The Epic: Volumes 1, 2 & 3

There is ambition, and then there is The Epic. Kamasi Washington’s sprawling statement, released on 3 March 2023 via Brainfeeder, does not so much introduce itself as it engulfs you. Across 172 minutes and three volumes, it stands as a bold, unapologetic declaration of scale, intent and belief in what jazz can still become.

At its core, The Epic is exactly that. Seventeen compositions, a 32-piece orchestra, a 20-person choir and a ten-piece band combine into something that feels closer to a world than an album. Washington does not treat jazz as a confined tradition, but as an open field, one that can absorb gospel, spiritual jazz and expansive orchestration without losing its pulse.

That pulse is key. Beneath the sweeping arrangements and layered compositions lies a rhythmic engine driven by a formidable group of musicians. Bassist Thundercat and drummer Ronald Bruner Jr. anchor the record with a sense of movement that prevents it from drifting into abstraction. Even at its most ornate, The Epic remains grounded in groove.

Washington’s saxophone acts as both guide and narrator. His playing is commanding without being overbearing, weaving through the arrangements with clarity and purpose. The compositions themselves feel meticulously constructed, each piece contributing to a broader arc that unfolds patiently across the album’s vast runtime.

What makes The Epic remarkable is not just its size, but its cohesion. It would be easy for a project of this magnitude to collapse under its own weight, yet Washington maintains a sense of direction throughout. The orchestra and choir do not overwhelm, they elevate, adding depth and scale to an already rich foundation.

There are clear touchpoints, echoes of artists like John Coltrane and Fela Kuti, alongside the boundary-pushing ethos of Brainfeeder contemporaries such as Flying Lotus. Yet The Epic never feels derivative. It absorbs these influences and reshapes them into something distinctly its own.

Even its physical form reinforces its intent. A triple LP set, pressed across three heavyweight records and housed in an expansive package, it mirrors the music’s sense of occasion. This is not designed for casual listening. It asks for time, attention and immersion.

And that is perhaps its greatest strength. The Epic is not concerned with immediacy or restraint. It is a work that believes in abundance, in the idea that music can still be vast, communal and transformative.

A brazen release, certainly. But more than that, a statement of possibility.