Kamasi Washington Brings ‘Harmony of Difference’ to Detroit (11/15/17)
On Wednesday night, saxophonist Kamasi Washington and his band The Next Step performed to a packed Magic Stick venue downtown as part of the Harmony of Difference Tour. After an opening DJ warmed up the crowd with electronic and hip-hop instrumentals, the band, which consisted of seven members, played an hour and a half of their signature jazz sound. Including two drummers and two keyboardists, The Next Step provided a rich musical backdrop for Washington’s saxophone to lead the way. Washington has been active in recent years, gaining notoriety for his work with electronic artist Flying Lotus, funk bassist Thundercat, as well as his contributions to rapper Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 album “To Pimp a Butterfly.” Washington and his band’s latest EP, “Harmony of Difference” is a follow up to 2015’s critically acclaimed three-hour long album, aptly titled “The Epic.” Prior to it’s release, Washington described the EP to wetransfer.com as “a six-song suite – the