Funk could very easily be called jazz, but you call it funk. Does that really matter? People dig that they associate themselves with certain genres, but the genres to me are made up things, like an imaginary world. — Kamasi Washington Copy Share Image
I started playing with this band, the Polyester Players. It was my introduction into funk. So I went and got a James Brown record. 'Black Caesar' is a film score, but it's so dope. — Kamasi Washington Copy Share Image
Every day we're here is an opportunity to do what we can to make the world right, to help someone close or far from… — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
I was hearing music in my head and trying to play it on the clarinet, but it didn't match.' Then, literally the first day,… — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
So much good music has been looked over because of preconceived notions of genre. — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
It's either, like, 'Your album was the first jazz album I listened to,' or, like, 'My friend took me to this show, and I've… — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
This precious thing of empathy and love and understanding is something we have to hold and appreciate and protect. — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
By the time I was about 15, I was out playing gigs and knew I was going to be a musician. — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
We learned at a young age, with our dad, that even if you weren't doing something, you had to look like you were, or… — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
West Coast hip hop was the sound of my neighbourhood. It was something I could relate to because it had a sound that felt… — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
We've played so many places where, if you asked people, 'Do you like jazz?' they would be like, 'Not at all.' But I think… — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
In the '80s, a lot of kids, if you were kind of bright, you got bussed to schools out of your community. So you… — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
Jazz is like a telescope, and a lot of other music is like a microscope. — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
At a certain point, when there's a barrier between you and what's right, eventually you have to decide you're not going to allow yourself… — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
I started playing drums at three, then piano at five, then clarinet. But it wasn't till I picked up a saxophone aged 13 that… — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
You have to dig deep to make great music, and it gets harder and harder. It's a difficult, painful process to reach deep in… — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
Fela Kuti blew my mind. His playing is very unorthodox, but I learned how to appreciate that. — Kamasi Washington Copy Share
