Voices of Bishara

Last updated

Voices of Bishara
Voices of Bishara.jpg
Studio album by
Released4 November 2022
Genre Jazz
Length27:29
Label
Producer Tom Skinner
Tom Skinner chronology
Watermelon Sun
(as Hello Skinny)

(2017)
Voices of Bishara
(2022)
Voices of Bishara Live at "Mu"
(2024)
Singles from Voices of Bishara
  1. "Bishara"
    Released: 7 September 2022
  2. "The Journey"
    Released: 18 October 2022

Voices of Bishara is a studio album by the English drummer Tom Skinner, released on 4 November 2022 by via Nonesuch Records, International Anthem Recording Company, and Brownswood Recordings. It was ranked among the best jazz albums of 2022 by multiple critics.

Contents

Background

Voices of Bishara is Skinner's first solo album under his real name, having previously released two albums under the name Hello Skinny. It was announced 7 September along with the release of the lead single "Bishara". The album and lead single are named after Abdul Wadud's record label Bishara which released his solo album By Myself . Skinner described the album as "an attempt to put something truthful into the world, through collaboration and community, at a time of rising dishonesty and disinformation." [1] [2] [3] "Bishara" is an Arabic word which means "good news" or "bringer of good news". [4] The second single "The Journey" was released 18 October alongside a live performance video of the song which was recorded at St. Luke's Church in London. [5]

The album was recorded in a single day with all five performers – drummer Skinner, saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings, bassist Tom Herbert, saxophonist Nubya Garcia, and cellist Kareem Dayes – recording live simultaneously in the same room. Instruments bled into each other's microphones during the recording process, an accidental effect which Skinner accentuated by using editing to emphasise his cuts and create loops from the best improvisatory flourishes. [6]

Style and reception

Voices of Bishara ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All About Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [7]
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [8]
Record Collector Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Uncut 8/10 [10]

All About Jazz's Chris May called the album "one of the top three jazz albums of 2022 so far and it would take the second comings of John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Horace Silver and Lee Morgan to threaten to dislodge it." Voices of Bishara consists of "just over thirty minutes of exalted jazz" which is frequently "tumultuous such as "when [Shabaka] Hutchings and [Nubya] Garcia unleash their broken-note strewn tenors" and meditative as "when Hutchings switches to bass clarinet, Garcia to flute, and [Kareem] Dayes' sonorous cello steps forward." [7] May also ranked the album among his five runners up for the best new album of 2022. [11]

Treble's Noah Sparkes notes the presence of Dayes' cello as a tribute to Abdul Wadud, a jazz cellist who once said he "hope[d] there [would] be more who take [the cello] further and do more things, because the instrument needs it". Dayes' "deft and varied playing ... only adds to the unique sound" of the album, which is "a terrific affirmation of what makes Skinner so interesting as both a drummer and now a composer" with tracks that "may drift at different times into hip hop, funk, or free jazz" but never "in a way that seems jarring or forced". [12] In describing Skinner's editing method on the album, The Guardian 's Ammar Kalia says its "mood lands somewhere between contemporary Chicago producer Makaya McCraven's beat-splicing and Don Cherry's spiritually influenced 70s melodies. [6]

Year-end lists

Voices of Bishara year-end lists
Publication#Ref.
All About Jazz
(Chris May)
[11]
All About Jazz
(Jerome Wilson)
[13]
AllMusic [14]

Track listing

All music is composed by Tom Skinner, with track two being a version of Tony Williams' "Two Pieces of One: Red"

Voices of Bishara track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Bishara"5:37
2."Red 2"2:57
3."The Journey"5:01
4."The Day After Tomorrow"4:59
5."Voices (of the Past)"4:50
6."Quiet as It's Kept"4:03
Total length:27:29

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Live album

Voices of Bishara Live at "Mu"
Live album by
Released10 May 2024
RecordedJanuary 2023
VenueMu (London)
Length70:58
Label International Anthem
Tom Skinner chronology
Voices of Bishara
(2022)
Voices of Bishara Live at "Mu"
(2024)

On 17 April 2024, Skinner announced Voices of Bishara Live at "Mu", a live album which was released on 10 May by International Anthem. [15] The album was recorded in January 2023 at Mu, a concert venue in London, with Skinner leading Dayes, Herbert, and woodwinds players Robert Stillman and Chelsea Carmichael. [15]

