Introduction to the New Art Museum
The design of the new art museum by Los Angeles County has been described as controversial. However, for its opening attraction, the museum’s supervisors chose a polarizing event: Kamasi Washington’s three-night stand, which filled the empty gallery rooms with an epic performance that was the symphonic jazz equivalent of a home run.
The Performance
The new David Geffen Galleries, which will be open for art positioning purposes until April 2026, comprise 110,000 square meters on the upper floor of a new 350,000-foot concrete building. Almost all of this vast expanse was filled with the sound of music during the climactic 90-minute performance on Saturday evening. There were 10 different staging areas for different groups of musicians, all performing elements of "Harmony of Difference," a six-song suite that Washington had expanded for this live premiere.
A Unique Experience
The performance was an experiment in "select your own jazz adventure," allowing attendees to experience as many of the 10 stations as possible. It was an opportunity for the musically omnivorous to reach new heights and remain silent due to the length of the galleries. The LACMA air conditioning system tried to keep up with the moving bodies on a hot day, as the sinking sun loosened through the floor-to-sketch window of the new building.
Exciting and Frustrating
The experiment sounded great on paper, but how was it in practice? Both exciting and frustrating. It was intoxicating to know that it is possible to arrange excellent music for over a hundred musicians divided into 10 different groups. However, it was frustrating to fall in love with a particular thread or woodwind and have to make difficult decisions about when and where to move.
Overlapping Ensembles
In the introductory comments, guests were asked to remain as calm as possible to experience the possibilities of hearing overlapping ensembles. That was too much for most, and although speaking would normally be a buzz during a Washington performance, it is difficult to blame 2,000 people who were caught up in something so unique. However, some stages had only a few dozen spectators at a time, all attentive and respectful, and it was possible to be enthusiastic about these less crowded areas.
Finding the Fusion
But with a little effort, it was possible to find a hallway here or there where the promised fusion of noises could be heard. A professional tip: find the lonely brass section and then look for a place where you can settle between this and the closest attraction. Brass has the unfair advantage when it comes to spillover.
A Message and Method
There was a message and method to the madness. Washington made some comments before and between suite pieces that our diversity is a feature, not a mistake – something that feels like a political statement in 2025. Anyone who has ever had an appreciation for symphonic music has already taken a stand for a kind of diversity, whether they knew it or not.
The New Lacma Building
If we could all just get along to agree with Washington’s wishes, can we all find an agreement on the new Lacma building itself? That will be an impossible order. At least some of the murmur in the galleries was certainly notes about what makes everyone think of an art museum – unfinished concrete together with wide open rooms for natural light to get in.
Harmony in the Midst of Debate
But after literally decades of debates about this new formation of Lacma, in response to the eternal question "Where is the harmony, sweet harmony?" an answer was found for the length of a weekend in Washington’s extravagance that really felt united. What is so funny about peace, love, and understanding? Washington made the feeling that everything is fine in front of us – as long as we are all ready to literally bring a small legwork.
