Live Review: Kamasi Washington - Royal Festival Hall // Meltdown Festival 14/06/2026
Kamasi Washington brings his uniquely fearless movement to the Royal Festival Hall as part of Harry Styles’s Meltdown Festival.
Meltdown Festival has a rich pedigree in Southbank. Rather than being decided by a booking agent or a corporation their names are decided entirely by a singular artist – leading the spotlight for voices willing to fly in or play locally in a week entirely curated by them. Last year; it was Little Simz, previous years have given us David Bowie and Patti Smith. Now; it’s Harry Styles turn – who has given us an eclectic mix of talent ranging from Minehead punk bruisers Getdown Services to indie act Warpaint, electronic icons Soulwax and the legendary jazz musician Kamasi Washington; on the back of releasing one of the best albums of the past decade ‘Fearless Movement’, having already played earlier in the afternoon a covers set.
This is a rare sonic experience that no other artist can provide. The legendary born-and-raised Los Angelean Kamasi Washington has given us a defining scope of jazz over the past two decades ‘The Epic’, arguably a top-5 decade best contender, and within seconds of him coming on stage it’s easy to see the pure joy he radiates with his eight-piece group. It’s an emotional evening but one that feels entirely unpretentious given the rich tradition of the Royal Festival Hall – he takes a time to introduce ‘Street Fighter Mas’ by telling the audience that he grew up playing Street Fighter and still plays it everywhere. It’s a single handedly unique experience to watch this jazz musician bring his talent to the table in style – always humble, always giving credit where credit is due – when each band member plays a solo number he takes turns to look at them adoringly as if there is nobody else in the world who matters – and you can’t help but buy into that. He never announces his name once: he lets the music do the talking for him; and it’s down to the other band members to introduce himself, last but not least.
The set is brisk, short and sweet at six songs – the run through is from ‘Lesanu’ to ‘Truth’, copping off with the band introductions. Patrice Quinn is an ever-present guiding force, brought on for vocal duty on ‘The Rhythm Changes’ – the lyricist and singer’s voice fills the room and wears her heart on her sleeve. Incredibly considering the size of the Royal Festival Hall this feels like an intimate gig, no matter where you sit you are close to Kamasi Washington and his band, injecting the afro-futurism into the set with that he is known for with a healthy dosage of 70s influence that give rise to his layered harmonies. It’s electric funk mixed in with a healthy dosage of Pharoah Sanders and that is evident throughout the set – echoing John Coltrane and post Coltrane McCoy Tyner.
Positioning a gig that makes you want to get up and dance in a venue that’s seated like the Festival Hall is almost criminal – they’ve done the same to Getdown Services later in the week – but it has your strengths too. The crowd are respectful, and the younger generation aren’t immune from the lure of Kamasi’s vinyls – ‘Fearless Movement’ was designed to be played how it should – above and beyond the soulless streamers. The excitement is evident and the crowd don’t take long to adjust to the groove – no support – for some the jazz covers that Washington performs earlier in the afternoon is the support – but for an artist as great as him, he doesn’t need one. Those who are just there for an afternoon to catch multiple legends – the band includes Miles Mosley on double bass for one – and the crowd instantly know what they’re getting themselves in for.
Heartbreakingly this is also a show of remembrance, paying tribute to the great Ryan Porter – who Kamasi Washington knew since 11 years old. That lifelong friendship was and forever is unshakable; and this touching tribute is felt with the care and respect that a show like this commands. The band can continue to honour him by playing his music – and that is evident on ‘Together’, a song that he wrote – “each day I sing a song for you / what a feeling / life renewing / love surrounding” – embodies the spirit of a man who set out to be a force for good in this world.
Kamasi Washington is the type of artist to end his record with a Prologue – and he can’t resist throwing in there another cover that he makes wholly his own, paying tribute to the wonderful Astor Piazzolla, an Argentine tango composer, bandoneon player and arranger who influenced nuevo tango; blending it with jazz and classical. His work runs through Washington’s spirt and soul and making Piazzolla’s Prologue the centrepiece of this set shows how much he values this artist’s body of work. There are few capable of playing such remembrance whilst making a set wholly their own – yet to Washington’s immense credit as a performer, and his band – there’s few like it.
Photo Credit: Pete Woodhead
Words by Miles Milton-Jefferies
