Kamasi Washington

Kamasi Washington is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader born and raised in Los Angeles. His four works to date: the ambitious triple album “The Epic” (2015), “Harmony Of Difference” (2017), “Heaven And Earth” (2018) and “Fearless Movement” (2024) rank among the most acclaimed in his field over the last decade. His short film “As Told To D/D Thyself” debuted at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival to great acclaim.

A native of Los Angeles, Kamasi Washington studied at the Academy of Music at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, specializing in ethnomusicology. He soon proved to be a pure talent, a visionary of his instrument. Legends like Coltrane, Ayler and Coleman represent for him the light from which to inexorably set out and broaden his own range, perhaps through a play of mirrors that escapes preset schemes and aims straight at the most bizarre musical angles, through an underlying approach that is anything but classicist.

In 2020, Washington also composed the soundtrack for Michelle Obama's documentary “Becoming”, earning Emmy and Grammy nominations. Also in 2020, Washington co-founded the supergroup Dinner Party with longtime friends and collaborators Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper and 9th Wonder: their EP “Dinner Party (Dessert)” was later nominated for a Grammy for Best Progressive R&B Album.

Kamasi Washington has traveled the world and has collaborated and shared the stage with Kendrick Lamar, Florence + the Machine, Herbie Hancock.