Now Spinning 3/22/2020: Kamasi Washington- "Heaven and Earth", 2018

During this current unsettling and scary time, I have had a lot of time to spend cleaning, organizing, and playing my records. I have an album on constantly, and it has allowed me to dive deep into my collection. The spin of the day is....

Kamasi Washington- "Heaven and Earth"

I fell in love with contemporary jazz musician and saxophonist Kamasi Washington when a friend of mine showed me his 2015 debut album, "The Epic"; a 3 hour long album truly deserving of its title. Since then, I have enjoyed following his career and even meeting him when he played in Iowa City my freshman year of college. Washington has lent his mastery level skills to artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat, Flying Lotus, and Run the Jewels, but it is his albums as a leader where his true abilities shine.

Much like "The Epic", "Heaven and Earth" is a rich and indulgent 3 hour long project that depicts a more refined and focused Washington. The sophomore album has helped Washington further establish his credibility in the jazz community, and is seen as an effort to reshape and expand the genre. Although it is hard to ignore Washington's chops as a saxophonist, his backing band consists of top-shelf players and accomplished solo artists themselves who help take this album from great to legendary: Miles Mosley, Brandon Coleman, Ronald Bruner Jr., Patrice Quinn, Ryan Porter, just to name a few.

Being 3 hours long, the record itself is a 4LP set, housed in a double gatefold sleeve. This thing weighs about 5 lbs. Fun fact, a secret 5th LP is hidden within the packaging itself, and it contains his EP "The Choice". I personally have not taken that record out, as doing so would require precise surgery on the album sleeve, and I can't find it in myself to do so.

I rate this album a perfect 10 and would recommend it to any listener, familiar with jazz or not.

Cheers