Shabaka Hutchings: Shaking the Foundations, Rewriting the Future of Jazz

For jazz fans paying attention over the past decade, the name Shabaka Hutchings has become impossible to ignore. The British-Barbadian saxophonist and bandleader isn’t just part of the conversation—he’s leading it. Whether it’s through the swaggering horns of Sons of Kemet, the Afrofuturist psychedelia of The Comet Is Coming, or the spiritually charged depth of Shabaka and the Ancestors, Hutchings has positioned himself at the nexus of innovation, tradition, and raw urgency.

A Sound Rooted in Diaspora

From the very first notes of Your Queen Is a Reptile (2018), you can tell this isn’t your grandfather’s jazz. Sure, there are echoes of Pharaoh Sanders and Fela Kuti, but Hutchings isn’t interested in imitation. His music is built from the ground up—using jazz as scaffolding while drawing from grime, dub, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and electronic music.

He doesn’t shy away from political fire, either. That Sons of Kemet album is both a groove-laden feast and a cutting commentary on British imperialism and Black identity. And that’s where Hutchings really shines: his work moves the body while stirring the mind.

The Comet Is Coming: Jazz in a Sci-Fi Suit

In his trio with keyboardist Dan Leavers (aka Danalogue) and drummer Max Hallett (aka Betamax), Hutchings ditches tradition entirely. The Comet Is Coming is like Sun Ra’s Arkestra on an acid trip through deep space. Synths shimmer, breakbeats explode, and Shabaka’s tenor saxophone soars and screams like an interstellar prophet. For fans of cosmic jazz, this group feels like the next logical leap.

Stepping Away from the Sax: A Bold Pause

Then came the surprise: in 2023, Shabaka announced he was stepping away from the saxophone to focus on composition and other instruments—especially the flute. For a player so deeply associated with his horn, it was a move that shocked some, inspired others.

But for those who’ve followed his ethos, it tracks. Hutchings has always been about exploration over comfort. This pause is less a goodbye to the sax, and more a shift in perspective—a chance to re-tune his creative compass.

Legacy in Real Time

Unlike many jazz legends whose impact is only felt decades after their prime, Shabaka’s influence is happening right now. Young players are modeling their sound after his. Labels like Impulse! and Brownswood are riding the wave he helped generate. And audiences—from London clubs to international festivals—are showing up in droves for this new school of jazz that’s global, gritty, and gloriously genre-defiant.

Shabaka Hutchings reminds us that jazz was never meant to sit still. It’s a living form—meant to absorb, challenge, and grow. And through his fearless vision, we get to witness what happens when a musician doesn’t just honor tradition, but dares to rebuild it.

If you’re a jazz head who hasn’t yet taken a deep dive into Hutchings’ catalog, start with these albums:

• Sons of Kemet – Your Queen Is a Reptile (2018)

• The Comet Is Coming – Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery (2019)

• Shabaka and the Ancestors – We Are Sent Here by History (2020)

• Shabaka – Afrikan Culture (2022, flute-centered and meditative)

Want to hear what the future of jazz sounds like? Just follow the sound of the saxophone… or in Shabaka’s case, the silence after.