Alex Hitchcock is an immediately distinctive improviser and a leading voice on the saxophone in the UK. An Ivor Novello-nominated composer, his innovative collaborations have confirmed his growing international reputation as an instigator and catalyst for captivating musical encounters that 'continually push the envelope a little further' (Jazzmania BE). Described by Jazzwise as 'an astonishingly quickthinking virtuoso and an increasingly creative bandleader,' his writing is inspired by the uniquely creative and diverse voices of the musicians he works with – always with human connection and communication as their guiding principle.?
The acclaimed saxophonist tours a UK/US/EU band supporting his debut release on Whirlwind Recordings in November 2023. The group features Dave Adewumi (Jason Moran, Ingrid Jensen), Lex Korten (Melissa Aldana, Tyshawn Sorey), Orlando Le Fleming (Jeff Tain Watts, Mark Guiliana) and JK Kim (Aaron Parks, Dayna Stephens).
'DREAM BAND' is Alex Hitchcock's series recording his favourite musicians in new combinations, playing music written especially for them. The resulting albums are full of surprises, terrain shifts, harmonic nuance and emotional depth, underpinned by a freshness of approach and fearless interplay. The second volume, captured over three sold-out nights at London’s iconic Vortex jazz club, features Kit Downes, Mark Kavuma, Alexandra Ridout, Rob Luft and Lewis Wright.
'I feel lucky to be surrounded by so many distinctive and contrasting voices, and want to capture that variety on record, creating space for the musicians to express themselves and shape my music. Partly, it is a kind of “curating” – I imagine what different combinations of my favourite musicians would sound like and write music for that.'
