Saxophonist, composer, philosopher, and writer Shabaka Hutchings hails from Barbados and has been at the forefront of the UK London jazz scene for the better part of the decade. Hutchings leads three bands – all now on the Impulse! label – Sons of Kemet, the South African-centered Shabaka & the Ancestors, and The Comet Is Coming – all covered on these pages.
This is the fourth album for the quartet Sons Of Kemet, defined by The unique configuration of Shabaka on tenor, Theon Cross on tuba, and the twin drummers –Edward Wakili-Hick and Tom Skinner. They blend traditional jazz, the contemporary sounds of London street jazz, and grime with strains from the Caribbean. The four of them can whip a crowd into a frenzy with their intense jamming as witnessed at Newport Jazz Fest in 2019 and by audiences globally. Black to the Future is the kind of important statement that ranks with the Impulse! label’s Archie Shepp’s Attica Blues or John Coltrane’s iconic song, “Alabama.”
While previous Sons of Kemet albums have emphasized the danceable club vibe, Black to the Future confronts cultural themes, borne in part from the George Floyd murder and the global protests that followed. Much like Hutchings focused his Ancestors effort, We Are Sent Here By History on the destruction of humanity, this one decries blatant racism and urges Blacks to take stock of their future now, before it’s too late. Even the sequence of the titles is designed with such in mind – “Field negus – pick up your burning cross- think of home-hustle-for the culture-to forget the source-In remembrance of those fallen -Let the circle be unbroken – Envision yourself levitating – Throughout the madness, stay strong – Black.”
To emphasize these messages a host of guests appear – Grammy nominate UK poet Joshua Edelin (“Field Negus, “Black”), Jazz warrior UK saxophonist Steve Williamson, Chicago bandleader/vocalist Angel Bat Dawid and American poet Moor Mother (both on “Pick Up Your Burning Cross”), legendary British Grime MC D Double E (“For the Culture’), British artist/trapper/spoken word artist Kojey Radical (“Hustle”), and others. During the lockdown Hutchings layered in lots of additional woodwinds such as clarinets and flutes. The core signature sound remains his tenor and the incredible rhythmic bass lines from Cross’ tuba often in call and response mode to each other propelled by the two percussionists (i.e., “Envision Yourself Levitating” and “Throughout the Madness, Stay Strong”)). The lead single “Hustle” features the chanting lyrics of Kojey Radical with “Why ain’t no one tell me peace of mind was pricey/I could dance with the devil but that’s unlikely/Might go broke but that’s unlike me/I was born from the mud with hustle inside me.”
According to Hutchings, the opening and close, with Idehen’s words express rage and frustration. The work then flows inwards from both directions meeting at the ideological point of the track ‘to never forget The Source.’ The Source refers to the principles which govern traditional African cosmologies and symbolizes the inner journey. It gives meaning to both looking back and visioning forward.
This well-conceived, important album unsurprisingly features a wealth of inspired playing both from the band and the guests. It will likely stand as a landmark recording for Shabaka Hutchings, who continues to blaze trails as one of today’s leading music artists.
