With ‘Weightless’, their second LP, London-based soul/jazz ensemble Teotima are celebrating friendship, creativity, love, meditation, progress, and, above all, happiness.
“The work of being happy — like learning an instrument or a language — feels like something you need to maintain and do regularly”, explains musical director and guitarist Greg Sanders. “In the music there’s a lot of times where people are following the written music, but I also try and make sure that there’s plenty of space for improvisation and solos and interaction. So you’re creating the space and conditions for spontaneity and joy by using structure.”
What exudes are seven tracks that take full advantage of the breadth and depth of talent within this large ensemble. ‘Cracks’, the sixth track on the album, is an example of the fresh and captivating Teotima sound which spans the Atlantic from the African continent to Brazil, the Caribbean, the USA and London. A distinctive blend of cinematic jazz and afro-folkloric rhythms is entangled with elements of psychedelic rock with a far-reaching guitar solo towards the end.
In the six years since ‘Counting The Ways’, the members of Teotima have been making waves with their own projects as leaders, as well as playing with contemporaries such as James Blake, Jordan Rakei, Waaju, Riot Jazz, and this wide-ranging experience can be found in the band’s joyful and sensitive performances. Once again the group have recorded as-live to tape at London’s well-loved Fish Factory studios, with Ben ‘Nostalgia 77’ Lamdin handling engineering and mixing duties.
Weightless will be released 24th May on vinyl and digital by the mighty First Word Records.