There are tribute albums, and then there are records that feel like conversations across time. On Green Prism, Berlin-based British trombonist and composer Hilary Jeffery achieves the latter, transforming the music of the late Keith Tippett into something that is both a heartfelt homage and a bold creative statement in its own right.
The origins of Green Prism stretch back several years. Tippett had originally composed a suite titled Winter's Welcome for Jeffery's brass ensemble Zinc & Copper, premiered in Berlin in 2019. Tragically, ill health prevented Tippett from fully participating in the project before his death in 2020. Rather than allowing the music to remain unfinished, Jeffery returned to the material with fresh perspective, rebuilding it through layers of multi-tracked brass, improvisation and adventurous arrangements.
Keith Tippett. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Licenced under Creative Commons 2.0.
Courtesy of the original photographer and Wikimedia Commons.
The result is a record that feels expansive and cinematic. Jeffery's brass arrangements form the album's backbone, but the surrounding cast brings remarkable colour to the music. Saxophonists Paul Dunmall and Tobias Delius inject moments of urgency and exploration, while Eleni Poulou's synthesizers and electronics add an atmospheric glow that pushes the music beyond conventional jazz territory. At the emotional centre stands Julie Tippetts, whose voice and lyrics provide a direct human connection to Keith Tippett's legacy.
What makes Green Prism especially compelling is its refusal to become a museum piece. Rather than recreating Tippett's compositions note for note, Jeffery treats them like living organisms, allowing them to evolve through improvisation, texture and reinterpretation. The album moves between moments of quiet reflection and powerful brass-driven grandeur, creating a listening experience that feels simultaneously intimate and vast. Critics have highlighted its rich use of space, silence and texture, qualities that give the music an almost filmic quality.
For longtime followers of Keith Tippett's work, Green Prism offers a fresh lens through which to revisit a towering figure of British jazz. For newcomers, it serves as an accessible entry point into a musical world built on curiosity, collaboration and fearless experimentation. The remarkable achievement is that Jeffery manages to honour Tippett's spirit without being constrained by it.
Keith Tippett and Louis Moholo-Moholo performing.
Licenced under Creative Commons 2.0.
Courtesy of the original photographer and Wikimedia Commons.
Released through Discus Music in May 2026, Green Prism stands as one of the most thoughtful and imaginative jazz releases of the year—a record that doesn't simply remember Keith Tippett, but actively extends the reach of his musical imagination.