Live in Sofia

Live in Sofia' captures a rare early meeting between two of the most celebrated figures in contemporary Polish jazz: pianist Leszek Możdżer and saxophonist Adam Pierończyk. Recorded live in the Bulgarian capital in 1998, the album holds a special place in the history of the label — it was the very first CD ever released by Not Two Records, a quiet but decisive opening statement for what would become one of Europe’s most adventurous jazz imprints. Long out of print and sought after by collectors, it remains a luminous document of the duo at a striking early peak.

The performance reveals the essence of their partnership: an intimate, searching dialogue shaped by trust, curiosity, and a shared instinct for musical storytelling. Możdżer, already a national figure whose popularity in Poland rivaled that of Tomasz Stańko, plays with his characteristic blend of lyricism, harmonic imagination, and crystalline touch. Pierończyk — who would later be named Polish Jazz Musician of the Year — responds with a voice that is bold, refined, and deeply personal, moving between soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones with narrative clarity.

The program ranges widely, reflecting the duo’s broad musical vocabulary: original compositions, a reimagined piece by Krzysztof Komeda, and a Możdżer transformation of Bach that folds classical architecture into improvisational dialogue. Throughout, the music unfolds as conversation rather than display — two independent musical minds meeting without ego, shaping form from intuition and shared sensibility.

What makes Live in Sofia so compelling is the sense of discovery. At times the music is light, playful, and almost whimsical; at others it reaches toward something more metaphysical, touching on the spiritual without losing immediacy. Rhythm and melody pass fluidly between the two musicians, roles shifting and recombining in ways that feel both spontaneous and inevitable.

A meeting of two giants at a formative moment, Live in Sofia remains one of the quiet treasures of the Not Two catalog — intimate, expressive, and still glowing with the freshness of a first encounter. As the label’s inaugural release, it set a tone of artistic integrity and openness that would define Not Two for decades to come.