On the back of a string of support slots around the UK for Kamasi Washington, Oscar Jerome has shared a new single, ‘Gravitate’, and released a video of him playing it live in the studio. It’s his first release since signing to Caroline International and comes ahead of his biggest headline show to date at London’s Heaven.
Featuring Joe Armon-Jones on piano and several of his fellow band-members in afrobeat ensemble Kokoroko, Oscar says of the track “This is a tune I started writing with beat maker Ben Hauke which slowly worked its way into a much more live sounding piece after we experimented with it a lot on stage with the band and producer Beni Giles got involved. Special mention to Ayo Salawu [Kokoroko] for playing that drum beat so good! It also features Joe Armon-Jones [Ezra Collective] on piano, Crispin Spry on percussion, as well as George Riley, Sheila Maurice-Grey [Kokoroko] and Richie Seivwright [Kokoroko] on vocals.”
It’s a bubbling slice of jazz funk, full of African percussion and Armon-Jones keys work oozing class and a lesson in jazz restraint. Over the top there’s a male/female interplay between the two singers that is just heart melting, all finished off with Jerome’s incredibly inventive and downright funky guitar playing.
You can check out the video, directed by CHILD, here:
