Alina Bzhezhinska is the first harpist to be awarded the United Kingdom’s Parliamentary Jazz Award for Best Jazz Ensemble of the Year for her band HipHarpCollective.
In a press release, Bzhezhinska says her music “brings a fresh, dynamic vision to the harp, honoring jazz icons Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby while blending in elements of Acid Jazz and trip-hop.” HipHarpCollective’s 2022 album, Reflections, released by BBE Music, features the harp in contemporary jazz, merging electronic effects and improvisation.
Bzhezhinska performs alongside her core band—Menelik Claffey on bass, Matt Holmes on drums and Joel Prime on percussion—and frequently collaborates with celebrated jazz artists, including Tony Kofi, Denys Baptiste, Jay Phelps, and Brian Jackson. For more information, visit her website.
