NPR Presents - Kamasi Washington’s ’The Epic’ in Concert

Saxophonist and composer Kamasi Washington, 35, has been working on releasing his now three-CD, nearly three-hour, choir-and-strings-assisted album The Epic for the better part of five years now. Even longer, if you consider how long his 10-piece working band has known each other: Most of its members, known collectively as The Next Step or The West Coast Get Down, have known each other since at least high school decades ago in South Central Los Angeles, and in some instances well before that. Even as their diverse careers have made it difficult to focus exclusively on this band — Washington is, for instance, the saxophone player heard on the new Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar albums — they’ve all continually committed to experimenting with a brand of jazz that resonates with their own generation’s lived experience. Jazz Night In America features Kamasi Washington and the music of The Epic at its release party, and in its full glory. From the Regent Theater in Downtown L.A., Washington presents his new album with his working band, a choir, a string section and plenty of special guests. SETLIST 5:45 - “Askim“ 27:25 - “Change of the Guard“ 47:00 - “Leroy and Lanisha“ 1:02:01 - “Henrietta Our Hero“ 1:15:10 - “Re Run“ 1:44:00 - “The Message“ MUSICIANS Kamasi Washington, Tony Austin, Ronald Bruner, Stephen Bruner, Brandon Coleman, Cameron Graves, Miles Mosley, Ryan Porter, Patrice Quinn, Battlecat, Munyungo Jackson, The Gaslamp Killer, Terrace Martin, Leon Mobley, Ras G, Dwight Trible, Rickey Washington, Dontae Winslow, Miguel Atwood:Ferguson, Paul Cartwright, Yvette Devereauz, Atryom Manukyan, Ginger Murphy, Tylana Renga, Molly Rogers, Jim Simone, Andrea Witt, Nia Andrews, Trenyce Cobbins, Thalma de Freitas, Taylor Graves, Charles Jones, Dawn Norsleet, Steven Wayne, Mashica Winslow CREDITS Producers: Alex Ariff, Patrick Jarenwattananon, Nick Michael, Suraya Mohamed, Simon Rentner, Katie Simon / Editors: Nick Michael, Morgan McCloy / Videographers: Morgan McCloy, Nick Michael, Benjamin B. Morris, Doriane Raiman / Event Producer and Promoter: Andrew Lojero, ArtDontSleep / Assistant Producer: Colin Marshall / Asst. Videographer: Aaron Ashby / Lighting Director: Jerome Cushing / Audio Mixing and Mastering: Daddy Kev, Cosmic Zoo / House Audio Engineers: Nic Monaco, Kyle Berzle / Additional Audio: Alex Ariff / Supervising Sound Editor: Suraya Mohamed / Special Thanks: The Regent Theater, Atom Factory, Banch Abegaze, Many Giangardella, Mitchell Frank, Liz Garo, Jasper Kuo / Executive Producer: Anya Grundmann