Saxophonist, flautist and producer Chip Wickham casts a formidable shadow across the UK jazz landscape. Originally from Brighton, Chip Wickham first came to prominence in the UK breakbeat scene playing with the likes of Rae & Christian, The Pharcyde, Nightmares On Wax and Graham Massey. But at heart, Chip has always been a jazz musician – he played on Matthew Halsall’s debut album Sending My Love in 2008, beginning a relationship with Gondwana Records that now spans 17 years. Now dividing his time between the UK, Spain and the Middle-East, he has made a name for himself with a series of beautifully crafted solo albums that draw equally on hard swinging spiritual jazz, the classic sounds of 60s British jazz and the more contemporary sounds of artists such as Jazzanova, The Cinematic Orchestra and Nicola Conte. His Latest
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The Eternal Now is Chip’s fourth release for Gondwana Records and follows his EP of Lonnie Liston Smith covers, Astral Traveling, soulful hardbop longplayer Cloud 10 (both released in 2022) and the gorgeous melancholic four-tracker Love & Life (released in 2023). A beautifully crafted record, The Eternal Now is Chip’s most progressive recording to date and represents a heartfelt ode to submitting oneself to the practice of creating art, and the freedom that’s derived from letting go. Speaking on his journey to bringing it into the world, Chip explains “The Eternal Now is a creative place where time has no purpose. A place where the past and the future don’t exist. A place where an artist can create something that is timeless and relevant. Writing this album has been a deliberate journey of exploration and drive into the furthest reaches of creativity. An attempt to push myself artistically into new spaces using new colours and new energy.” On The Eternal Now Chip has collaborated with two mainstays of the Manchester scene, legendary drummer Luke Flowers of The Cinematic Orchestra and well-loved bass-player Sneaky who played on Mr Scruff’s classic Keep it Unreal. Largely flute-led, it’s his most rhythm heavy offering to date taking the listener on an expansive journey that touches on the influences of Lonnie Liston Smith, Sven Wunder, David Axelrod and even library music as Chip pushes his sound into exciting new spaces without ever losing the soulful groove and heartfelt melodies that make his music so loved. Co-produced by Matthew Halsall, the album also marks the first time that Chip has worked with renowned mix-engineer Greg Freeman (Matthew Halsall, Portico Quartet and Hania Rani among others) as Chip explores a more contemporary sound.On how he approached this record in comparison to his previous offerings, he divulges “I had to be playful and take risks. It has taken longer than any other album to make and it has been so worth it. I have been drifting and taking the road less travelled as well as not looking back. I’ve enjoyed being on the outside and the freedom it has brought me to create something new and fresh and relevant and timeless.” Opening with the rolling hand percussion and floating notes of ‘Drifting’, the record quickly finds its footing, and dives headfirst into a propulsive and splashy rhythm section. A tasteful drum fill ushers in the commencement of second single ‘Nara Black’, which features the sultry vocals of PEACH, whose dreamlike lyrics intertwine with uplifting flute motifs and sweeping strings. The album’s title track is up next, channelling curious and alluring melodies through a swirling portal of sound. ‘Lost Souls’ is a restful and nourishing track, giving time for the spirit to breathe amidst rich woodwinds and soulful shakers. On ‘No Turning Back’ pensive atmospheres ease into torrents of melody, twisting like the banks of a great river. ‘The Road Less Travelled’ finds wandering keys traverse vast undulating expanses of sound, before the winding motifs of ‘Falling Deep’ beckon the listener to venture deeper within. Penultimate track ‘Ikigai’ (translating to ‘a reason for being’) harnesses a potent moment of beauty, as spectral flute dances amongst lush strings before the flourishes of ‘Outside’ bring the album to a poignant close. A captivating and emotive listen, The Eternal Now sees Chip at the top of his game, creating an other-worldly dreamscape with enchanting sound. He says “This album is about giving lost souls a home, falling deep in love with the spiritual joy of music and making something that will last like a Japanese tattoo made with Nara Black ink. Giving me balance and flow in life, my Ikigai.”