When you first hear of the harp you picture hearing beautiful musical landscapes. Jazz harpist Alina Bzhezhinska makes her harp play some funky groove sounds that you wouldn't expect from this beautiful instrument. Originally from Ukraine, Alina Bzhezhinska first started studying art and classical music at a young age in Poland. It was her discovering Alice Coltrane's music that steered her into jazz music and into daring new directions. She plays her harp like a pianist would and makes incredible sounds not normally associated with the harp. She says, "I think the harp is a very jazz instrument because it has so many abilities—using the soundboard like percussion, bending strings, making noises of animals, thunderstorms and waterfalls. In the last 10 years, the harp has become more popular among youngsters who want to play jazz and pop music."
She has played many of the popular Jazz Festivals around Europe and has played with such jazz artists as Shabaka Hutchings, Pharoah Sanders, vocalist, Niki King, Gregory Porter, and more. She even performed for the Queen of England on her 80th birthday at the Royal Albert Hall. She made her album debut in 2018, Inspiration, and just released a new single, THSH. Expect great music from this talented jazz harpist and support independent music worldwide. Happy listening!
Thsh
