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Alexander Hawkins: Iron Into Wind
On his second solo album pianist Alexander Hawkins creates an adventurous and deeply personal synthesis which draws from both jazz and classical wellsprings. One of the foremost representatives of an exciting younger generation of British musicians, his talents are on display not only on his own projects, like Uproot (Intakt, 2018), but with growing circle of collaborators that reads like a who's who of contemporary jazz: Evan Parker, Taylor Ho Bynum, Harris Eisenstadt, Rob Mazurek, Joe McPhee, Wadada Leo Smith, ...
read moreBen Allison, Anais Drago, Reinier Baas and Other Great New Releases
The new albums bonanza goes on! And we happily oblige, revelling in some gorgeous new releases, some of which will definitely end up on the “Best of 2018" lists of many critics. Surprises, confirmations, re-releases, unexpected collaborations and much more make up this week's playlist full of aural pleasures... Happy listening! Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Phillip Johnston & The Coolerators “Frankly" from Diggin' Bones on (Asynchronus) ...
read moreAlexander Hawkins/Elaine Mitchener Quartet at Sonorities Festival Belfast 2018
Alexander Hawkins/Elaine Mitchener Quartet Sonic Lab Sonorities Festival Belfast jny:Belfast, N. Ireland April 21, 2018 Sonorities Festival Belfast is one of Ireland's longest-running contemporary music festivals. This year saw the biannual SFB hit the thirty-year mark and to celebrate the milestone festival directors Miguel Ortiz and Simon Waters assembled an eclectic programme of contemporary musicians, composers and sound artists that straddled the worlds of multi-media performance, classical, contemporary string and choral, electronica, audio-visual ...
read moreAlexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet: UpRoot
Adventurous pianist Alexander Hawkins seems intent on exploring as many different avenues of expression as is humanly possible, having already released solo set Song Singular, (Babel, 2013), duo set Leaps In Leicester, (Clean Feed, 2016), trio set Alexander Hawkins Trio, (AHM, 2015), and ensemble set Unit[e], (AHM, 2017), as well as documents of rewarding encounters with outfits as diverse as Rob Mazurek's Chicago Underground and Turkey's Konstrukt. Uproot represents a new venture for him as he teams up with vocalist ...
read moreAlexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet: UpRoot
Taking risk is--among other things--the essence of free jazz and experimental music. It is by taking risk that musicians can develop their own identity and push further the too many musical borders. With the possibility to take risk, a sense of freedom emerges--whether this sense of freedom refers to something real is not important here--and a range of new possibilities are now being unleashed. A sure sense of freedom emanates from UpRoot, and The Alexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet ...
read moreAlexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet: UpRoot
Since the mid-2000s, British pianist, composer, Alexander Hawkins (Evan Parker, Chicago/London Underground) has become a force to be reckoned with, largely within Europe's exploratory progressive jazz and improvising circles. As a collaborator and solo artist, the pianist transmits a distinctive line of attack, where melody and free-form extrapolations enjoy a happy coexistence. On this studio set, he teams with notable performance artist, abstract vocalist and fellow Brit, Elaine Mitchener (Phil Minton, George Lewis) for a semi-structured set highlighted by the ...
read moreAlexander Hawkins: Unit[e]
![Read "Unit[e]" reviewed by Karl Ackermann](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/coverart/large/AlexanderHawkins_Unite_allaboutjazz_ka.jpg)
With each subsequent release, pianist-composer Alexander Hawkins further cements his place in the top tier of modern, forward-thinking artists. The Oxford, UK native has worked as a leader in nonet, ensemble, quartet, trio and solo formats and is a member of the Convergence Quartet featuring cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum, drummer Harris Eisenstadt, and bassist Dominic Lash. Increasingly in-demand, Hawkins has recently recorded with Evan Parker on the duo release Leaps in Leicester (Clean Feed, 2016) and with Rob Mazurek on ...
read moreAlexander Hawkins: Alexander Hawkins Trio
For the inaugural release on his own imprint, pianist Alexander Hawkins for the first time tackles the classic piano trio. Hawkins has already convinced in an increasing variety of formats, ranging from his customary ensemble, heard in its latest incarnation on Step Wide, Step Deep (Babel, 2014) to chamber nonet (broadcast on BBC Radio 3, but yet to materialize on CD) to his recent solo album Song Singular (Babel, 2014). Factor in his appearances with the likes of saxophonists Evan ...
read moreAlexander Hawkins: Alexander Hawkins Trio
Oxford, UK native Alexander Hawkins continues to chart a course that will inevitably place him in the creative category of pianist/composers of the caliber of Cecil Taylor and Andrew Hill. It is simply a matter of time before this is a young artist--who has an abundance of time--along with a distinctive, broad and progressive vision, comes to wider attention. In his relatively brief career to date, Hawkins has worked as a leader in nonet, ensemble, quartet and solo formats, now ...
read moreAlexander Hawkins: Song Singular
Pianist Alexander Hawkins shines brightly in the firmament of the UK jazz scene. Already his resume is impressive. As well as leading his own ensemble, he features as part of outstanding collectives like the transatlantic Convergence Quartet with cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum and drummer Harris Eisenstadt, and Decoy with fellow countrymen bassist John Edwards and drummer Steve Noble. In addition he's shared the bandstand with the likes of saxophonists Evan Parker, Joe McPhee and Marshall Allen. Richly gifted Hawkins is ...
read moreAlexander Hawkins Ensemble: Alexander Hawkins: Step Wide, Step Deep
You don't need to spend long in the company of pianist Alexander Hawkins to realize that his encyclopedic knowledge of jazz encompasses everything from Duke Ellington to the avant-garde. That's as true of recordings as it is in person, and amply demonstrated on Step Wide, Step Deep, where the moods range from lazy Sunday afternoon to bristling polyphony. Even though the line up has changed since the excellent All There Ever Out (Babel Label, 2012), the combination of fierce musical ...
read moreAlexander Hawkins: Step Wide, Step Deep
The effortless and precocious ability shown by British pianist Alexander Hawkins to step between the jazz tradition and music more associated with free improv makes for a heady brew on this thrilling collection. While it is arguable that the genres are far from mutually exclusive the ability to make accessible music from that which is often viewed as 'difficult' is rare and deserves to be better known outside of his homeland. This album retains only guitarist Otto Fischer ...
read moreShowcase
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A Moment of You by Daniela Soledade
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Playing The Room by Avishai Cohen - Trumpet
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It's Morning by Led Bib
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Roma by Enrico Rava
