Rachel Eckroth & John Hadfield "Speaking in Tongues"

A love of improvisation is the unifying element and motivation behind this collaborative project between Rachel Eckroth and John Hadfield. This democratic unit defies tradition and embraces adventure, creativity and chaos while perfectly synchronized. In addition to their own compositions, they explore and create spontaneously for the audience, who discover the work simultaneously with the artists who bring it to life.

Eckroth and Hadfield have known each other since university; they met again at a recording session in Europe in 2022, realized that they were "very well matched musically," as Eckroth recalls, and wanted to create art together. "Pianists compose, and drummers usually also compose on the snare. When I connect musically with a drummer (for me it's kind of specific to drummers), we catch the same rhythms because we have a similar language. It just feels good." Sharonne Cohen, October 2024

Audiences have recently been delighted and inspired by the duo's ability to make each song its own adventure, leaving no room for forgettable tunes. The two have had extraordinary careers both as leaders and sidemen. With a resume ranging from working with Yo-Yo Ma to Rufus Wainwright to Carnegie Hall and the Glastonbury Festival, television appearances and Grammy wins and nominations, it's no secret that Eckroth and Hadfield can flourish in any setting they perform in. It's the natural progression of things that they will be greeted as a formidable force on the world stage.
2025 will be their breakthrough year, with several tours planned - both in the US and Europe - and an album titled Speaking In Tongues due out in February on Adhyâropa Records.