The quintet Nova Fellowship was formed at the initiative of producer Antoine Rajon for a performance at the Nuits Sonores 2026 festival, paying tribute to the short but fruitful collaboration between musicians Kieran Hebden (aka Four Tet) and Steve Reid. A discreet yet essential figure on the American music scene, African-American drummer Steve Reid (1944–2010) left his mark on the history of free jazz, funk and rock. His collaborations included the Sun Ra Arkestra, Albert Ayler, Miles Davis (Tutu), James Brown (on the classic Popcorn) and Martha & the Vandellas. The end of his career was marked by his partnership with English electronic music pioneer Kieran Hebden, better known as Four Tet, with whom he recorded four hybrid, experimental and spiritual albums between 2006 and 2010. A group of friends who have collaborated in several bands, Nova Fellowship recorded Continuum live at Studio Pigalle in Paris, with Kieran Hebden in attendance after being captivated by the group's first concert at the Nuits Sonores festival. On the album, Nova Fellowship reinterpret three 1970s classics by Steve Reid & the Master Brotherhood, three tracks by Four Tet, and Morning Prayer, a composition by Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid that originally appeared on their first collaborative album. Missouri drummer Zach Morrow brings to the group the dynamism he has displayed in recent years touring with poet Aja Monet. Heir to the versatility of Steve Reid, his playing embraces the full spectrum of Great Black Music. Versatile pianists Tony Tixier, who arranged an explosive version of the Nova/Free Spirits material created by Steve Reid, and Rob Clearfield, known for his work with Makaya McCraven, create hypnotic bass lines and captivating synth textures across shared keyboards and synthesizers. Eritrean-American trumpeter Hermon Mehari and Italian saxophonist Francesco Geminiani, both based in Paris and active on the European scene, form a powerful brass section. On Morning Prayer, Francesco performs for the first time on the Nautilus, a flute of his own design that resembles an ocarina. Carved from maple wood and featured on the album cover, the instrument was designed according to the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio. Its use celebrates the mystical and exploratory spirit of the musical partnership between Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid, whose creative alchemy left a lasting impression on all who experienced their performances.
