Shabaka Hutchings (born 1984) is a British musician and composer, and a leading figure in the contemporary UK jazz scene.

Shabaka Hutchings

Shabaka grew up in Birmingham and Barbados before returning to the UK study classical clarinet. Later he switched to the saxophone and immersed himself in the South London jazz scene. Leading the band Shabaka & The Ancestors, he was also part of the groups The Comet Is Coming and Sons of Kemet until their dissolution in 2022/23. At the end of 2023, Shabaka decided to leave his main instrument, the saxophone, behind to focus on mastering the Japanese Shakuhachi flute. His solo album „Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace“, released in 2024 on Impulse! represents the start of this next musical transition and features artists like André 3000, Lianne La Havas, and Floating Points.