Comprised of a veritable who’s who of some of the most important and innovative musicians of the 21st century, the forthcoming Concord Jazz Miles Davis tribute London Brew features contributions from Benji B, Theon Cross, Nubya Garcia, Shabaka Hutchings, Dave Okumu, Tom Skinner, and more, brought together by producer and guitarist Martin Terefe and executive producer Bruce Lampcov.
Set for release on March 31 and available for pre-order today, the record reflects an emotional journey through the period in which it was conceived, having been recorded during the pandemic and after many months of isolation and the inability to collaborate in person. Recorded in December 2020 at Paul Epworth’s Church Studios in London, Terefe explains how the resulting music is “sometimes uncomfortable, other times it’s familiar and joyous, and other times it’s like deep meditation.”
The album is introduced today by the project’s first single “Miles Chases New Voodoo in the Church.” Nubya Garcia explains, This single is our interpretation of Miles Davis’ ode to Jimi Hendrix (‘Miles Runs the Voodoo Down’). I’ve always been very inspired by the creative minds of both Miles and Jimi…Both were innovators who carved their own lanes, which is something I’ve aspired to in my own career. For a while now I’ve been experimenting and using pedals and effects with my instrument, so to be able to do that on this track, while paying tribute to their legacies, was a joy both creatively and personally.”
What began as a plan for a live performance at the Barbican in honor of the 50th anniversary of Bitches Brew in early 2020—an event that was sadly to be scuppered by the pandemic—would eventually blossom into so much more.
London Brew is a collection of original recordings rooted in inspiration and celebration–not just a rapturous, moving tribute to one of the most totemic figures in modern music but equally a one-off moment in London’s musical history captured on vinyl.
As Lampcov writes in the album’s liner notes, “London Brew is also inspired by…London. The city, the people, her creativity, and her struggles. London Brew is primordial, born out of a year of trying to get to grips with what being human is about. The sounds and melodies cover the gamut of human emotion from delicate and caring to coarse and angry. Nothing is left unsaid.”