Kamasi Washington – Heaven and Earth (sealed 4LP EU import)

Heaven and Earth is the fourth studio album by American jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington. It was released on June 22, 2018, through Young Turks Recordings.Both CD and LP versions of the album contain an extra disc called “The Choice” which is hidden within a closed part of the packaging which must be cut open to access the disc. The Guardian critic Alexis Petridis named it album of the week and wrote: “The US saxophonist has found his time and it is now: this excellent album connects politics with the jazz of the past to create an angrily inclusive new vision…On Heaven and Earth, Washington continues to explore a sweet spot between artistry and approachability. Whether his success will lead audiences to further explore music that usually exists on the fringes is an interesting question. What is more certain is the quality and accessibility of his own music”. Nate Chinen of Pitchfork awarded the album “Best New Music”, writing, “Far and away the strongest musical statement of his career, it’s also an exercise in contrast, if not outright contradiction … Washington remains enamored of the jazz tradition even as he insists on reshaping it. The heart of the complaint against him in jazz circles is his limited range as an improviser. He has no real instinct for developing harmonic momentum in a solo, and he slips too often into pentatonic pattern-work, as if an algorithm were kicking in. On the other hand, Washington’s strengths have never been clearer. His sound is sinewy and centered, his rhythmic footing sure. And he’s a catharsis engine who also knows when to shrewdly dial it back”. MINT