Amir ElSaffar New Quartet

Amir ElSaffar is one of the most innovative voices at the crossroads of jazz and Middle Eastern music. The Iraqi-American trumpeter, composer, and santur player is regarded as a pioneer in the dialogue between jazz and Iraqi maqam music. In his trumpet playing, he blends jazz improvisation with melodic nuances from the Iraqi tradition, creating a sonic world that is constantly exploring new possibilities. In the New Quartet, Greek pianist Tania Giannouli joins ElSaffar’s core trio with saxophonist Ole Mathisen and drummer Tomas Fujiwara. The diverse musical backgrounds of the quartet’s members reinforce one another in a layered sound that shifts between intense stillness and exuberant energy, without ever losing its natural flow.