosophical, and communal weight.

5. Stay rooted in community. He remains connected to L.A.’s jazz circles, younger artists, and collaborative networks.

Conclusion

Kamasi Washington is more than a jazz saxophonist; he is an ambitious composer, a bridge-builder across musical worlds, and a creative force pushing what jazz can be in the 21st century. His albums, collaborations, and vision invite listeners not just to hear, but to journey, to feel, and to imagine.