Greek born with Egyptian roots, electric jazz harpist and composer Maria-Christina Harper is reinventing the sound of the harp in the jazz world. With her anarchic spirit and an interest in exploring what the harp can do, rather than exploring its traditional sounds, she presents her instrument in new and exciting ways. Combining her traditional music roots with free jazz she creates an irresistible, compelling sound cosmos. It’s where East meets West.

Maria-Christina has gathered two outstanding, highly acclaimed players to form The Harper Trio for whom she has specifically composed 7 original tracks. Featuring drummer’s-drummer Evan Jenkins and the dynamic saxophonist Josephine Davies (Instrumentalist of The Year, 2019 Parliamentary Jazz Awards), the trio release Passing By, a powerful debut recording of shimmering soundscapes and psychedelic sounds that flirt with the avant-garde creating an inventive slice of spiritual jazz. ‘Passing By’ was released on 27 October 2023 and was launched at The Royal Albert Hall on 2 November.

Earlier this year, The Harper Trio released the album’s first single, **‘**In Cairo/Grandma’s Coat’. The track enjoyed significant radio play and critical praise establishing a new voice at the cutting edge of contemporary jazz.

All three members of The Harper Trio are part of the musical exodus to the seaside town of Hastings and is where they met. It is also the place that inspired Standing Alone the second single to be taken from the album; an unapologetically slow, yielding contemplative piece of music and the album ‘s only ballad. The grace, beauty and the meditative nature of the composition “reflects the expansive vistas and seascapes of Hastings’s East Cliff where I so often find myself alone” says Maria Christina, “it’s about those moments of deep reflection when we question who we are and appreciate what we have”

Maria-Christina Harper studied classical piano and harp in Athens, then at London’s Royal Academy. Disillusioned with the years of rigid, intense practicing of classical technique that left little room for musical self-expression, she found her way to studying Music Therapy with its focus on improvisation, something she describes as “a revelation”. And so began her journey in jazz.

Both Evan Jenkins and Josephine Davies are well known on the UK scene with enviable jazz credentials. Maria-Christina argues that the glorious free sound they create is, in part, due to a friendship built over cooking, eating, talking and the long, unhurried playing of music together in Hastings, unhindered by the constraints of the city. “We knew we were onto something special from our very first rehearsal” she says. “It was an exciting and special moment”.

Passing By was released on 27 October 2023 on Little Yellow Man Records and is available on CD, vinyl and from all digital and streaming platforms.