Kamasi has led a fulfilling life in music since an early age, earning the lead tenor saxophone in the top jazz ensemble at the Hamilton High School Music Academy and forming jazz ensemble The Young Jazz Giants in high school. In his second year at UCLA, Washington went on his first national tour with hip hop legend Snoop Dogg.
Washington has collaborated with stars including Raphael Saddiq and Chaka Khan, as well as becoming a member of The Gerald Wilson Orchestra and studying under one of his biggest heroes. The saxophonist has also appeared on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly, and on albums by Harvey Mason and Stanley Clarke.
Washington’s work with Brainfeeder, a label established by electronic musician and producer Flying Lotus, has culminated in his first album with The Next Step, The Epic. This sprawling project is full of funk, gospel, swing, and hip hop, expanding the boundaries of jazz.