To combine jazz and classical music was the aim of American composer and musicologist Gunther Schuller, who died last month, aged 89. He called his hybrid form “Third Stream” but, despite the collaboration of Bill Evans, Ornette Coleman and others, it never really took off. That was in the early 60s. Now, half a century later, the mixture seems quite natural. Alex Hutton’s suite is a distinguished example. To his own jazz trio (piano, bass, drums) are added cor anglais and baroque flute. The form of each brief movement reveals itself as it unfolds, in the classical manner, with much attention to tone and texture. But at the same time there’s an impetus and looseness to the performance that is pure jazz.
