Meltdown 2026: Kamasi Washington

Under the warm lights of the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, Kamasi Washington stepped out for the second time on Sunday to a packed audience. He was accompanied by his eight-piece band, made up of talented musicians that have worked with Washington since childhood, including his own father on the flute. This connection led to a very seamless experience, with each band member getting their time to shine in the set; Washington frequently leaving the spotlight to ensure it shone on his collaborators. 

The show ranged from spiritual to frantic, somber to playful without ever feeling directionless. You could see the ethereal Patrice Quinn looking to the skies before singing, Washington almost wrestling with the saxophone at times, producing a high-energy sound that crescendoed until you felt the band about to burst at the seams, then slowly bringing us back down to the political, driven melodies of ‘The Truth’. His influences stretched beyond jazz; I actually think after watching this show it’s a bit unfair to box him into the jazz bracket — there are clear P-Funk and West Coast rap influences in his more upbeat sections, as well as video-game references too (the aptly named ‘Street Fighter Mas’).

It was impressive seeing such a high energy performance on a Sunday night, mere hours after performing previously. Earlier, Washington played tribute to John Coltrane and Miles Davis in celebration of their 100th birthday. This, alongside the George Clinton, Dr Dre and Astor Piazzolla references, makes perfect sense as to why Harry Styles asked Washington to take part in this year’s Meltdown festival. Both artists draw from a wide range of cultural touchpoints and influences when making music in their respective genres — and their popularity in the current day helps newer audiences explore the lineage referenced in their work.

For example, since watching the show, I have not been able to get enough of Zapp & Roger’s 1985 classic, ‘Computer Love’, a song covered by Washington on his most recent album, Fearless Movement. I assume many Harry Styles fans will have discovered LCD Soundsystem for the first time, too. 

Thinking back on the performance, I’m reminded of how often Washington stepped aside to let others take centre-stage. It felt symbolic of the wider story being told throughout the evening. Whether paying tribute to Coltrane and Davis, honouring a friend, or giving space to the musicians beside him, Washington constantly drew attention to the people who came before him and those coming up alongside him. The result was a show that felt less like a solo performance and more like a celebration of musical lineage itself.