The Comet Is Coming streaming LP ft. Kate Tempest, touring after SXSW
Shabaka Hutchings has quickly been becoming one of the leaders of modern jazz and specifically of the London jazz renaissance that’s been spreading outside of the UK and really catching on here in the States too. He leads the bands Sons of Kemet and Shabaka and the Ancestors, he has worthy solo work, he’s played as a sideman for the Sun Ra Arkestra, Floating Points, Makaya McCraven, and more, and he’s one third of The Comet Is Coming (alongside keyboardist Dan Leavers and drummer Max Hallett).
Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery, The Comet Is Coming’s second album and first for the legendary Impulse! Records (once home to John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane, Charles Mingus, and many other greats), comes out this week, and it’s one of the most genre-defying projects Shabaka has done yet. While Sons of Kemet — who had one of the most universally acclaimed albums of last year (also on Impulse!) — lean Afrobeat, The Comet Is Coming are closer to ’60s psychedelia and ’70s space rock. It’s some of the most far-out music that Shabaka makes, and it really takes you on a trip the way the OGs of psychedelic music did decades ago. The rhythms are all over the place, varying from more traditional jazz styles to blissed-out and atmospheric to a little of Sons of Kemet’s Afrobeat to driving rock and pop rhythms (on “Summon the Fire”). The album is instrumental except for when rapper/spoken word artist Kate Tempest leads the way on on the eight-minute “Blood of the Past,” and while her appearance is a huge highlight, The Comet Is Coming don’t need words to keep your ears glued to the speakers. This isn’t music that falls into the background; it’s music that grips you and takes you away and abruptly drops you back to earth when its 45 minute running time ends.
You can stream the full album at NPR and watch BBC live sessions for the aforementioned “Summon The Fire” and “Blood of the Past” (without Kate Tempest) below.
The Comet Is Coming will be in Austin for SXSW this week where they have three official shows. After that, they’ll play some headlining US shows before hitting Knoxville, TN’s Big Ears Festival. They’ll also be back in North America in June for Bonnaroo, Sled Island, and more headlining shows.
Right after SXSW, they’ll come to NYC for a show on Monday, March 18 at Mercury Lounge (tickets). All dates are listed below.
Tracklist
Because The End Is Really The Beginning
Birth Of Creation
Summon The Fire
Blood Of The Past ft. Kate Tempest
Super Zodiac
Astral Flying
Timewave Zero
Unity
The Universe Wakes Up
The Comet Is Coming — 2019 Tour Dates
Tue, MAR 12 The Moroccan Lounge Los Angeles, CA
Wed, MAR 13 St David’s Historic Sanctuary (SXSW) Austin, TX
Thu, MAR 14 LPR x Psycho showcase at Empire Garage (SXSW) Austin, TX
Fri, MAR 15 British Music Embassy at Latitude 30 (SXSW) Austin, TX
Mon, MAR 18 Mercury Lounge New York, NY
Wed, MAR 20 The Fillmore Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA
Thu, MAR 21 U Street Music Hall Washington, DC
Fri, MAR 22 Big Ears Knoxville, TN
Sat, MAR 30 Camp and Furnace Liverpool, United Kingdom
Mon, APR 01 Sage Gateshead Gateshead Quays, United Kingdom
Tue, APR 02 Yes (SOLD OUT) Manchester, United Kingdom
Wed, APR 03 The Haunt (SOLD OUT) Brighton, United Kingdom
Thu, APR 04 Badaboum Paris, France
Fri, APR 05 Ancienne Belgique Bruxelles, Belgium
Sat, APR 06 Paradiso Noord, Tolhuistuin Nieuw-amsterdam, Netherlands
Mon, APR 08 BiNuu Berlin-altglienicke, Germany
Tue, APR 09 Zoom Frankfurt Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
Wed, APR 10 Stadtgarten Köln, Germany
Fri, APR 12 Strom Munich, Germany
Sat, APR 13 Grelle Forelle Wien, Austria
Thu, MAY 09 Conde Duque Cultural Center Madrid, Spain
Fri, MAY 10 Monk Club Roma Rm, Italy
Sat, MAY 11 Santeria Paladini 8 Milano, Italy
Sun, JUN 09 Cross The Tracks Festival London, United Kingdom
Thu, JUN 13 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival Manchester, TN
Fri, JUN 14 Sleeping Village Chicago, IL
Sat, JUN 15 Turf Club St Paul, MN
Tue, JUN 18 The Independent San Francisco, CA
Wed, JUN 19 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, OR
Thu, JUN 20 Barboza Seattle, WA
Fri, JUN 21 Imperial Vancouver, Canada
Sat, JUN 22 Sled Island Calgary, Canada
Sun, JUN 23 The Cube Winnipeg, Canada
Thu, JUL 04 Worldwide Festival Sète, France
Wed, JUL 31 Amsterdamse Bos Amstelveen, Netherlands
Thu, DEC 05 O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire London, United Kingdom
