''Harmony of Difference'' is a studio EP by American jazz saxophonist and bandleader

Kamasi Washington Kamasi Washington (born February 18, 1981) is an American jazz saxophonist, usually playing tenor saxophone. Archived July 9, 2015. Career Washington was born in 1981 and raised in Los Angeles, California. He is a graduate of the Academy of ...

. It was released on September 29, 2017, through the Young Turks record label. ''Harmony of Difference'' is a concept album, described as a "six-movement suite" in the liner notes. The sixth track on the album, "Truth," makes up nearly half the album's length, and combines the melodies and musical ideas from the first five tracks, tying them together in a dramatic finish. The album received considerable acclaim from critics, and the song "Truth" made several end-of-year best-of lists.

Critical reception

''Harmony of Difference'' received general acclaim by music critics upon its release. At

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, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 81, which indicates "universal acclaim", based on 13 reviews.

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

critic Thom Jurek praised the album for being "chock-full of refreshing, sophisticated ideas, all balanced by an emphatic inclusiveness that engages the listener at both musical and emotional levels". Mark Richardson, executive editor of ''

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'', awarded the album the "Best New Music" tag, lauding its "tireless ambition" and "explosively grand compositions and arrangements". Nick Roseblade of '' Drowned in Sound'' had special acclaim for album closer "Truth", calling it a "stand out moment" with "infectious pop sheen", despite its length. In a less enthusiastic review for ''

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'', critic John Lewis found all the songs on the EP to suffer from "big, blustery, banal, unsatisfyingly static melod esthat rerepeated over and over and over again, restated each time by horns, guitar, strings and choir". Lewis did, however, find praise for the "impressive band, particularly drum pairing Ronald Bruner Jr and Tony Austin, who rumble away excitedly and add a Coltrane-ish intensity to proceedings".

Accolades

Popular culture

“Truth,” the sixth and final track on the album, is featured in the final scene of the Showtime drama ''

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'', as the fate of the show’s protagonist is revealed to the audience.

Track listing

Personnel

* Kamasi Washington – tenor saxophone, band leader *

Miles Mosley Miles Mosley is an American musician, producer and composer from Hollywood, California. He is known for his vocal and bass skills, as well as his abilities as a composer, arranger and music producer. He is also a founding member of the West C ...

– double bass * Ronald Bruner, Jr. – drums and percussion *

Terrace Martin Terrace Jamahl Martin (born December 28, 1978) is an American musician, rapper, singer, and record producer. He is perhaps best known for producing records for several prominent artists in the music industry, including Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dog ...

– alto saxophone * Thundercat – electric bass * Tony Austin – drums and percussion * Brandon Coleman – keyboards * Cameron Graves – piano * Ryan Porter – trombone * Igmar Thomas – trumpet * Dontae Winslow – trumpet * Artyom Manukyan – cello * Peter Jacobson – cello * Rickey Washington – flute * Matt Haze – guitar * Nick Mancini – vibraphone * Andrea Whitt – viola * Molly Rogers – viola * Chris Woods – violin * Jen Simone – violin * Paul Cartwright – violin * Tylena Renga – violin * Doctor Dawn Norfleet – choir * Dexter Story – choir * Dustin Warren – choir * Jimetta Rose Smith – choir * Mashica Winslow – choir * Patrice Quinn – choir * Steven Wayne – choir * Taylor Graves – choir *

Thalma De Freitas Thalma de Freitas (Rio de Janeiro, May 14, 1974) is a Brazilian actress, singer and composer. Career The daughter of the composer, conductor and pianist , at 14 she began studying singing and acting at the Teatro Escola Macunaíma. SHe made her ...

– choir * Amani Washington – painting

References

{{reflist 2017 EPs Kamasi Washington albums Albums recorded at Electro-Vox Recording Studios Young (record label) albums