Kamasi Washington Contributes Score To ‘Becoming,’ The Michelle Obama Netflix Documentary

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Saxophonist ​Kamasi Washington worked with director Nadia Hallgren to score the film Becoming, a Netflix documentary chronicling the life of former First Lady Michelle Obama.

(Photo: Russell Hamilton)

Becoming—the Netflix documentary chronicling the recent book tour of former First Lady Michelle Obama—is out today with a score by saxophonist Kamasi Washington.

“It was such a pleasure and honor to work on Becoming,” Washington said in a press release about the film that takes its name from Obama’s 2018 memoir. “Michelle Obama is such an amazing person and this film gives a very unique insight [into] who she is, how she thinks and the way she navigates the world. It’s truly inspiring to see! Working with the film’s incredible director Nadia Hallgren to create a musical palette to support this amazing piece was truly a blessing.”

Washington, who most recently released the double album Heaven And Earth in 2018, is set to issue Becoming (Music From The Netflix Original Documentary) through the Young Turks imprint on May 15. DB

Full tracklist for Washington’s Becoming

1. Shot Out Of A Cannon
2. Becoming
3. Take In The Story
4. Southside V.1
5. Dandy
6. The Rhythm Changes
7. Song For Frasier
8. Announcement
9. Detail
10. Fashion Then and Now
11. Provocation
12. Connections
13. Looking Forward
14. I Am Becoming
15. Southside V.2



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    Benjamin possessed a fluid, round sound on the alto saxophone, and he was often most recognizable by the layers of electronic effects that he put onto the instrument.

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    “He’s constructing intelligent musical sentences that connect seamlessly, which is the most important part of linear playing,” Charles McPherson said of alto saxophonist Sonny Red.

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    ​Albert “Tootie” Heath (1935–2024) followed in the tradition of drummer Kenny Clarke, his idol.

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    “Both of us are quite grounded in the craft, the tradition and the harmonic sense,” Rosenwinkel said of his experience playing with Allen. “Yet I felt we shared something mystical as well.”

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    Henry Threadgill performs with Zooid at Big Ears in Knoxville, Tennessee.


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