‘An incredible saxophonist, with something very unique and original to say’

Walter Smith III

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'Leading the charge in terms of new jazz music being created in the UK'

BBC Jazz World

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'An absolutely fascinating musician as a composer, leader and soloist'

France Musique

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London-born Alex Hitchcock is a leading international voice on the saxophone. An Ivor Novello-nominated composer and described by The Guardian as a “virtuoso” saxophonist, his innovative collaborations have confirmed a growing reputation as a catalyst for musical encounters that continually push the envelope a little further.

An awarded composer and recording artist, Hitchcock has released music as a leader on New Soil, Edition Records, Whirlwind Recordings, and Fresh Sound New Talent. Dream Band: Live in London (2023) was Jazzwise Editor’s Album of the Year. Recognition for his work includes the Peter Whittingham Award, the Conad Jazz Prize at the Umbria Jazz Festival, and selection for Sound and Music’s In Motion cohort in 2026. Working between London and New York resulted in Letters From Afar (2025), which was selected as a Stereogum and NPR Album of the Week. He arranged and performed on Jasper Høiby’s 2025 release We Must Fight, reworking the landmark Phronesis catalogue for an oud, flute, and saxophone frontline.

His work has been featured by the BBC, France Musique, WDR, JazzFM, Worldwide FM, and in publications including DownBeat, MOJO, Jazzwise, Musica Jazz, Stereogum, and Uncut. He has become known for distinctive contributions in a wide variety of musical contexts. His own music is at times intense and chaotic, at others disarmingly sparse and emotionally direct, inspired by the radical tradition of Black American music.

His Dream Band series brings together musicians from across generations and geographies. MOJO wrote: ‘Tumbling with ideas, impulsive improvisations and swinging, left-field energy, Hitchcock’s storytelling intent is the unifying thread.’ Uncut added that the ‘intrepid tenor saxophonist corrals an astonishing array of UK & EU jazz talent.’ In the liner notes for the second volume, Kevin Le Gendre wrote: ‘The packed house became intimately small. The heritage of the players was English, Irish, African, Caribbean and European, so to a large extent they embody something quintessentially British, a broad cultural canvas that can be traced back to the ’50s heyday of Jamaicans, Canadians, Indians and English coming together through jazz. Maybe Dream Band: Live in London is a snapshot of who we are, for real.’

He has played, recorded and toured with artists across generations, including Dave Adewumi, Maria Chiara Argirò, Jeff Ballard, CHERISE, Chris Cheek, Empirical, Sun-Mi Hong, Jasper Høiby, Jongkuk Kim, Lex Korten, Ant Law, Alice Leggett, Kirk Lightsey, Myele Manzanza, Sabeth Pérez, Harish Raghavan, Alexandra Ridout, Dabin Ryu, Jesse van Ruller, and Nasheet Waits.

He tours across the UK, Europe, and North America with his own quartet, performing at major venues and festivals including Ronnie Scott’s, the Barbican, the Royal Albert Hall, Glastonbury, Bimhuis, the North Sea Jazz Festival, Jazz à Vienne, the Umbria Jazz Festival, the Rochester International Jazz Festival, and Love Supreme.