Alexander Hawkins

Really fantastic to meet you, John! It was a total thrill to hear guys like Kidd and Douglas Ewart 'in the flesh', let alone to get to play a little with them. Thanks so much for picking that up, Larry - I hope you enjoy it! I completely take your point about Roscoe. Obviously over here, we get precious few opportunities to hear him (relatively speaking), so I suppose for my part I'd be cloth-eared not to take it all in/lap it up!

Larry - so sorry not to get the opportunity to say hello! I agree with you on Josh's set - I thought it was completely fantastic. Of course each of the four sounded brilliant individually, but they had a *band* sound too. And I really liked the compositions. For my part, I adored the Roscoe set - though by the time we'd finished ours, we only caught a little over half, I think..!

Thanks! Am really proud of this quartet music - excited to get it out there!

Yeah, there's some really nice stuff on the 'Next Stop Soweto' compilations!

I believe the release date is around Nov 16 or Nov 17...mid November, at any rate

Maloya is such great stuff...have really fond memories of a gig with Mulatu Astatke (also some great stuff on Strut!) out on Reunion a number of years back, and we all went to a tiny bar out in the countryside one evening, and heard and jammed with some fantastic maloya guys...

Thanks for this!

Ha - I don't have it to hand just at the moment...but there was actually one tune where I was hearing a definite Mary Lou Williams vibe...something from the Zodiac Suite...could that be it?!?

Thank you! Also just in, this very nice review.

Nice review in the Guardian this morning!

Another small write up here! Thanks everyone for checking this out.

Just wanted to bump this up with a couple of early reviews...this from Richard Williams, and this from Karl Ackermann at All About Jazz. Digital available here (also for streaming, for those who'd like to try it out!)

I'm with you on the Schubert - fantastic... Must check out those Bach arrangements...don't know them at all, but look intriguing!

I saw him play opp. 11 & 19 back in March! Just back on the Vienna concert you saw in the 70s: I wish I could see him play the Nocturnes...the DG recording is totally astonishing to me. Interestingly on the 'steely' comment above - I guess this is an element of why I love his playing so much...I totally get that it could turn some off his Chopin etc; but by the same token, is why I think things like the Petrushka/Prokoviev 7 album are so wonderful...

Wow - would have loved to have heard that! Do you recall what else was in the programme, out of curiosity? The Beethoven is also a favourite...

Stone genius...have you heard the winning recital from the Chopin competition from 1960? His playing is different then, but still astonishing...

Fantastic - thanks so much for this. Really happy you've enjoyed the Ensemble...fingers crossed for the large group!

Many thanks indeed - these are on their way!

Just upping this as I now have some physical copies I can sell...please do PM me if interested! It's a double album, and having just been to the Post Office, I can send it (including P&P) to the UK for £11.50 total, and £15 to the US or EU. Other countries, I'm totally happy to do, but will need to double check postage. Paypal is preferable... Thanks for considering it!

Thanks so much for listening! I guess at this point I have to be slightly circumspect with the details of the America question, just because the show in question hasn't been announced yet (my guess is it will be soon), but yes - really happy to be coming to Chicago at the start of September...sadly that's a one-shotter, so nothing else planned at this time!

Thanks! Will update on hard copies very soon

I just wanted to give this one its own thread - although I did mention it previously elsewhere, it got buried quite fast! At any rate, I have a new release, which I'd really love for people to check out. It's a double album. The first half is more music from my sextet, whilst the second half comprises the first release of my large ensemble music. Here's a link to my bandcamp page, where it's available: Alexander Hawkins Unit[e] The physical release date isn't actually until July 7th (though I will have copies before then); but for digital listeners, it's now available The full personnel etc. is listed over at the Bandcamp link. Finally, as a bit of a bonus, despite being a double album, it is priced as for a single, in the hope that this might entice a few people to listen who wouldn't otherwise!

Sorry for rushed response...but part of the story: Steve Williamson

I just wanted to share news of this here...this is a new one of mine: Alexander Hawkins Unit[e] It's a double album: CD1 featuring my sextet, and CD2 the first release of my large ensemble music. The physical release date isn't actually until July 7th; but for digital listeners, it's now available...would love for you to check it out! Personnel listed over at the Bandcamp link... Please enjoy!

Wow - beautiful!