London-based, Ukrainian-born harpist Alina Bzhezhinska releases superb new album ‘Reflections’
London-based, Ukrainian-born harpist Alina Bzhezhinska follows up her critically acclaimed 2018 debut album Inspiration (Ubuntu Music), with a superb new full-length release featuring the HipHarpCollective on the BBE label, titled Reflections.
This remarkable 12-track recording includes a nice mix of both original works and essential covers, including Dorothy Ashby’s “Soul Vibrations,” Joe Henderson’s “Fire” (which notably featured Alice Coltrane), Duke Ellington’s “African Flower,” John Coltrane’s spiritual masterpiece “Alabama,” and the Mongo Santamaría known standard “Afro Blue”. The album brilliantly blends together spiritual cosmic melodies, strings, and horn-based solos with funky and head-nodding percussion grooves, while paying homage to some of the greatest innovators in jazz, funk and hip-hop.
Backing Bzhezhinska on the session is an impressive cast of British jazz artists, including saxophonist Tony Kofi, trumpeter Jay Phelps, double bassist Julie Walkington, and vocalist Vimala Rowe, as well as notable international musicians like electric bassist Mikele Montolli, percussionist Joel Prime, drummer Adam Teixeira, and violin/violist Ying Xue.
Recorded during the lockdown, Bzhezhinska states, “this album is very vibrant and reflects directly on London’s multicultural community. We had so much fun making this recording – it truly built up our morale in the middle of the pandemic and I hope our fans will feel this energy too.”
With the ongoing crisis that is taking place in her native Ukraine (due to the Russian invasion), this vibrant recording can hopefully also serve to that region, and to Ukrainians around the world, as a source for music spirituality, hope, and freedom during these very difficult and trying times. Highly recommended!
Alina Bzhezhinska & HipHarpCollective — ‘Reflections’
(BBE Music)
- Soul Vibrations
- For Carrol
- Fire
- Reflections
- Afro Blue
- Alabama
- African Flower
- Paris Sur Le Toit (Instrumental)
- Sans End
- Action Line
- Paris Sur Le Toit
- Meditation