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Alex Clarke Quartet: Mirage

By Chris May
December 15, 2020
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The bi-annual Young Jazz Musician competition was launched by Britain's public service broadcaster, the BBC, in 2014. As with all arts awards, the final selection tends to be a lottery, with the judges tasked with picking a winner from among five close-matched contestants. 2020 was no exception. The final was televised on November 22 and the judges—tenor saxophonist

Nubya Garcia

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Nubya Garcia, vibraphonist and multi-instrumentalist

Orphy Robinson

vibraphone
b.1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Orphy Robinson and trumpeter

Guy Barker

arranger
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Guy Barker—plumped for the London pianist

Deschanel Gordon

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Deschanel Gordon. But they could just as credibly have chosen the north England saxophonist Alex Clarke, whose three-song set started out strong and just kept on getting better. Check out her performance...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08zcp5p

...and bathe in her command of rhythm and her gorgeous sound on alto and tenor. Clarke is no slouch when it comes to soloing either. She was accompanied by pianist

Nikki Yeoh

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Nikki Yeoh, bassist

Michael Mondesir

b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Mondesir and drummer

Mark Mondesir

drums
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Mondesir. In her closing remarks, Nubya Garcia, who had clearly been blown away by the performance, said that witnessing it had been "pure pleasure" and "a total joy."

In 2020 Clarke is still only 20 years old. She self-released her debut album, Mirage, in summer 2018. It is more than promising, with assured performances of two originals and versions of material by

Tubby Hayes

saxophone, tenor
1935 - 1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Tubby Hayes,

Cole Porter

composer / conductor
1891 - 1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Cole Porter,

Sonny Rollins

saxophone
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins and

Antonio Carlos Jobim

piano
1927 - 1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Antonio Carlos Jobim. But what a difference two years has made.

In 2018, the BBC competition was won by the then 22-year old saxophonist

Xhosa Cole

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Xhosa Cole. Firmly in the post-

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane tradition, Cole is making a name for himself leading a band in and around his Midlands hometown, Birmingham, but has yet to release an album. Look out for it. And look out, too, for Alex Clarke's sophomore set. It promises to be a blinder.

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Track Listing

Almost Like Being In Love; Wave; Mirage; I��ll Follow My Secret Heart; Sonnymoon For Two; What Is This Thing Called Love?; A Sleepin�� Bee; Tres De Catarce; Just The Way You Look Tonight.

Personnel

Alex Clarke

saxophone

Tom Kinkaid

piano

Ed Harrison

bass, acoustic

Eryl Roberts

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Alex Clarke: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute.

Album information

Title: Mirage | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Self Released

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