Kamasi Washington long ago transcended the jazz mainstream— his appeal is such that, at this point, a sizable percentage of his audience, despite an ecstatic appreciation of what he does, may not even listen to any other jazz artist. The saxophonist/composer has become so emblematic of the genre that sometimes it seems as if he’s been around for decades, but Fearless Movement is only his fifth album as a leader, and that he’s attained his status without diluting his music makes his success all the more commendable. Thus, when Washington announced, prior to the release of this new effort, that the double-disc Fearless Movement was to be a “dance record,” it’s understandable that some veteran fans may have gotten a bit nervous. But not to worry: Washington’s idea of dance music is a far cry from all that soulless pounding that defines that tag today. Sure, you can dance to these tunes—there are times that you may even be unable to stop yourself—but this is Kamasi Washington music through and through. That means that, among other trademarks, some of the names in the credits will be familiar: Thundercat, the bassist who’s upended the meaning of bass, is a beast on “Asha the First,” an early track on the set. Terrace Martin is featured on alto sax on “The Visionary,” a song he and Washington co-wrote with regulars Brandon Coleman and Cameron Graves. But George Clinton and André 3000—who brings his flute to “Dream State,” which also happens to contain some of Washington’s fiercest sax work on the recording— also make their presence known. And kudos-plus to another Washington mainstay, Ronald Bruner Jr., whose drumming throughout has never been more stupendous.
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