Story by Anthony Williams // Contributing Writer | Photos by Olivia Ladd // Assistant Lifestyles Editor
Out of all of the sets I saw at the Big Ears Festival this past weekend, none were quite as grand or intimate than Kamasi Washington’s.
The up-and-coming saxophone virtuoso was on many festival-goers must-see list, and for good reason. His release of the The Epic, a three-part, three-hour jazz masterpiece, back in May of 2015 was met with widespread critical acclaim and proved to the world that Kamasi was capable composer and musician.
When Kamasi and his band, The Next Step, took the stage Sunday morning at midnight, I was blown away by the level of musicianship and chemistry among him and his band members. Washington’s performance was full of surprises and treats including an incredible drum-off between his two drummers, Tony Austin and Ronald Bruner Jr., the performance of an unreleased funk tune and some light-hearted banter from Kamasi in-between songs that helped to build a comfortable atmosphere, all while providing some insight on the creation process of The Epic and the close-knit background of the band as a whole.
The biggest highlight of the night, by far, was the performance of “Henrietta Our Hero,” a song written by Washington in reverence of his grandmother. He shocked the entire audience when he brought his father out to play flute with the band. The performance was deeply moving and featured beautifully crafted solos from Kamasi and his dad. Patrice Quinn’s angelic vocals on the song were filled with so much passion that many where moved to tears (including herself) as she crooned the chorus “Henrietta, our hero. Shining fearless and bright. Can you see her? Her light is here.”
Kamasi Washington and The Next Step have been at the forefront of the jazz revival on the west coast for a couple of years now and if their performance Sunday was any indication, there is no limit to how far they can go.
Check out our photos of the set below:
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To contact Lifestyles editor Tanner Dedmon email [email protected].
