Huw V.Williams (bs); Laura Jurd (tpt); Alam Nathoo (ten); Elliot Galvin (bs); Pete Ibbetson (dms).(Press release)
This February marks the release of Hon, the outstanding
debut from the new five-piece led by double bassist and composer Huw V.
Williams. A vibrant and arresting album, Hon sees Williams’s
distinctive compositions ignited by exhilarating displays of improvisational
dexterity. In addition to showcasing Williams’s own accomplished musicianship, Hon features
some of the UK’s most gifted young performers, making it a compelling statement
of intent from the bright future of British Jazz.
Hon - meaning ‘this’ in Welsh – is a far-reaching album that draws
on the full breadth of Williams’s cultural and musical influences. In these
intense and playful compositions inspired by his native North Wales, Williams
mines the connections between musical expression and identity with an
improvisational dynamism, sharpened by his immersion in the creative music
scenes of London and New York. Fierce, fluid, and lyrical in turn, Hon is
above all characterised by its uncompromising pursuit of immediacy. With this
album, Huw V. Williams has achieved a rare feat for a debut offering: a
genuinely daring exploration of musical expression delivered with confidence
and maturity.
The force of Williams’s writing is matched by his command of his
instrument. In Hon, he has committed to record the unique qualities
that have earned him a deserved reputation as a formidable bassist and
captivating live performer. Tipped as one to watch by a range of influences,
Williams has received a number of accolades and awards, including the
prestigious Yamaha Jazz Scholars Prize in 2012 and the Friends of Royal Welsh
College of Music and Drama Prize during graduation.
Hon also features breathtaking performances from gifted trumpeter
Laura Jurd, whose solo work has been met with universal critical acclaim.
Joining the pair is Alam Nathoo on Tenor Sax, Pete Ibbetson on drums, and
Elliot Galvin on piano and accordion, whose consummate accompaniment lends a
richness of texture to Hon’s already fresh and distinctive sound.
Hon represents the very best of contemporary British Jazz. It is a
captivating and vital record that boldly announces the arrival of a truly
singular voice onto the contemporary jazz scene.
Release date Feb. 26.
Laura certainly gets around!
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