KAMASI WASHINGTON – LAZARUS (Original soundtrack) (Milan DL) (2025)

A heads up to a new release from Kamasi Washington who is already well known for his soundtracks: “Becoming” (Netlix) and “Shinichirð” and his luxuriant orchestrations and his incandescent improvisations. I have only heard ‘Vortex’, beginning with massed choir, cinematic strings and incorporating trumpet, sax and guitar breaks, instantly recognisable for an artist who has carved out a unique niche for his music. I gather also for those fortunate enough to have been sent advance copies that keyboardist Cameron Graves impresses particularly on ‘Discovery’ (I wouldn’t expect anything less) and ‘Magical Distance’, another of the tracks has been described as rhythmically complex.

My précis of Kamasi’s music will be coming later this year in “The Great Rock Bible: The New Testament” by the great rock discographer Martin C. Strong.