Alina Bzhezhinska & Tony Kofi: Altera Vita

Harpist Alina Bzhezhinska and saxophonist Tony Kofi's musical partnership began in 2015 and two years later made the main stage of the London Jazz Festival, opening the bill of A Concert For Alice And John at the Barbican concert hall. Also appearing, saxophonist Denys Baptiste's quartet and, top of the bill, Pharoah Sanders' quartet. It was a magical night. It would be an exaggeration to say that the relatively unknown Bzhezhinska stole the show (Sanders did that with the standard "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square," John Coltrane's "Olé" and his own "The Creator Has A Master Plan"), but she and Kofi, accompanied by bassist Larry Bartley and drummer Joel Prime, were sensational. Their set included Alice Coltrane's "Blue Nile" and "Journey In Satchidananda" and John's "After The Rain."

Bzhezhinska has since released two albums with Kofi: Inspiration (Ubuntu, 2018), made with the same lineup that appeared at the Barbican, and Reflections (BBE, 2022), made with a larger ensemble. The first album was a homage to the Coltranes, the second a dance floor-friendly affair that took in hip-hop and funk beats and, perhaps against the odds, worked well.

Now Bzhezhinska and Kofi have got together to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Pharoah Sanders, who passed in 2022. Altera Vita is a duo project: Bzhezhinska plays harp and percussion, Kofi plays tenor saxophone, kalimba and percussion. There is one guest appearance: Ibiza-based tanpura player Muriel Grossmann is heard on Kofi's "Audite Me (Hear Me)." There are six tracks in total, four written by Kofi, two by Bzhezhinska.

All of which is a prelude to saying that Altera Vita is Bzhezhinska and Kofi's best album to date. This ineffably beautiful and restorative disc succeeds resoundingly in its mission statement. This is, say the duo, to offer listeners something that "guides us through the turbulence and discord" of what has become "an era yearning for serenity, spirituality and peace." Cynics can take a rain check. Others can check the YouTube below of Kofi's opening tune, "Tabula Rasa (Blank Slate)."

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