Shabaka unveils 'Of the Earth' album: A new chapter in legendary jazz musician's career

London jazz virtuoso Shabaka Hutchings, known as the leader of the bands Sons of Kemet, The Comet Is Coming and Shabaka and the Ancestors, will release his second solo album under the pseudonym Shabaka, "Of the Earth". The album, released on Shabaka Records on March 6, features twelve new tracks, including the singles "A Future Untold" and "Marwa the Mountain".

After the successful but brief period of his solo project, Perfect Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace, Shabaka temporarily retired from the saxophone, which brought him wide fame. On the new album, the musician first tried himself in rap, admitting that the inspiration was Andre 3000 and D’Angelo. “I am inspired by the fearlessness and sincerity of Andre 3000 in exploring new musical horizons,” Shabaka said. He also notes D'Angelo's influence, noting that Brown Sugar was his first CD to spark interest in the emotional depth of spontaneous recordings. Before the pandemic, Shabaka, with no experience in music production and flute playing, experimented with different sounds and approaches to making music. Of the Earth was the result of this process. In addition, the record features flutist Andre 3000.