Eddie Gripper: Home (UBU0133)

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the upcoming release of Home, the debut album from pianist/composer Eddie Gripper, which will be available from 3rd March 2023.

Born and raised in Burford, Oxfordshire, Eddie first started learning the piano at age 11. In 2019, he began to study Jazz under the tutelage of Huw Warren at Cardiff University, graduating with First Class Honours in 2021. Since then, Eddie has established himself as a prominent pianist/improviser, composer, and educator in the Southwest region, expressing a broad interest in musical styles, including jazz, folk and electronic music.

Home, Eddie’s debut album, consists of a traditional trio format and exhibits a keen rhythmic focus. The development of this vocabulary is evident from beginning to end; metrically challenging grooves are paired with rich, elegant harmonies, culminating in an outcome that is both provocative and gratifying. The stylistic range of compositions (through choice of instrumentation and arrangement) helps to support an overall, arcing narrative. Each track is a journey through time and space - beginning and finishing at a familiar and comforting destination before moving onto new or subtly developed ideas. The trio breathes together as one homogeneous sound, with individual players taking to the spotlight to elaborate on their own interpretations of the music at hand.

Eddie explains: “This album really came out of nowhere for me. Once Covid hit and we all went into lockdown, that’s when I really started to take writing music seriously. All of the music featured on this album was written in the space of a year, starting in Spring 2021. It was never supposed to be an album or, at least, I never had that intention from the outset; the whole process was totally serendipitous! This record encapsulates a very important moment in my life - the exact moment where the line was crossed from wanting to write to needing to write.”

Eddie continues: “The past few years of my life have been particularly turbulent. Amongst all the personal experiences that have inspired the creation of this record, the idea of enjoying what you have while you have it and cherishing that fondness is the most significant. As a band, all three of us can certainly relate to this notion. At the time of recording the three of us were imminently due to go our separate ways for the indefinite future - with Ursula Harrison (bass) to Newfoundland and Isaac Zuckerman (drums) to Portland, OR. Our camaraderie and close friendship certainly shines through on this record and, for me, that is the real the icing on the cake. This album is an honest portrait of the events that have shaped not only who I am as a person but, more importantly, as an artist.”

Eddie describes his new relationship with Ubuntu Music: “Having the opportunity to work with the team behind Ubuntu has been an absolute dream. Martin’s (Hummel) support and propriety throughout the whole creative process has encouraged me to go above and beyond. It is reassuring to know that ‘Home’ has found its right home - here at Ubuntu. I already have a handful of ideas for my next project, and I look forward to expanding and developing our relationship further in the coming years.”

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, concludes: “It was such a pleasure to connect with Eddie and to discover his music. Eddie is a talented, driven and determined individual whose music is a combination of innocence with depth and warmth throughout. From the first piece, it brought a smile to my face and joy to my heart. We are please to welcome Eddie to the Ubuntu Music Family.”