London jazz wizard Shabaka Hutchings: Sons of Kemet / The Comet Is Coming / Shabaka & the Ancestors

New album is terrific

"Angel of Darkness" is a massive track.

Unsurprising if reactionary ol' ILM turns against TCIC just as they go imagocore tbh. That chord flourish near the end of The Hammer is so me, you must be disgusted

― imago, Saturday, October 1, 2022 8:18 AM (one week ago) bookmarkflaglink

yes we reactionaries want a return to the classic oscar peterson-style coffee shop be-bop of earlier the comet is coming!

the first song reminded me of a song that would be in the bourne identity soundtrack with sax

lol sorry, that was quite boorish in retrospect. but I really think the new album is an exciting leap into...something

it's not grabbing me at first but he's a great artist and i'll definitely keep giving it a go

The ARE Prject EP that he did with Hieroglyphic Being and Sarathy Korwar is my favorite thing he’s been a part of— could listen to that record on a loop, and in fact, I have done so for hours at a time

table otm

I had to stop the new Comet, forget the idea that it's jazz, put it back on, and it works much better now. I have no idea what synthwave is but I could picture this in a video game all right.

This is what I mean! Come over to my side, we have fat breakdowns

Synthwave is just a term for Carpenter obsessed synth soundtrack stuff.

If it is that then it def can't also be EDM.

Gonna go listen to the damn album now and find it.

*out

I'm on "Frequency" and the groove is quite formidable, it's very much ethno porn sax skronk but I don't mind. The developments and sonic contrast with the synths and beats are... incongruous and funny ? It's the first album in a while that seems to have a sense of humor and make me want to laugh. It's a rather strange mix of subversive and meditative, but I can take it as it is.

Comet would have been great at Megadog

The genre of TCIC is "music that kicks ass" I think.

Had the pleasure of seeing them live this week and they were incredible.

incredible live band

New record is pretty great in my book. John Carpenter + skronky sax sounds good to me.

a concert this coming Tuesday that might be of interest to Londoners, with sets from three Native Rebel artists, Shabaka Hutchings’ record label:

https://earthackney.co.uk/events/native-rebel-recordings-the-brother-moves-on-chelsea-carmichael-con-kwake-15-11-2022/

mentioning it because I saw The Brother Moves On from Johannesburg in Amsterdam last night and they were awesome. I only knew their “You Think You Know Me” from last year because it was nominated in Tom Ewing’s EOY Twitter poll. great track, but not very representative (and they didn’t play it).

they performed as a five-piece band (guitar, bass, drums and two saxophonists/flutists) plus wonderful frontman/vocalist Siyabonga Mthembu.
there’s a lot of jazz in what they do, but (to my ears at least) it’s local SA genres at the heart of it all. their Wikipedia entry mentions “maskandi rock” (and “ninja gospel” fwiw).

listening to their recent album right now, and I’m enjoying it, but it can’t hold a candle to the live performance. go see them live if you can.

I guess I might add that they somehow manage to be intense and fun at the same time

He killed it. Never heard anyone who can turn on a dime like this guy.

Dude what

https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/shabaka-hutchings-presents-john-coltranes-hackney-church-tickets/13648158

This will be Shabaka’s final performance on the saxophone before he takes a hiatus from the instrument.

Have folks heard the Kofi Flexxx record? He's not attaching his name to it but it's pretty definitely him and has guest vocals from billy woods, ELUCID, and Siyabonga Mthembu (from Shabaka and the Ancestors), among others.

https://kofiflexxx.bandcamp.com/album/flowers-in-the-dark

^I missed the memo on Kofi Flexxx, will have to check that out

I was a bit wary going in as Afrikan Culture never hooked me, but Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace is brilliant and a significant departure from the solo EP to my ears. Ultimately I don't love the sound of the flute as much as Shabaka does, but there's a thoughtful and thought through, compelling, at times witchy or eerie quality to this album that the more new age-y peer comparisons lack. And it goes in some unexpected directions: the first half of the track with Laraaji and Floating points reminded me of something you might hear on Ghost Box, and a couple other moments also had a UK folk revival vibe (e.g., Living).

I interviewed him for Stereogum about the new record, breaking up all his bands, etc., etc. It was a really interesting conversation.

yeah, that's a great piece unperson