The remarkable UK-born, Madrid-based flautist and saxophonist Chip Wickham has joined Matthew Halsall’s Gondwana Records, and just released an incredible new EP on the label’s spiritual jazz 12 series, featuring fresh new reinterpretations of Lonnie Liston Smith classics.

This brilliant new three-track release features new versions of “Sais (Egypt)” and “Peaceful Ones” from the jazz-funk legend’s iconic 1974 Cosmic Funk album, as well as the title track from his debut, Astral Traveling (1973). All three are superb renditions, in which Wickham puts his own signature stamp on the music, floating between cosmic lush vibes and jazz-funk grooves. Chip plays both flute and tenor saxophone on the session, which also features the amazing harpist and fellow Gondwana Orchestra contributor Amanda Whiting (who also has a new album coming out soon on Jazzman Records).

Limited to just 1000 copies (with no repress planned), I highly recommend picking up a copy of this EP immediately. One of the year’s best!

Chip Wickham — ‘Astral Traveling’
(Gondwana Records)

1. Astral Traveling
2. Sais (Egypt)
3. Peaceful Ones

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• Cosmic
• Spiritual Jazz