issue 6 // volume 44

Kamasi Washington continues
to make jazz cool again

> ‘Harmony of Difference’ EP review

Joshua Toevs
Contributor

 

key

ko Washington’s EP Harmony of
Difference is a perfect appetizer for
what the man who made jazz cool again
is all about. The record comes in at 6
tracks and just over 30 minutes, which is
a far cry from his 3-disc, 3-hour magnum
opus, The Epic, which he released in 2015.
Washington is still every bit as fascinating
and musically challenging in this EP, but
he exhibits this in bite-sized portions.
Each song is composed by
Washington and features a backing
band to his unmatched saxophone
work. His perfection of that instrument
is the standout for the entire record
but it doesn’t overpower the plucky
baselines, the glistening piano keys, or
the beautifully restrained drum work.
These tracks are presented with an
abundance of love and happiness, each
song more alive and extravagant than the
last. The opening song, “Desire,” sounds
like the soundtrack to a beautiful stroll
in the park with a low-key composition
that really helps set the overall tone of
the EP. The following track, “Humility,”
ramps it up tenfold. This composition
takes you to a ‘6os nightclub with
Washington playing the saxophone at a

breakneck speed that helps accentuate
the abrasive piano composition. It is
three minutes of danceable swing jazz.
The tone of “Knowledge” feels like
it captures a sad understanding of the
world. Each instrument is performed
at a lower octave, producing a more
somber and introspective sound than
the previous two tracks. “Perspective”
contributes a lot of the same things as
its predecessor to the record, but that
track is followed by “Integrity,” which
feels like the precursor to the last scene
of a film. There is a lot of realization
and understanding in the composition
and arrangement. It is presented at
a higher tempo and features a more
rambunctious piano melody throughout.
The crescendo and the standout
track is easily “Truth.” This 13-minute song
plucks bits and pieces from each of the
previous tracks, amalgamating them into
one perfect piece of music. Washington
tacks ona funkier underlying base and a
more aggressive saxophone solo, as well
as a choir which situates itself as a piece
of the puzzle rather than overpowering
the record. It is this kind of sophistication
and attention to detail that has led to
the high praise of Washington’s ability
to craft jazz music that is timeless.
My only gripe with this record, and
I feel bad saying this, is that the project
isn't long enough. The short runtimes of
each track leave Washington with little

 

room to breathe as he is at his best when
he is performing on Monet-size canvases.
The longer a song is the more sounds,
ideas, and personality Washington is
able to showcase throughout. That being
said, this record is beautiful, high-class,

arts // no. 9

Image via consequenceofsound

and worth multiple listens if you are a
jazz fan or someone looking to discover
more about the genre. Harmony of
Difference is a great presentation of what
a great jazz record can sound like.

The best Thors waiting for the big screen

> MCU is thorly missing these iconic characters

Greg Waldock
Staff Writer

 

he best part about the Marvel

Cinematic Universe being so wildly
successful is that now, after a full decade
of blockbuster action and sci-fi, we’re
getting into the really weird and zany
parts of Marvel lore. It doesn’t get any
weirder or zanier than the Thor stories,
which include space battles with
longboats, time-traveling trickster gods,
and a surprising number of Mjolnir-
holding heroes. With Thor: Ragnarok
rolling around the corner in November
(and the as the definition of “worthy” is
vaguer than ever), now is a great time to
look at some of the stranger comic book
characters to wield the power of Thor.

Beta Ray Bill: The greatest bro in all

of comics and Thot’s best friend. He’s

an alien superhero, mutated into a
monstrous form by the mad scientists
who gave him his powers. To save his
planet from demons, he fights Thor to try
and steal Mjolnir. Odin sees how evenly
matched they are and commands them
to fight to the death for the right to carry
the hammer, so it’s not a great start to
their friendship. However, they draw in
combat, treat each other honourably, and
Thor helps Bill save his planet—and Odin
is so impressed by his strength that he

 

gives Bill his own magic divine hammer.
This character was introduced way back
in the 80s and Beta Ray Bill still shows up
to this day, heroically saving his adopted
home or giving Thor a hand in punching
the bad guy. He’s eloquent, chivalrous,
and the best alien-mutant-hero a thunder
god could ask for. We can only hope Beta
Ray Bill one day makes it to the big screen.

Curmudgeonly Police Chief Thor:
In 2015 the multiverse ended, and that

 

sucked. But Doctor Doom saved it!
Which also sucked. Long story short, he
fused bits of different universes into a
single patchwork planet, and ruled over
it with an iron fist as an all-powerful
God, capital G. To control the planet,
he created the Doomgard, the Thor-
populated police force, which is exactly
what it sounds like: A ton of characters
got to wield Mjolnir and fight crime

as Thors. The Force has all the police

Image via comicvine.com

movie clichés with loose cannon rookies,
retired cop forced back into action, and
the Curmudgeonly Police Chief, an old
grizzled Thor with a cop moustache and
no patience for this crap. It’s awesome.

Throg: He is a tiny frog with a tiny
hammer. Yes, it lets him speak Old
English. Yes, it’s canon. Yes, Thor:
Ragnarok will be a complete waste of time
if Throg doesn't have at least a cameo.