Michigan Theater
Kamasi Washington &
The Next Step
The World is Here
Tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington, “the most-talked-about jazz musician since Wynton Marsalis arrived on the New York scene three decades ago” (New York Times), comes to Ann Arbor fresh from the release of his groundbreaking solo album, The Epic, a 172-minute triple-disc masterpiece.
Born into a musical family, he recently collaborated and appeared on rapper Kendrick Lamar’s platinum album To Pimp a Butterfly and has also performed with the likes of Snoop Dogg, Gerald Wilson, Mos Def, Quincy Jones, and Chaka Khan. Immersed in jazz since he was a teenager in South Central L.A., Washington was recently awarded the inaugural American Music Prize, which recognizes the best debut album of the previous year across all genres. “With his popular, political, uncategorizable jazz, the young saxophonist has become something his genre rarely produces anymore: a celebrity.” (New York Times)
Please note: There is no opening act, so Kamasi Washington & The Next Step will begin to play at the top of the performance.
Artist Website
http://www.kamasiwashington.com/Thank You to Our Sponsors
PRINCIPAL SPONSOR
SUPPORTING SPONSOR
- Anne and Paul Glendon
FUNDED IN PART BY
- JazzNet Endowment Fund
MEDIA PARTNERS
UMS LOBBY
Expand Your Musical Taste with Kamasi Washington
If you're a Kendrick Lamar fan looking to expand your musical taste, or add more variety to your Spotify Playlists, your search just might bring you to a new genre. Listeners of To Pimp a Butterfly are aware of the album's passionate social message, artistry, and musical poise. Yet, what they may not know is that one of the artists who worked with Kendrick Lamar on the record is leaving behind a legacy of his own.