Debut CD from Huw V. Williams - Hon (Press release).

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.