Tom Skinner brings good news – Giovanni Ansaldo

Comparing with the somewhat tarnished panorama of Italian jazz clubs, one feels a certain envy to think of the London jazz scene. For years in the clubs of the British capital, in places like the 606 Club or the Brilliant Corners, musicians and ideas have been circulating that have conquered the world. Names like Shabaka Hutchings (leader of the Sons of Kemet, The Comet Is Coming and Shabaka and the Ancestors projects), Yussef Kamaal, Nubya Garcia and Moses Boyd have become absolute reference points. And then there are musicians like Tom Skinner, who may have won a few less titles than their colleagues but have made a fundamental contribution to the scene.

Skinner, a very talented percussionist and producer, has shuttled between jazz and pop music: he has played for years with the Ethiopian jazz legend Mulatu Astatke, has made a fundamental contribution to the Sons of Kemet, has explored electronics with the Hello Skinny project and recently teamed up with Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood to found the trio The Smile. On November 4th Skinner released his first album in his name, Voices of Bishara. To record it, you brought together the best of the London scene, starting with Shabaka Hutchings and Nubya Garcia on saxophone and clarinet. Together with them he involved Kareem Dayes (cello) and Tom Herbert (double bass).

The main source of inspiration for Voices of Bishara are two other jazz records: Life time by Tony Williams e By myself by cellist Abdul Wadud. “Tony Williams’ album triggered it all, giving me the opportunity to bring these musicians together, even though we’ve actually been friends for years. We met up one night at Brilliant Corners, a venue where we play often. The owner loves jazz, has an audiophile system and organizes these evenings that are called Kind of new. It works like this: first you listen to a record in a dark room, then you take a break and a group of musicians reinterpret it in their own way, ”says Tom Skinner in connection on Zoom from London. “After that night, we played just right Life time, I got the idea of ​​putting together a group of friends to make a record, so I started composing. Abdul Wadud was a fundamental guide, because he showed me what role the cello could play in my quintet. I discovered his solo record By myself during the pandemic and I listened obsessively. I borrowed the title from Wadud’s label Bishara Records. I liked the meaning of the word gospel, which in Arabic means ‘good news’ or ‘bearer of good news’ ”. It seemed like the right title to me, especially in a dark moment like this “.

Voices of Bishara is a very inspired record, which draws its strength from an approach to jazz that is both classic (some sounds bring back to the seventies) and contemporary (in songs like The journey feel rhythmic almost dub). But what was the glue between the songs according to Skinner? “The spring that triggers everything is always the human connection. When we registered Voices of Bishara there was a lot of positivity in the studio, I felt a deep understanding between us. I don’t want to put this music in the ‘spiritual jazz’ category, but I think it was thanks to the deep relationship with Shabaka and the others that the record turned out so well ”.

Speaking of human relationships, how are things going with Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood? Smile, after having released the album in recent months A light for attracting attention and having toured Europe, they are ready for a tour in the United States. And, according to Skinner, they also have new music in the works. “With Thom and Jonny it’s going great. Making music with them is like having a three-way conversation that never stops. We are all learning from each other, and there is still a lot to explore. The tour allowed us to better develop our identity and things are sure to happen next year. We are working on some new songs and I hope that at some point in the next few months we will return to the studio to record them. But at the moment I can’t say more, I’m sorry, ”laughs Skinner.

Speaking of the London jazz scene, however, Skinner makes a reflection: “We have reached a much wider audience, not only in the UK but also in the rest of Europe and the United States. I am a few years older than the musicians who accompanied me in Voices of Bishara, so I realize that the roots of what is happening now go back many years, even to the generation before mine. There was time to evolve the music, to mature it and adapt it to a younger audience. The United Kingdom, and London in particular, is a fertile place today, not only in the jazz world, because it is a place where different cultures and sensibilities meet. In my music, classical, rock, grime and electronic mix without distinction ”.

Now that the record is out, what should you expect from Skinner’s solo project? “I would love to bring it live, even if I haven’t set any dates yet. And maybe I will also pass through Italy, why not? ”, Replies the drummer.