(London, UK)
ALEXANDER HAWKINS TRIO
ALEXANDER HAWKINS piano NEIL CHARLES bass HARRIS EISENSTADT drums
Alexander Hawkins is a composer, pianist, organist, and bandleader who is “unlike anything else in modern creative music” (Ni Kantu) and whose recent work has reached a “dazzling new apex” (Downbeat). He was first introduced to Canadian audiences through last year’s tour with the great South African drummer Louis Moholo. His first Hamilton appearance finds him in a powerhouse trio with the Canadian (now Brooklyn-based) drummer Harris Eisenstadt (whose own quartet played in the first Something Else! Festival in 2014), and British bassist Neil Charles.
“British pianist Alexander Hawkins is an erudite improviser who embraces the entirety of jazz history—he’s that rare European player who doesn’t need to denigrate or shake off American traditions in order to celebrate his own. He’s incredibly versatile, bringing something special to every context, and I’ve never been more satisfied with his work than on this nimble trio album—he expresses clear affection for Ellington, Monk, and Herbie Nichols, among others, even as he stakes out his own turf.” Peter Margasek — Chicago Reader
