In 2015, Kamasi Washington released his universally acclaimed debut double-album, The Epic. Upon its release, the saxophonist/composer was internationally praised as one of the most important jazz artists of his generation, drawing comparisons with such legends as John Coltrane and Sun Ra. In 2017, he followed up the success of The Epic with Harmony of Difference, a six-part suite exploring the concept of diversity via counterpoint.
Harmony of Difference premiered at the Biennial of New York’s prestigious Whitney Museum as a multimedia project and its music was released as an EP later that same year. The movement’s final part, the 14-minute long “Truth,” coheres around warm-hued harmonies and rhythms introduced in the movement’s previous, shorter tracks. Its fusion of such styles as swing, calypso and funk enhances the power of its message.
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