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The message is powerful and necessary on 'Sons of Kemet - Black to the Future' / jazz trail

jazz trail writes......Sons of Kemet, one of the many combos led by the British-born Barbados-raised saxophonist/composer Shabaka Hutchings (The Comet is Coming, Shabaka & The Ancestors) returns with Black to the Future, a dance-oriented fourth album that is more rooted in folklore than ever. This bubbling meld of cluttering, shuffling African beats and groove workout is reinforced with a few guest artists that help to pass the message against racial discrimination - from slavery to George Floyd's death to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Both "Field Negus" and "Black", opener and closer, respectively, resonate with the fervently emotive spoken word by poet Joshua Idehen. The former presents a mournful musical texture in the background, while the latter breaks out with surging drones. Both are expressions of rage and frustration. The message is powerful and necessary.

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