Ami Taf Ra & Kamasi Washington presenting The Prophet & The Madman

Presented in partnership with City Winery Pittsburgh North African, Los Angeles-based vocalist and composer Ami Taf Ra joins acclaimed saxophonist, composer, and producer Kamasi Washington for a special November 2026 tour presentation celebrating their ongoing creative collaboration and Ami’s debut album, The Prophet and the Madman. Produced by Washington and released through Brainfeeder, The Prophet and the Madman brings together Moroccan Gnawa, Arabic musical traditions, gospel, soul, and spiritual jazz in a deeply personal exploration of duality, healing, ancestral memory, and transformation. Inspired in part by the writings of Lebanese-American poet Kahlil Gibran, the album creates a sweeping musical world in which Ami’s commanding, operatic voice moves between intimacy, theatricality, and spiritual release. Since its release, the album has earned significant critical recognition. The Prophet and the Madman is nominated for Best Spiritual Album at the Libera Awards, and the Ami/Washington collaboration “Gnawa” was named one of NPR’s Best Songs of 2025. Ami Taf Ra was also recognized among Stereogum’s Best New Artists of 2025. The artistic connection between Ami and Washington is at the heart of the project. Their collaboration can be heard on “How I Became a Madman,” a soaring meditation on the tension between inner chaos and clarity, and throughout an album shaped by Washington’s expansive production and Ami’s singular cross-cultural perspective. Together, they create music that feels both ancient and forward-looking, connecting North African and Middle Eastern traditions with the freedom, improvisation, and communal spirit of contemporary jazz. Ami has performed internationally across Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and the United States, including appearances with the Dutch Royal Metropole Orchestra, North Sea Jazz, Blue Note Tokyo, and Ronnie Scott’s in the UK, as well as performances at the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival, City Winery Boston, and the Just Jazz Concert Series in Los Angeles. Grammy winning and Emmy nominated composer and saxophonist Kamasi Washington is one of the defining musical voices of his generation, building an expansive body of work that reaches across jazz, soul, hip-hop, classical music, film, and TV. Their November 2026 performances offer audiences a rare opportunity to experience the world of The Prophet and the Madman live, with Ami’s evocative storytelling and extraordinary vocal range meeting the power, imagination, and spiritual intensity of Kamasi Washington’s musical universe.