Maciej Obara Quartet

It is the constant tension between the written notes and the spontaneous insights that the Maciej Obara Quartet is looking for. The half-Polish and half-Norwegian foursome embraces both softly lyrical and passionate and daring playing. Band leader and saxophonist Maciej Obara put himself - together with pianist Dominik Wania - in the spotlight with the ensemble of the late star trumpeter Tomasz Stanko, who called Obara 'a great musician', 'whose music is powerful, mature, deep and full of charm and beauty .' With drummer Gard Nilssen and bassist Ole Morten Vagan within its ranks, the quartet has a rhythm section with two band leaders who belong to the top of Norwegian jazz. Together, this is one of the new European groups that must be taken seriously.

The album Unloved, their international debut on the prestigious ECM Records label, was praised for its poetic atmosphere and lyrical ballads. The album Three Crowns was then released, which received a lot of enthusiasm, including a 4-star review in the American magazine Downbeat: 'The song 'Three Pieces In Old Style' has been so beautifully reinterpreted that it sounds as if it continues flow from another world.' The convincing new album Frozen Silence was released in September 2023. It is especially the great ability to improvise based on their own compositions that makes the Maciej Obara Quartet stand out far above the rest. The balanced combination of lyricism and energy keeps the listener on the edge of the seat.