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Grand Union Orchestra: Made By Human Hands

By Chris May
June 3, 2022
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Grand Union Orchestra: Made By Human Hands

Grand Union Orchestra, which has mentored many young London jazz musicians over four decades, is approximately aligned with the grassroots organisations Tomorrow's Warriors and Kinetika Bloco. The longest established of the trio, Grand Union took wing in 1982, Tomorrow's Warriors in 1991, Kinetika Bloco in 2000. Made By Human Hands is a greatest hits compilation celebrating Grand Union's 40th Anniversary.

The ensemble was founded by trombonist, keyboardist, composer and community activist

Tony Haynes

composer / conductor
1941 - 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Tony Haynes, who continues to lead it today. Haynes' extra-musical mission is the promotion of a world free of racial and economic injustices through a multi-cultural form of orchestral jazz. From the band's inception, Haynes has worked tirelessly to this end, undaunted by chronic underfunding, and Grand Union has recorded a prodigious catalogue of often extraordinary music, in which what might be called Indo Jazz Fusion has been a particularly rewarding strand.

Alongside a nucleus of top-ranking jazz musicians, some of whom, such as trumpeter

Claude Deppa

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Claude Deppa and saxophonist

Chris Biscoe

saxophone
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Biscoe, have been with Grand Union more or less since its formation, Haynes brings in guest singers and instrumentalists from other traditions on a project-by-project basis. Indian, Bengali, Chinese, Caribbean, South American, West African and Turkish players are among those who have figured in the lineup. Haynes engages with each tradition with scholarship and respect and this ensures that it is humanism in action rather than musical tourism or cultural appropriation.

The roll call of jazz musicians who have been associated with Grand Union is too lengthy to list here, but it includes saxophonists Biscoe,

Tony Kofi

saxophone, tenor
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Tony Kofi,

Jason Yarde

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Jason Yarde,

Louise Elliott

" data-original-title="" title="">Louise Elliott,

Courtney Pine

saxophone
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Courtney Pine and

Ingrid Laubrock

saxophone
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Ingrid Laubrock, trumpeters Deppa,

Shanti Paul Jayasinha

arranger

" data-original-title="" title="">Shanti Paul Jayasinha,

Kevin Robinson

saxophone, tenor
b.1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Kevin Robinson and

Byron Wallen

trumpet
b.1969

" data-original-title="" title="">Byron Wallen, and trombonists

Rick Taylor

" data-original-title="" title="">Rick Taylor and

Ros Davies

" data-original-title="" title=""> Ros Davies. Some of these musicians are heard on Made By Human Hands.

The album touches down in Jamaica, Trinidad, Ghana, Guinea, Cuba, Puerto Rico, India, Brazil, Turkey, China, Bengal, Portugal and, of course, London. The sixteen tracks are all upbeat and up-tempo. Made By Human Hands is perfect party music and a joy from start to finish.

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Track Listing

Love That Day; Kelele; Cano; Mexe Mexe; Halay; Thank God I'm Free; Ol' Lady; Can't Chain Up Me Mind; Nanouman; Nagin Been; Eleggua Ko Eleggua Ra; Baya Hamba; New Day; Bhangra Brass; Feelin' Nice; I Live In The City.

Personnel

Tony Haynes

composer / conductor

Additional Instrumentation

Collective personnel includes: Courtney Pine, Tony Kofi, Louise Elliott, Jason Yarde, Chris Biscoe, Fiona Burnett: saxophones; Claude Deppa, Shanti Jayasina, Byron Wallen, Kevin Robinson, Wendy Anderson: trumpets; Rick Taylor, Ros Davies, Tony Haynes; Adrian Sherriff: trombones; Tony Haynes: keyboards; Sadjo Djolo Koiate: kora; Valanga Khoza: kalimba; Vladimir Vega: tiple; Cemal Akkiraz: saz; Brian Abrahams, Josefina Cupido: drums; Ken Johnson: steel pans; Gerry Hunt: guitar; Andres Lafone: bass guitar; Rosamel Burgos: quena, charango; Baluji Shrivastav, Yousuf Ali Khan: tablas; Ketan Kerai: dhol; Alison Limerick, Gail Ann Dorsey, Sarah Laryea, Mario Joao Silveira, Mingo Rangel, Sabhat Akkiraz, Jonathan Andre: vocals; others.

Album information

Title: Made By Human Hands | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Redgold Records

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