9th October 2026: Finn Carter’s Whirlwind debut ‘Finding Home’ out now on all streaming platforms, CD and vinyl today
The debut Whirlwind release from pianist and composer Finn Carter out now on all platforms today.
Vortex Residency Dates here
CD / DL / LP.
ABOUT THE ALBUM
As we move beyond the quarter century, the London scene continues to provide a home for some of the most adventurous genre-blending sounds to be heard anywhere. Pianist/composer Finn Carter is at once right at the center of the capital’s jazz community, regularly appearing at venues like Ronnie Scott’s and The Vortex, and yet simultaneously inhabiting a space of his very own, on his own journey that encompasses working with such musically sympathetic stars of the pop world as Loyle Carner, Olivia Dean and Rex Orange County while honing his own uncompromising musical vision.
On his new release Finding Home he’s joined by three musicians with a similarly eclectically unfettered approach to music making, that embraces high-level complexity while maintaining a direct connection to the listener. Kaidi Akinnibi on tenor sax brings his distinctive, light-as-air tone and compatible range of experience across musical genres, while the rhythm team of Joe McLaren on bass and drummer Blake Cascoe provide a revelation in shifting texture and intensity, always driving the music to greater heights. Trumpeter Christos Stylianides brings his uniquely individual voice as a guest to enrich the ensemble. Finding Home is a powerfully characterful statement from a standout artist who’s crafted his own voice, surrounded by a like-minded family of players.
Each of the eight tunes has its own distinct personality, yet they all hang together as a continuous piece, establishing their own musical identity through Finn’s tumbling, lyrical piano, Kaidi’s nimble, breathy saxophone, and the endlessly flexible interactive grooves from bass and drums. The scene-setting solo piano of ‘Will Trust’ leads into the stately hymnal of ‘Love Doesn’t Need To Rush’ with its gospel echoes and cascading piano creating a feeling at once introspective and uplifting, building up to Blake Cascoe’s explosive statement on drums. ‘Fireworks!’ evokes the rush and excitement of a new relationship, with the band engaging in an animated up-tempo musical conversation that subsides carefully into quietness.
Kaidi’s fleet saxophone comes to the fore on the light-footed ‘Why So?’ dancing over the sophisticated pulsing rhythm section and showcasing his unique tone. “You’ll know it’s Kaidi instantly when you hear him,” says Finn, “but that’s what I love most about this group: all of the players have such distinct voices on their instruments – the breadth of influence across the band spans so wide and the 
respect and knowledge of the tradition goes so deep. Each player has a real individual voice as a musician.” Joe McLaren’s rich toned bass introduces a rapidly resolving chaos of trumpet and saxophone on ‘Clear Your Mind (if you can)’ that edges from melody into freedom and back. By contrast, ‘Rejoicing You’ is a joyously swinging ballad with a plaintive pentatonic melody, while ‘Short Stories’ is a poised, pensive duet for piano and saxophone that highlights Finn’s melodic sensibility. Finally, ‘When The Gates Open’ is a thrillingly bravura statement that showcases the band’s empathetic virtuosity, born from a genuine unity of purpose.
Finn’s music contains echoes of his inspirations; he names Alice Coltrane, Andrew Hill, Jason Moran, Ambrose Akinmusire and Donny Hathaway as favorites, but transcends influence to make its own utterly individual statement. “There’s such a nice feeling when you all have each other’s backs and are therefore able to explore new terrain knowing you’ll always find a way back together,” says Finn. At the helm of this group of similarly uncategorisable musicians, Finn Carter has delivered his most accomplished statement yet with Finding Home.