Saturday 1 May 2010, 8pm
Alexander Hawkins Ensemble
Bringing together five of the country’s most exciting young creative musicians, this ensemble exploits its highly unusual instrumentation to explore structural boundaries and the composition/improvisation question. The band members’ performance credits include Evan Parker, Louis Moholo-Moholo, Lol Coxhill, Joe McPhee, Steve Reid, Brandon Ross, and many others. Featuring original compositions by the leader (tipped by several reviewers in the end-of-year press as 'one to watch for 2010', and labelled by All About Jazz as ‘one of the brightest rising young stars of British jazz and improvisation’) together with arrangements of works by composers such as Braxton, Ellington, Ra and others, the musicians come together to create a compelling and unique soundworld. As put by one reviewer, ‘[t]he range of tonal colors and breadth of activity that this ensemble can actualize is staggering’. The Ensemble last year recorded a session for BBC Radio 3's 'Jazz on 3' programme, and was featured in that show's 'best sessions of 2009' broadcast. The group's debut album, No Now Is So, was variously called 'an incredible record' (Bagatellen) and 'an unqualified success' (All About Jazz), and appeared in various 'best album' and 'best debut album' of 2009 lists.
Alexander Hawkins - piano, compositions, arrangements
Javier Carmona - drums, percussion
Otto Fischer - electric guitar
Dominic Lash - double bass
Hannah Marshall - 'cello
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