London-born Shabaka Hutchings is a multi-instrumentalist that blends jazz, calypso, dancehall, hip-hop, and African folk music.

Over the course of the past decade, the lion’s share of Hutchings touring and recorded work has been with three bands: Sons of Kemet, The Comet is Coming and Shabaka and the Ancestors. His musical exploration includes employing a variety of flutes, including the ancient Japanese Shakuhachi, which he started playing in 2020 during the pandemic.

In the wake of the release of his 2022 debut EP, Afrikan Culture (which notably featured the artist primarily on flutes), Shabaka announced that beginning in 2024 he’d take a hiatus from playing the saxophone publicly. For the flute-forward album Perceive its Beauty, Acknowledge its Grace, Hutchings tapped into a remarkable cadre of players, including percussionist Carlos Niño, bassist Esperanza Spalding and vocalists including Saul Williams and Lianne La Havas.

*SHABAKA will replace Tom Harrell's performance on June 22nd which has been cancelled due to unexpected circumstances.