Shabaka and the Ancestors is a profound collaborative jazz project spearheaded by renowned British-Barbadian saxophonist and composer, Shabaka Hutchings. Shabaka, who is also known for his work with other notable acts such as Sons of Kemet and The Comet Is Coming, conceived Shabaka and the Ancestors as a bridge between his Caribbean roots and the rich musical tapestry of South Africa, where he collaborates with an eclectic cohort of local jazz musicians. This cross-continental assembly reverberates with a blending of Afro-Caribbean grooves, spiritual jazz, and the evocative storytelling traditions of African music, lending them a distinctive voice within the modern jazz landscape.

Their 2016 debut album, "Wisdom of Elders," was lauded as a masterful exhibit of storytelling through instrumental vigor and improvisational finesse. It established their sound as one that is simultaneously ancient and urgent—a reflection on the past with a call towards the future. The ensemble's more recent work, "We Are Sent Here By History" (2020), is an auditory odyssey that contemplates civilizational collapse and the potentialities of what follows. Through tracks like "The Coming Of The Strange Ones" and "Go My Heart, Go To Heaven," the Ancestors push the boundaries of the genre, weaving a narrative that is as contemplative as it is compelling, critically acclaimed for merging the esoteric with the accessible in a powerful expression of cultural and historical consciousness.

Genres

South African Modern Jazz

Latest Release

We Are Sent Here By History

Shabaka and the Ancestors

Album - 11 Tracks - Released March 13, 2020