Chip Wickham [jazz]

‘So, so, good’ Gilles Peterson

UK jazz master Chip Wickham’s latest EP Love and Life (August 2023) has been hailed as a gig seller and follows the very successful debut album Could 10 on Gondwana Records. A deftly crafted, reflective EP of beautiful spiritual jazz influenced by the soulful sounds of Yusef Lateef.

Chip’s music has always drawn on a broad world of influences: from hip-hop to Roland Kirk, and from classic funk to the ‘60s Brit-Jazz of Tubby Hayes. But Love & Life finds him foregrounding his wonderful flute playing, producing a perfect four-tracker of reflective, peaceful jazz that elevates and inspires as well as a trademark slice of boppish soul jazz.

Chip Wickham is a jazz musician and producer who divides his time between Spain, UK and the Middle-East and who has made a name for himself with a series of beautifully crafted solo albums that draw equally on the hard-swinging spiritual jazz of Roland Kirk, Yusef Lateef and Sahih Shihab, alongside the music of British jazz legends such as Tubby Hayes and Harold McNair and the more contemporary sounds of Jazzanova, Kyoto Jazz Massive and Robert Glasper.

Originally from Brighton, Chip studied in Manchester and became involved in the 00’s UK jazz, soul. trip- hop and funk scenes, working with the likes of The Pharcyde, The New Mastersounds and Nightmares On Wax as well as playing with Matthew Halsall’s
Gondwana Orchestra. And his relationship with Gondwana Records goes right back to the very beginning as he played on Halsall’s 2008 debut Sending My Love. Chip is currently working on a new album …. due for release in late 2024.

Chip has recently been a special guest on Matthew Halsall’s tour launching his new album ‘An Ever Changing View’ including a sell-out show at Royal Albert Hall on September 23rd. Also working with Amanda Whiting on her new album on First Word Records which is set to be released in February 2024 as well as the up-and-coming Scottish jazz group The Nimbus Sextet with a track on their next album.

LINEUP
Chip Wickham: Saxophone & Flute
Eoin Grace: Trumpet
George Cooper: Piano
Simon ’Sneaky’ Houghton: Double Bass
Joost Hendrickx: Drums