Hopscotch - a unique international meeting of competent immigrants. We’re happy and proud to present the debut album of this Italian/Danish/Canadian trio.
The course consists of 10 carefully selected recordings of original compositions written by members of the group: Fabulating melodies and improvisations, open space with room for timbre and nuances, straight up with an edge and much more.
Hopscotch is a musical playground where composed and improvised ideas with aim and purpose are investigated and unfolded. The squares and bases are drawn by equal scotch-hoppers with a passion for consequence and rye bread. Hopscotch jumps - on one or two feet - from one musical space to another with focus on equilibrium and the shared marker.

The music is recorded in one big room with use of ribbon microphones to obtain a rich and warm group-sound. As in a concert.

Francesco Bigoni (b. 1982), Saxophone, from Ferrara, Italy is a member of El Gallo Rojo (www.elgallorojorecords.com), a collective recordlabel. He has participated in Stefano Battaglias Permanent Workshop in Siena, Italy, 2004-2008. He has performed in Austria, Italy, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Slovenia and USA, and has shared stages with Ralph Alessi, Luciano Biondini, Domenico Caliri, Anthony Coleman, Daniele D’Agaro, Paolo Fresu, Ulrich Gumpert, Curtis Hasselbring, Tristan Honsinger, Briggan Krauss, Gary Lucas, Jessica Lurie, Enrico Rava, Chris Speed, a.o. Francesco’s present projects (besides Hopscotch) is Headless Cat, Osmiza and Houdini’s Cage. Currently he’s working with Gianluca Petrella Cosmic Band, Greg Cohen’s Argus, Beppe Scardino Orange Room, Giulio Corini Libero Motu and Stefano Battaglia Outvestigation. Francesco has been living in Copenhagen since 2009. francescobigoni.tumblr.com

Danish-argentinian guitarist Mark Solborg (b.1972) has since 2000, as either leader or co-leader of the groups Revolver, Ventilator, moLd, Solborg/Eilertsen/Bruun, Robertson/Solborg Duo and Mark Solborg 4, released 9 albums with his original music. He has performed on a number or prestigeous venues and festivals in Copenhagen, Århus, Oslo, Grenoble, Strassbourg, Berlin, Damaskus, Leipzig, Vilnius, Shanghai, Beijing, a.o. Notably with Herb Robertson, Chris Speed, Pål Nilssen Love, Mats Eilertsen and recently with Evan Parker. Solborgs work as composer and guitarist has been Grammy- nominated, Reumert-awarded, premiered by Statens Kunstfond (Danish Arts Agency) and the Spanish ministry of Culture Det, and has recieved substantial international recognition. A personal, unpolished and unconventional approach, whether dealing with odd-meter grooves, contrapuntal lines, complex harmony or just a couple of simple chords, is a cherished ambition and trademark. Mark has co-founded the record-label ILK and is currently based in Copenhagen. www.solborg.dk

Drummer Kevin Brow’s musicality can be defined as melodically adventurous, mixed with humor, transparency and intense dynamics. He has toured Europe and North America with groups and musicians like Pete Robbins, Mikkel Ploug, Goo!, Koptor, Peter Rosendal, Mike Murley, Davis Brais and Phil Dwyer. He also leads his own group, Koptor, that just released a new album on Fresh Sound New Talent Records. He has been described as one of the strongest drummers in Denmark as well as a gifted melody-maker on the kit. Brow (b. 1980) is originally fra Orangeville, Ontario, Canada and currently residing in Copenhagen. www.kevinbrow.com

Reviews:
" The trio Hopscotch - saxophonist Francesco Bigoni, guitarist Mark Solborg and drummer Kevin Brow - shares ... a love of genre- blurring improvisation. Based in Copenhagen, but hailing from Italy, Argentina and Canada respectively, its members bring a cosmopolitan approach to music that is - not surprisingly - devoid of stylistic and cultural borders. Over ten tracks that nicely balance moments of jarring abandon with meditative studies on tonal and textural variation, the trio shows not only the depth of its individual voices, but the extent to which group interplay, composition and improvisation can blend into a singular and compelling collective statement. Solborg’s original “Almost” is a case study in the group’s approach. Beginning with breathy saxophone overtones, brushed snare and plaintive, twangy guitar tones, the group deftly segues to a darkly beautiful and unpredictable composed line. Tenor mirrors guitar before emerging with an unaccompanied series of trills that are quickly joined by the full group in a rousing and extemporaneous buildup to a carefully composed conclusion. From the blistering tour-de-force “Brainwashing” to the album’s whispered conclusion, “E”, the focus never wavers from exploring the endless sonic possibilities "
- Matthew Miller, The New York City Jazz Record.



"..The three musicians compliment each other perfectly with no one musician standing alone but all acting together. ...All the players have strong voices. Bigoni's sax almost cries at times such as on the lovely frail sounding '2' and his tune 'Not Interesting, But True'. Here he repeats some very simple melodic ideas that the group builds on gradually giving the impression that each musician is searching for a new melody, very effective! But it is probably Mark Solborg's guitar which most links together the three players. His playing is particularly strong with a wide sonic pallet that comes up with a new solution for every tune. His playing is discreet yet utterly compelling."
- Joe Higham/freejazz-stef.blogspot.com



★★★★☆ (4.3/5) "Caught between great intensity and ethereal beauty, this first album from Hopscotch is a pretty fascinating affair. While still a very young formation, the trio already shows a great level of maturity, making this album a true delight from start to finish."
- Bruno Lasner, The Milk Factory

★★★★☆ (4/5) "Strong original compositions and dynamic ..eminent interplay and exquisite broad sound"
- Jazzstjerner.dk

" Reckless improjazz of the dense kind. A CD-cover is rarely a reason to own a CD. Hopscotch is an exception."
- Niels Overgaard, Jazznyt.blogspot.com

"The trio with sax, guitar and drums is successfully exploited, both to work on muscular interplay and variation in subtlety. Hopscotch has a great business-card"
- www.goddeau.com

★★★★★★★☆ (7/8) "To be catalogued under the category "flee (for love's sake) of musical brains to the foreign countries" Francesco Bigoni's Danish adventure. He is one of the most gifted and intelligent young Italian saxophone players. In such a stimulant environment as Copenhagen - central ever since in European jazz history - he crossed paths with guitarist Mark Solborg and Canadian drummer Kevin Brow. The result is the powerful and versatile trio Hopscotch. Their debut album, based on compositions by all three, shows a great ensemble maturity, with hard and urban sounds but also an effective lyricism. Take note of the name. Of the trio, I mean. Bigoni's name you should already remember"
- Blow up (Ita)