Track listing

Voices of Bishara Live at "Mu" track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Bishara" Tom Skinner 15:05
2."Red 2" Anthony Tillmon Williams 5:20
3."The Journey"Skinner7:49
4."The Day After Tomorrow"Skinner5:56
5."Oasis" Ronald Earsall DeVaughn 20:18
6."Camille"DeVaughn7:51
7."Happiness"DeVaughn8:39
Total length:70:58

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<i>Black Unity</i> 1971 studio album by Pharoah Sanders

Black Unity is a composition and album by jazz saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, recorded and released in late 1971. The whole album consists of a single thirty-seven-minute track, which was described by critic Joe S. Harrington as "an exercise in sustained harmonic groove that cannot be beaten" when he listed it at #38 on his Top 100 Albums. The compact disc reissue of 1997 unites the two parts as a single track, timed at 37:21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Ramm</span> English jazz pianist and composer

Nick Ramm is an English, London-based, pianist and composer.

<i>It Is in the Brewing Luminous</i> 1981 live album by Cecil Taylor

It is in the Brewing Luminous is a live album by Cecil Taylor recorded at Fat Tuesdays, NYC, on February 8 & 9, 1980 and released on the Hat Hut label. The album features performances by Taylor with Jimmy Lyons, Ramsey Ameen, Alan Silva, Jerome Cooper and Sunny Murray. The album was originally released as a double LP then rereleased as a single CD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme</span>

BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme was launched in 1999 by Adam Gatehouse as part of the BBC's commitment to young musical talent.

David Jairus Ochieng Okumu is a singer, songwriter, producer and guitarist, best known for fronting the band the Invisible. His debut album, released in March 2009, was nominated for a Mercury Prize (2009) and selected as iTunes Album of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sons of Kemet</span> British jazz band

Sons of Kemet was a British jazz group formed by Shabaka Hutchings, Oren Marshall, Seb Rochford, and Tom Skinner. Theon Cross replaced Marshall on tuba after the first album, and Eddie Hick replaced Rochford on drums after the third. The band disbanded in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomorrow's Warriors</span> British music education organisation (founded 1991)

Tomorrow's Warriors (TW) is a jazz music education and artist development organisation that was co-founded in 1991 by Janine Irons and Gary Crosby, committed to championing diversity, inclusion and equality across the arts through jazz, with a special focus on "Black musicians, female musicians and those whose financial or other circumstances might lock them out of opportunities to pursue a career in the music industry". Crosby drew inspiration from having been a member of the Jazz Warriors, a London-based group of musicians that in the 1980s showcased many young Black British musicians who went on to achieve international success.

<i>Your Queen Is a Reptile</i> 2018 studio album by Sons of Kemet

Your Queen Is a Reptile is the third album by British jazz group Sons of Kemet, released in March 2018 on Impulse! Records. Band leader Shabaka Hutchings wrote and plays saxophone on all tracks, Theon Cross plays tuba, and Seb Rochford and Tom Skinner play drums. It also features toaster Congo Natty and performance poet Josh Idehen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shabaka Hutchings</span> British jazz musician, composer and bandleader (born 1984)

Shabaka Hutchings is a British jazz musician, composer and bandleader. He leads the band Shabaka and the Ancestors, and used to lead Sons of Kemet before its dissolution in 2022. He was also a member of The Comet Is Coming, performing under the stage name King Shabaka. Hutchings has played saxophone and other wind instruments with the Sun Ra Arkestra, Andre 3000, Floating Points, Mulatu Astatke, Polar Bear, Melt Yourself Down, Heliocentrics, London Brew and Zed-U.

<i>Black Focus</i> 2016 studio album by Yussef Kamaal

Black Focus is the only studio album by English duo Yussef Kamaal, composed of drummer Yussef Dayes and keyboardist Kamaal Williams. It was released on 4 November 2016 under Brownswood Recordings. Characterised by its "spontaneity and flow", the album draws influence from electronic music of British origin. It received universal acclaim from music critics, being described as having a culturally diverse palette.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jazz Refreshed</span> British independent label based in London

Jazz Refreshed is a contemporary jazz record label in London whose roster includes Shabaka Hutchings, SEED Ensemble, Nubya Garcia, and Rosie Turton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Skinner (drummer)</span> English drummer (born 1980)

Tom Skinner is an English drummer, percussionist and record producer. He co-founded the jazz band Sons of Kemet and the rock band the Smile. He has released two albums under the name Hello Skinny. His first album under his own name, Voices of Bishara, was released in November 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nubya Garcia</span> English jazz musician (born 1991)

Nubya Nyasha Garcia is an English jazz musician, saxophonist, composer and bandleader.

