In the footsteps of a specifically Polish tradition marked by such important musicians as Krzysztof Komeda, Tomasz Stanko and, more recently, Marcin Wasilewski, saxophonist Maciej Obara undoubtedly has established himself as one of the most talented European jazz musicians to have made his mark in recent years on the prestigious ECM label. Leading an organic quartet propelled by a Scandinavian rhythm section particularly adept at enlivening vast, fleecy, dilated spaces with introspective pulses, Maciej Obara creates music with a tangy lyricism definitely rooted in the jazz idiom, and constantly enchanted by the bittersweet melancholy of the precious harmonies of pianist Dominik Wania, another key player on today's Polish scene, which is decidedly in the midst of a revival.

First revealed in France within Émile Parisien's Sfumato quintet, drummer Mario Costa has established himself in recent years as one of the strongest and most talented figures on the burgeoning young Portuguese jazz scene. His quartet skilfully bridges the gap between a certain European sensibility embodied by pianist Benoît Delbecq and double bassist Bruno Chevillon, and the New York jazz heritage of the 2000s, spearheaded by trumpeter Cuong Vu before he joined the Pat Metheny Group. Costa offers a fascinating universe, moving from dreamy, mysterious atmospheres – enlivened by prepared piano and subtle touches of electronics – to energetic sequences propelled by his precise, gestural and colourful grooves on drums.

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