Due to popular demand this event has been moved to Hall One.

The legendary Alice Coltrane was born in Detroit, as was fellow jazz harpist Dorothy Ashby. They followed different paths in life and in music, but both made a lasting contribution to the development of contemporary jazz and continue to inspire musicians today. In this unique programme Alina Bzhezhinska and a crack team of UK jazz musicians recreate Coltrane’s spiritual recordings, Journey in Satchidananda and Eternity, alongside Ashby’s innovative album, Afro-Harping.

Originally from Ukraine/Poland and now based in London, Alina Bzhezhinska is an internationally renowned harpist. She has performed with leading classical and jazz musicians such as Shabaka Hutchings, Django Bates, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and the Glasgow String Quartet. Her duo, with award-winning jazz vocalist Niki King, has supported Gregory Porter.

Alina’s critically acclaimed Quartet led the 80th Birthday celebrations for Alice Coltrane around the UK in 2017. Their appearance at the EFG London Jazz Festival in a special triple bill featuring Denys Baptiste and Pharoah Sanders – ‘A Concert for Alice and John’ – has been nominated for Best Live Experience of the Year at the 2018 Jazz FM Awards.

Bzhezhinska currently works on a new project dedicated to a jazz harp legend Dorothy Ashby.

Alina has recorded a solo album called Harp Recital and is featured on recordings by the American harp ensemble Harp Fusion and the Scottish jazz group New Focus. Her new album, Inspiration, is released in June 2018 through Ubuntu Music. The album was funded in part by the PRS Women Make Music Award.

‘…Bzhezhinska shares with Alice (Coltrane) a mastery of the jazz harp.’ ★★★★★ Times

‘…Bzhezhinska – an artist to watch.’ ★★★★ Evening Standard