<i>Source</i> (album) 2020 album by Nubya Garcia

Source is the second studio album by British jazz tenor saxophonist Nubya Garcia. It was released on 21 August 2020, by Concord Jazz. Described by Garcia as "a definite ode to musical history", the record expands on her jazz roots while incorporating dubstep, reggae, Colombian cumbia, calypso, hip-hop, soul, and African-diasporic sounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Smile (band)</span> English rock band

The Smile are an English rock band comprising the Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with Tom Skinner (drums). Critics likened them to Radiohead, with more jazz, krautrock and progressive rock influences and a looser, wilder sound.

Nala Sinephro is a Caribbean-Belgian experimental jazz musician, currently based in London. She is best known for her ambient jazz compositions, where she predominantly plays the pedal harp, modular synthesiser, keyboards and piano.

<i>SALSWING!</i> 2021 studio album by Rubén Blades and Roberto Delgado & Orquesta

SALSWING! is the sixth studio album by the Panamian singer Rubén Blades and Roberto Delgado & Orquesta, released on April 16, 2021, through Rubén Blades Productions. It was produced by Roberto Delgado and features songs by Blades like "Paula C" as well as salsa songs and jazz standards such as "Pennies from Heaven" and "The Way You Look Tonight".

<i>London Brew</i> 2023 studio album by London Brew

London Brew is the debut album by London Brew, a band consisting of a dozen British jazz musicians including Nubya Garcia, BBC Radio 1 presenter Benji B, and multiple members of Sons of Kemet and the Invisible. The album was released on 31 March 2023.

<i>By Myself</i> (Abdul Wadud album) 1978 studio album by Abdul Wadud

By Myself is a solo cello album by Abdul Wadud. It was recorded during 1977 at Blank Tape Studios in New York City, and was released on vinyl in 1978 by Wadud's Bisharra Records, the label's sole release. In 2023, after being out of print for years, the album was reissued in remastered form by Gotta Groove Records, with assistance from mastering engineer Paul Blakemore, and with the approval of Wadud, who died in 2022.

<i>Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace</i> 2024 studio album by Shabaka

Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace is the solo debut studio album of London jazz musician Shabaka Hutchings, working under the name Shabaka. It was released by Impulse! Records on 12 April 2024. The album was preceded by two singles, "End of Innocence" and "I'll Do Whatever You Want".

References

  1. Chinen, Nate (7 September 2022). "Tom Skinner, "Bishara"". NPR Music. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  2. Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (7 September 2022). "The Smile's Tom Skinner Announces New Album Voices of Bishara, Shares New Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  3. Breihan, Tom (7 September 2022). "Tom Skinner - "Bishara"". Stereogum. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  4. Gallagher, Alex (8 September 2022). "The Smile's Tom Skinner announces solo album Voices of Bishara, shares first song". NME. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  5. Rettig, James (18 October 2022). "Tom Skinner – "The Journey"". Stereogum. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  6. 1 2 Kalia, Ammar (8 November 2022). "Tom Skinner on the Smile, Sons of Kemet and going solo: "It gives me a blank slate to explore"". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  7. 1 2 May, Chris (21 October 2022). "Tom Skinner: Voices of Bishara". All About Jazz. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  8. Thomas, Fred. "Tom Skinner - Voices of Bishara". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  9. Waring, Charles. "Tom Skinner - Voices of Bishara". Record Collector. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  10. Milner, Jack (January 2023). "Tom Skinner - Voices of Bishara". Uncut. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  11. 1 2 May, Chris (2 December 2022). "Chris May's Best Albums of 2022". AllAboutJazz. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  12. Sparkes, Noah (30 October 2022). "Tom Skinner – Voices of Bishara". Treble. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  13. Wilson, Jerome (10 December 2022). "Jerome Wilson's Best Jazz Albums of 2022". All About Jazz. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  14. "AllMusic Best of 2022". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  15. 1 2 Strauss, Matthew (17 April 2024). "The Smile's Tom Skinner Announces New Live Album, Shares Song". Pitchfork . Retrieved 18 April 2024.