Tomoki Sanders (US) is the son of none other than legendary saxophonist Pharoah Sanders – who, along with John Coltrane and Archie Shepp, played a crucial role in the development of free jazz and spiritual jazz. Aside from their direct family connection, the two have something else in common: they have both previously performed at AB.
 
Pharoah Sanders appeared here in 1999 and Tomoki Sanders in 2023, as saxophonist with the band Kassa Overall. Tomoki was also to be heard on the album CREAM (2025), on which Kassa Overall reworked hip-hop classics by The Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, Dr. Dre, A Tribe Called Quest, OutKast and Digable Planets in a jazz format.
 
Tomoki’s debut under his own name will be out at the end of the year, on Gilles Peterson’s renowned Brownswood Recordings label, which has previously released work by Shabaka Hutchings, Tom Skinner, Zara McFarlane, Yussef Dayes, Kokoroko and Emma-Jean Thackray. Lastly, here’s a lovely quote: “Tomoki Sanders is a free electron who greedily explores Great Black Music, urban music, electronic music and the avant-garde.”
 
(And now that you’ve reached the end of this text: be sure to also check out our (John) Coltrane 100-programme, marking the 100th birthday of one of the most influential pioneers in jazz history.)
 
Line-up
 
Tomoki Sanders: tenor & soprano sax 
Keyanna Hutchinson: electric guitar 
Ian Finkelstein: keyboard
Christian Napoleon: drums