Country : United Kingdom Label : Black Focus Genres and styles : Contemporary Jazz / Funk / Jazz / Soul Year : 2020

Wu Hen

· by Steve Naud

In recent years, the blue note has become popular again. A young audience is finally taking an interest in jazz, thanks to the young wolves who have managed to revitalize the genre. The London jazz scene is particularly vital, and keyboardist Kamaal Williams is one of its strongest pillars. The artist, who also acts under the pseudonym Henry Wu, made a name for himself in 2015 thanks to the Yussef Kamaal project, with the fabulous drummer Yussef Dayes. However, that adventure lasted only a short time, and Williams then began his solo career with the album The Return, on which the percussionist’s absence was felt.

With Wu Hen, Williams continues to put forward funky jazz rather similar to what Herbie Hancock was already doing in the ’70s. He does so, though, while broadening his palette. For example, while the album starts with the silky “Street Dreams”, lulled by the tinkling of a celestial harp, it shifts radically on the second track, “One More Time”, one of the most powerful pieces Williams has offered us to date. The same applies to the rest of the journey.

The guests invited by Williams contribute a lot to the enrichment of nuances observed on Wu Hen. Harpist Alina Bzhezhinska, soul singer Lauren Faith, and saxophonist Quinn Mason (who’s on fire on the frantic “Pigalle”) all contribute their stone to the edifice, but it is without a doubt arranger Miguel Atwood-Ferguson (Flying Lotus, Ray Charles, Dr Dre, Thundercat) who shines most brightly. The strings he wraps around three of the pieces on the program give wings to the keyboardist’s music. Without reinventing the wheel, Wu Hen shows us a very good time.

Latest 360 Content

Blondshell – If You Asked For a Picture

Blondshell – If You Asked For a Picture

Hitting a Fever Pitch at the Ribbon Skirt LP Launch 

Hitting a Fever Pitch at the Ribbon Skirt LP Launch 

Wu-Tang Clan & Mathematics – Black Samson, the Bastard Swordsman.

Wu-Tang Clan & Mathematics – Black Samson, the Bastard Swordsman.

Dalit Hadass Warshaw, Boston Modern Orchestra Project / Gil Rose – Sirens

Dalit Hadass Warshaw, Boston Modern Orchestra Project / Gil Rose – Sirens

Howard Shore/Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France – Shore : Anthology

Howard Shore/Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France – Shore : Anthology

Quatuor Diotima – Boulez : Livre pour quatuor

Quatuor Diotima – Boulez : Livre pour quatuor

LMNL – Rainbow

LMNL – Rainbow

Strat Andriotis – Exits

Strat Andriotis – Exits

Richard Reed Parry – The Actor

Richard Reed Parry – The Actor

Tamara Stefanovich – Organised Delirium

Tamara Stefanovich – Organised Delirium

Galan Trio – Embrace

Galan Trio – Embrace

Jack Van Zandt – A Chaos of Light and Motion

Jack Van Zandt – A Chaos of Light and Motion

Tommy Crane – Reality Curated: Live at Ursa

Tommy Crane – Reality Curated: Live at Ursa

Thomas DeLio – Anti-paysage

Thomas DeLio – Anti-paysage

No Hay Banda – Steven Kazuo Takasugi : Il Teatro Rosso

No Hay Banda – Steven Kazuo Takasugi : Il Teatro Rosso

Vancouver Contemporary Orchestra; Vancouver Chamber Choir – Christopher Tyler Nickel : Mass; Te Deum

Vancouver Contemporary Orchestra; Vancouver Chamber Choir – Christopher Tyler Nickel : Mass; Te Deum

Hypercube – The Force for Good

Hypercube – The Force for Good

PUP – Who Will Look After the Dogs?

PUP – Who Will Look After the Dogs?

Duo AYA – Cycles

Duo AYA – Cycles

Papillon Social Club – Dur de la feuille

Papillon Social Club – Dur de la feuille

Coalescent Quartet – The Wall Between Us

Coalescent Quartet – The Wall Between Us

Samuel Bonnet Trio – Live in Harmony

Samuel Bonnet Trio – Live in Harmony

Marc-André Hamelin; Quatuor Takacs – Dvořák & Price : Piano Quintets

Marc-André Hamelin; Quatuor Takacs – Dvořák & Price : Piano Quintets

Subscribe to our newsletter