Kamasi Washington Reveals Album After Years of Work

From the Regent Theater in Downtown L.A., Washington brings his new album to life with the help of his working band, a choir, string section and plenty of special guests.

Saxophonist and composer Washington, 34, has been working on releasing his three-CD, nearly three-hour, choir-and-strings-assisted album The Epic for the better part of five years now. Or even longer, if you consider that most of his 10-piece working band have known each other since at least high.

Though the diverse careers of each band member have made it difficult to focus exclusively on this band — Washington, for example, is the saxophone player heard on the new Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar albums — they have all continually committed to experimenting with a brand of jazz that resonates with their own generation’s lived experience.

Don’t miss Jazz Night in America’s live webcast Wednesday at 7 pm MT or tune in to KUVO Saturdays at 10 pm MT to hear the show rebroadcast!