Phillip Chase Hawkins & Maria Fuller - Brendan Collins: Great Southern Land (2019) [Official Digital Download 24/88.2]

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Phillip Chase Hawkins & Maria Fuller - Brendan Collins: Great Southern Land (2019) [Official Digital Download 24/88.2]

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Great Southern Land marks trumpeter Phillip Chase Hawkins’ recording debut. Hawkins’ decision to present the music of internationally renowned composer Brendan Collins in both duo and trio configurations clearly illustrates the exceptional synergy that exists between composer and artist. Each piece presents a unique scene, from Australian bushrangers escaping prison to the rich sounds of Vienna and its composers.

Performing with Hawkins throughout the album is pianist Maria Fuller, who is herself a highly accomplished trumpeter - a talent which serves Hawkins’ performance well. On “Ethereal,” the third movement of Sonata for Trumpet and Piano, her extended piano introduction leads into a flowing, elegant melody sounded on the trumpet by Hawkins. Concerto for Two Trumpets features Andy Lott as a second trumpet soloist and serves as a showcase for both soloists and accompaniment. Tyler Simms’ trombone performance on Pastorale for Trumpet, Trombone and Piano, re-orchestrated here at Hawkins’ request for both trumpet and trombone solos, helps to create rich lush harmonies that convey the image of a wide-open landscape of serenity. Hawkins and Fuller are joined by esteemed violinist Gabriel Lefkowitz for a stunning performance of Scherzo for Trumpet, Violin, and Piano, before Hawkins and Fuller close out the album with the three-movement Concerto for Trumpet.

Great Southern Land demonstrates the abilities of two musicians closely tied to their Southern locations - Hawkins in the southern United States and Collins in Australia. Through Hawkins’ spellbinding abilities, each composition comes to life with a unique energy and refined quality.