Album Review: Ambrose Akinmusire’s ‘honey from a winter stone'

An Timely, Essential Recording From A Rising Musical Force

Since his debut in 2008 at age 26, Ambrose Akinmusire has created a sapient body of work featuring some of the most unique and sophisticated sounds in contemporary music.

His new release, “honey from a winter stone” is a dazzling kaleidoscope of jazz, hip-hop, and chamber music, as well as a commentary on the contemporary black experience.

Ambrose Akinmusire, © Michael Wilson.

Julius Eastman’s “Organic Music”

Akinmusire said, “[i]n many respects this entire work is inspired by and is an homage to the work of the composer Julius Eastman and his organic music concept.”

Eastman (1940-1990) was an American composer and iconoclast who wrote about the racism and homophobia he felt as a gay, black man with music that had provocative titles such as “Gay Guerilla” and “Evil Ni**er.”

Eastman’s prodigious talent brought him to the attention of Lukas Foss who named him a Creative Associate at UB’s Center of the Creative and Performing Arts (now the Center for 21st Century Music) where he served on of…