After growing up in Barbados, Birmingham-born Shabaka Hutchings studied classical clarinet at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he also received jazz tuition from Tim Garland and Jean Toussaint. An artist currently supported by BBC Radio 3’s New Generation scheme, he is widely acclaimed as a soloist on clarinet and saxophone and has worked with jazz notables including Charlie Haden, Jack DeJohnette, Guy Barker, Courtney Pine and Soweto Kinch. Hutchings is also a member of The London Improvisers Orchestra, has performed in a trio with John Edwards and Mark Sanders, in another with Tony Marsh and Guillaume Viltard, and in various small groups with Evan Parker, Lol Coxhill, John Butcher, Leafcutter John and Louis Moholo. He plays in the stylistically eclectic group Zed-U, with drummer Tom Skinner and bassist Neil Charles, and leads the twin drum outfit Shabaka And The Sons Of Kemet.
