Mar 27, 2016
If you listened to To Pimp A Butterfly, you've heard the work of masterful Kamasi Washington. Washington arranged the string sections and played saxophone for Kendrick Lamar's now ubiquitous third album. As well as appearing on the biggest album of 2015, Washington also released his debut album, The Epic, an expansive, three-hour success of his own, which made serious waves across both jazz and mainstream music media.
Appearing on the Charlie Rose Show, Kamasi Washington played "ReRun," and "Rhythm Changes," from The Epic. Washington also sits down to discuss the expressive nature of jazz, why he's so in love with the genre and how jazz relates to today's mainstream music.
"I think jazz has been trapped in a poor image ... trapped in this image of something that is a historic relic ... something that is made for some purpose other than to just enjoy ... and it's the reverse, it's such an expressive music ... That's why you rarely find someone say 'I used to be into jazz."
Washington goes onto elaborate on why he sees Kendrick Lamar as the "John Coltrane," of hip-hop.
"Because Kendrick is such a pure artist and that's what they have in connection. John Coltrane's music is so pure, it's so untainted with the world. It's like really from a different place. And Kendrick is too."
He even called To Pimp A Butterfly this generation's thriller.
"Yeah [Thriller] was a big album and it was a changing album. The idea of the ultimate performer is what Michael Jackson kind of brings to music. And I think what Kendrick is doing is bringing the expression of experience to music."
You can check out the full episode below and find details on Kamasi's recently announced second album and graphic novel here.
Image: Hulu