TOGETHER, the new project by Bänz Oester, carries forward a tradition that relatively few ensembles can lay claim to today. It immediately brings to mind so-called spiritual jazz, whose heyday stretched from the mid-1960s to the middle of the following decade. What they offer is this "old religion", not as blind superstition, but as a force that reconnects us, nurturing a vital sense of human belonging, brotherhood and sisterhood.

Joining Oester in this new band are his long-time collaborator Malcolm Braff on piano, alongside two outstanding young players from the Jazzcampus Basel scene: Swedish guitarist Albin Ormegard and American drummer Genius Wesley. These musicians do not merely play their instruments, they are the instruments. They become sound itself, fully present in the moment, generating pure joy; and together, they create a sonic world that seems to resonate with the very fabric of the universe. TOGETHER makes everything bloom. The music unfolds through expansive, freely improvised arcs, it grooves, it sings, it luxuriates, but this music also speaks of a longing for freedom, of revolt and rebellion against systems of control and oppression, and of a deep need for transcendence and humanity.

Through their interplay, the musicians tirelessly affirm both their spiritual intent and their desire to break free from all forms of constraint. In doing so, they continue a lineage that few groups pursue today. One might think of John Coltrane’s quartet, as well as the other apostles of spiritual jazz, whose golden era spanned from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s. This music feels strikingly relevant now. At a time when controlling algorithms are becoming ever more efficient, and machines are matching an even even surpassing human physical and mental capacities, what Bänz Oester, Albin Ormegard, Malcolm Braff and Genius Wesley offer is precisely what we most urgently need.

Moods and the renowned Swiss jazz label UNIT Records join forces with "UNIT live!" to share the diversity of UNIT jazz. We will be showcasing the diversity of UNIT jazz by bringing the latest releases from the UNIT universe to the Moods stage at regular intervals.