Heaven And Earth
by Kamasi Washington

From JoaoMoreira 05/02/2020 02:03 | #250802

Amazing options and harmonic arrangements of choir & strings. It makes a beautiful contrast to the percussion and soloing. Great musicianship inside!
It's an achievement to put out an album that long in this era and be so consistently good and eclectic.
Don't even mind for an out of context Carole King's cover.
Great job!

Probably the best jazz album I’ve heard in years, this dramatic diptych conjures up all sorts of imagery in its two-and-a-half-hour runtime, but for me the most enduring image is that of an Afrofuturist take on Michael Powell’s A Matter of Life and Death. The ascent from Earth to Heaven is slow and uncertain but there’s not a single minute I’d take out of it.

From SleepDealer 12/24/2018 08:12 | #227776

Some very strong highlights but comes across as bloated and indulgent in parts, and lacks the quality of both his preceding records.

From poppmusic 11/11/2018 06:06 | #224284

I've been listening to it a while, and it's just not the Epic. The Epic I could put on any time and smile ear to ear. I would say some of the songs are still very strong but there just isn't the same consistency of passion.

In a year year with, so far, lousy new releases, this one is very welcome. Gonna take time though,to give an accurate apperception of its quality. So far, it makes me more happy than any other record this year. I have my doubts that it will last in say 5 years. I get a small doubts. My emotions tends to flatten out sometimes. I tend to feel I'm in a movie, again and again, and the same. Not bad, but the same.... I don't know. Let's stay open :)

From Graeme2 08/11/2018 11:05 | #219529

He did it again, and it is a similar formula but if it ain't broke and all that. He's just so accessible and as has been said, is possibly getting a new generation into jazz. His music is just so full of feeling. Also, in an era where music is geared towards streaming and when the albums you do decide to buy to hear in better quality but are regularly let down sound wise, vinyl and cd, it's great to hear this guy's stuff on physical format. I have his last on vinyl and this on cd, they both sound wonderful. So if you're a fan, splash out and buy, no disappointments.

It's another fine set and superbly played but it's just, The Epic, all over again. There are no surprises here, nothing added or taken away from it's predecessor. Yes, it's very good, but Kamasi's heroes like John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman always kicked on and yes, I know it's early days and there is still so much to come and to devour on this new record but I am a bit disappointed that it isn't a little more diverse and challenging. Maybe next time. In some ways it's jazz for people not really into jazz, but if this album gets more people interested in the genre then great. Good, but I wanted a few surprises.

From AAL2014 06/28/2018 16:06 | #217430

Kamasi is becoming one of my favorite artists. The Epic was phenomenal and this is no less beautiful or engaging. I'm picking up huge mid-70's Stevie Wonder vibes here, but of course mixed in with Kamasi's innate and ferocious style of jazz.

A legend in the making.

From thirstyDog 06/27/2018 17:51 | #217382

Goddamn, this album never lets up. It's like a 2 hour long orgasm

Exceptional jazz record but it's massively long. Think Wagner!