The Grip

“Celebrate”

(Slowfoot Records)

The Grip is an exciting new trio that pools the talents of alto saxophonist and flautist Finn Peters, drummer Tom Skinner and tuba virtuoso Oren Marshall. They take their name from the title of a classic free jazz album from 1977 by saxophonist Arthur Blythe, the personnel featuring tuba player Bob Stewart plus the late Steve Reid (1944 - 2010) on drums. Blythe is acknowledged as a major influence by all three members of The Grip, something emphasised by Marshall’s collaborations with Stewart, and Peters’ work with Reid shortly before the drummer’s death.

Both Marshall and Skinner appeared on Peters’ 2011 album “Music of the Mind” and the pair are also part of the much lauded Sons Of Kemet alongside leader Shabaka Hutchings (reeds) and second drummer Sebastian Rochford. Skinner also records for Slowfoot under the name Hello Skinny with the focus on the art of electro-improvisation.

In a sense the music of The Grip is a reaction to electronic projects such as “Music of the Mind” and “Hello Skinny” with the trio going for an all acoustic approach. Not that the music is in any way lacking in energy, there are moments when the trio hit a groove that recalls Sons of Kemet at their exuberant best. Indeed, despite the avant garde inspirations “Celebration” is an eminently accessible record, the title perhaps well chosen.

Following a string of successful live appearances the trio recorded the album in a single day at Slowfoot owner Frank Byng’s South London based Snorkel Studios, their acoustic policy also inspiring a philosophy of freshness and spontaneity. The album is released on limited edition vinyl
and CD and a download is also available. 

My review copy is a CD but the tracks are still listed as if spread over two sides of an LP. So we’ll start with Side A and opening track “Acorn” which updates the spirit of New Orleans jazz for the 21st Century. Marshall’s astonishingly agile bass lines set up an infectious groove with Skinner’s crisp, neatly energetic drumming filling in the gaps. The rapport between these two long term collaborators is obvious and Peters’ lithe alto dances around them with obvious relish. Following the saxophonist’s breezily fluent solo Marshall takes over on the tuba. He really is an astonishing player and anybody who has enjoyed his work with Sons Of Kemet will welcome the opportunity of hearing him with The Grip. A great start.

“The 199 Blues” is equally accessible, a genuine blues that lurches woozily on an undercurrent of fruitily parping tuba and tersely, economical drums. Peters adopts a more acerbic, authentically bluesy tone on alto but there are moments when the piece shades off into almost free jazz extraction
with vocalised tuba sounds and with Skinner becoming more involved as he enters into musical conversations with his colleagues. The writing credits are not clear from either the album or the accompanying release but I can only assume that all the pieces are collaborative efforts with the musicians improvising collectively around written heads. Whatever the methods the results certainly sound good.   

The frantic “On The Tube” captures the frantic energy of the London rush hour with its darting staccato phrases but throws in a touch of whimsy for good measure. It’s an invigorating listen with some dynamic interplay between the three musicians who are all on exactly the same wavelength.

“Nails” belies its title, almost lyrical at times with its keening alto and lugubrious tuba. It’s the most low key piece thus far but no less effective for that with Skinner providing wonderfully apposite drum commentary throughout.

Side A closes with “Compost Fly”, a lively piece that seems to sum up what The Grip are all about. Marshall’s stunningly nimble tuba vamps are matched by the agility of Peters’ alto on the breezy opening. Things take a more abstract, improvisatory turn mid tune before the trio emerge, grinning, on the other side, throwing in a couple of quotes for good measure. Following the “Music of the Mind” project which “covered the stage with wires”, the small, intelligent, mobile unit that is The Grip is determined to take their music back to the streets and have some fun with it. A sense of humour and a certain playfulness is a refreshing constant throughout this album. This is not to in any way denigrate “Music of the Mind”, an interesting, worthwhile and enjoyable project that has been reviewed elsewhere on this site.

Side B begins with “Saladin” which sees Peters switching to flute. The music is a beguiling mix of Middle Eastern / North African influences with the flute swirling seductively above Marshall’s underlying tuba vamp and Skinner’s exotic sounding percussion. It’s very different to what has gone before and is highly effective.

“The Grip” itself is a skittering free jazz piece presumably inspired by Blythe’s track of the same name. The three musicians jostle playfully for supremacy but there’s enough of an underlying structure here to keep the music well within the realms of accessibility.

A different approach to improvising is adopted on the atmospheric and unsettling “Kailash” with its eerie over-blowing and harmolodics. Peters sketches a melody line above Marshall’s sepulchral tuba drone and the furtive shuffling of Skinner’s drums. It would make good film soundtrack music and is doubtless a highly effective set piece in the trio’s live performances.

Following the sinister sounds of “Kailash” the title track ends proceedings on a more cheerful note. There’s a rumbustious township jazz feel about the piece as Peters’ alto cuts a swathe above Marshall’s galloping tuba lines and Skinner’s loose but propulsive drumming. It’s joyous and highly infectious and rounds off the album in style.

“Celebrate” represents an excellent début from The Grip, a well programmed set that incorporates a variety of jazz styles into the trio’s distinctive sound. All three musicians are superb throughout, Peters plays with a real joie de vivre, Marshall is consistently amazing and Skinner holds the whole thing together with the right beat here and the right accent there, an understated performer who is nevertheless right at the heart of the music. Collectively they make a great team.

If the album has a fault it’s only that by modern standards it’s fairly short, understandable perhaps for what is primarily a vinyl release, but one gets the feeling that many of these pieces will end being fruitfully expanded in a live situation. A second flute piece might have been nice too.

The Grip play at the EFG London Jazz Festival on November 19th 2014. Details as below from http://www.efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk

Sonic Navigation: The Grip, CoN and KwAkE and DJ Micachu
Tuesday 18 November 2014 | 8:00PM
£10.00 + booking fee

LONDON Cargo
83 Rivington St
London
EC2A 3AY

Sonic Navigation explores the improvised music that influenced British hip-hop, spoken word and contemporary jazz. Three acts will perform on the evening The Grip, CoN and KwAkE, and DJ Micachu.

Hip-hop is the artistic equivalent of jazz in modern times. Both are an expression of similar ideas based around improvisation, imagination, politics & the community. Current rap releases that feature jazz samples from iconic, independent American jazz labels such as Strata East, Black Jazz & Saturn have introduced free jazz to a younger generation who recognise its immediate emotional impact.
Sonic Navigation is a new project, (conceived by Finn Peters), which aims to explore the lineage of improvised music referencing those 60’s and 70’s jazz recordings that influence live British hip-hop, spoken word and contemporary jazz.  It hopes to give audiences a chance to hear how instant composition and freestyle can transcend musical genres and also how the music cross-pollinates.

3 acts will perform live on stage:
Contemporary jazz group The Grip whose new album ?celebrate’ on Slowfoot Records draws on the influences of underground luminaries such as Steve Reid & Arthur Blythe. The Grip is a playful, energetic and freewheeling trio of highly individual soloists Oren Marshall on tuba, Tom Skinner on drums and Finn Peters on flute and saxes.

Hip-hop artists Con & Kwake throw down serious beats and rhymes. Recently they have performed alongside the likes of Mos Def & MF Doom. MC Confucius (Con) is the cerebral lyricist rapping with Kwake Bass on drums, samples and production.

Micachu - DJ sets from a highly creative and original musician & composer (Micachu & The Shapes) who knows no musical boundaries.

This is a truly unique evening and one not to be missed!

 

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