Kamasi Washington - The Epic

it would be harder to market, no element of surprise, it's not 3 hours long, the cover is poor imo

but "Truth" is a great jam

Agree with everything Chinaski said.

Surprised by that Guardian review, I must admit: I think it's the only bad review for a contemporary jazz release I've ever seen them publish. They review one a week, after all.

I agree with Chinaski too but somehow Kamasi works as jazz junk food to me. Nowhere near as fulfilling as the jazzers of old but somehow not unpleasant to puton now and then

New album due on June 22. Press release here: https://www.normanrecords.com/press/index.php?item_id=170512

Two tracks from the new one are up on Spotify:

"Fists of Fury": https://open.spotify.com/track/1Etl6q0mmPV60TtOCD0uch?si=kn0fPwi7TC2tls18gSjtVA

"The Space Travelers Lullaby": https://open.spotify.com/track/3C9Zbwm1AxCMFDqvyuBQQj?si=d-VPyu59QkuU0nYL7Jyo9Q

I've only listened to "Fists of Fury" so far (each track is ~10 minutes long) but have already pre-ordered the 2CD set.

holy shit @ "Fists of Fury"

https://img0.etsystatic.com/196/0/16650390/il_340x270.1469520110_18v6.jpg

oh yeah fist of fury is amazing, totally different from his usual mode (but retaining a lot of his favorite harmonies and melodic flourishes, of course)

This is so great, and I wasn't that much of a fan of the last one.

Love the choirs & strings on these, really gives it that lost '70s artifact vibe (same for how low the drums are mixed, which I don't love but it works here)

I reviewed the new album for Stereogum. (I forgot to mention that his dad was playing flute at the Forest Hills Stadium show on Friday night.)

Apparently the new album contains a hidden bonus disc, making it 3 CDs or 5 LPs. (The music on the bonus disc was not serviced to reviewers, so now I'm really excited for my pre-order to arrive.)

https://www.discogs.com/Kamasi-Washington-Heaven-And-Earth/release/12135022

5 LPS??? dang

lmao it looks like they did it with the LP version too, requiring you to unearth it?!

The CD packaging is bizarre. The third CD is hidden within the centre section of the gatefold. The only way to free it is to take the extreme tip of a very sharp knife, and slit along the perforations on one side or the other. The CD isn't protected in a slip case, there's just a square sheet of printed paper with it - so you have to take great care not to scratch it while trying to get hold of it. I managed this, but the central section of the gatefold does now look a bit battered. Conceptual.

It's not as bad as all that. I was able to pop the perforations with just my fingers, no knife, and the CD and one-sheet insert came out with no problems. Also, there's a peel-away adhesive strip inside that allows you to seal the packaging up again, making it into a narrow pocket for when you want to replace the third disc.

I've had a close look at the (£43) vinyl sleeve and I can't see a dashiki under the space suit. No credibility.

Is it me or is Heaven & Earth miles better than the older stuff, this shit is awesome

It's great but I don't see it as superior to his other stuff. I like Harmony of Difference the most of all his stuff.

yeah me neither, this and the Epic feel v similar and of a piece

I think there's definitely been improvement from record to record. The arrangements are better on the new record, and the synths are proggier and weirder, which is a plus as far as I'm concerned.

I think that's it tbh

it has a certain zeul-ish-ness for sure

I felt like it had that fusion-y vibe of the 70s, which I liked.

new album coming may 3rd, "prologue" out now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8cKN1rbJl4

Digging both the new songs quite a bit, actually. Can't wait for the full thing.

It's not streaming on Bandcamp yet, but "The Garden Path" from this is also on Spotify (and presumably other services, though I haven't checked).

I haven't listened to the whole thing yet (busy, busy, busy) but I was sent a promo stream. It's a 2CD set, about 82 minutes of music, I think? I've pre-ordered the physical version.

I'm assuming his tour will expand eventually, he definitely owes Raleigh a show, I had tickets to see him in 2022 (or maybe it was last year?) and he canceled the date.

I do respect how hard that tune goes in our time of ambient jazz.