Alexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet - UpRoot (2017)

This quartet represents the collaboration of two of the most distinctive voices of their generation, and stakes out a remarkable common ground from the pairs vast range of influences and experience. The repertoire fuses Elaine Mitcheners unique way with both melody and abstraction, with Alexander Hawkins idiosyncratic compositional and pianistic world; as well as spotlighting reimaginings of a small number of beautiful Jazz tunes which reveal the influence of precursors such as Jeanne Lee and Archie Shepp. Structurally, the group with Neil Charles on bass and Stephen Davis on drums function as complete equals, veering radically from the traditional norm of singer plus rhythm section, instead treating this as only one possible dynamic amongst many. Brian Morton writes in the liner notes: ""This is music that speaks directly to our condition, our uprootedness and our strange fixities of purpose alike. It is clever and emotional. It comes out of jazz, and a whole lot else besides. Mathematicians have mostly done their great work by the age of 30. Musicians often continue to mature forn decades. Here is a group, populated by some of our most singular and precious talents, whose greatest talent is to communicate, and whose music already bearthe signs of maturity and longevity.

Tracklist:
01. Alexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet - Why Is Love Such a Funny Thing?
02. Alexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet - The Miracle - You
03. Alexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet - UpRoot
04. Alexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet - If You Say So
05. Alexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet - Blase
06. Alexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet - OM-SE - Environment Music
07. Alexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet - Directives - Walk Nicely - I'll Meet You There