Bio

Photo by Jacek Poremba

Maciej Obara is a renowned Polish alto saxophonist, composer, and bandleader, widely recognized on the international jazz scene. He established his Polish-Norwegian quartet, releasing three albums on For Tune Records: Komeda, Live at Manggha, and Live in Mińsk Mazowiecki.

Since 2017, Obara has been associated with the prestigious ECM Records label, debuting with the album Unloved. His subsequent ECM releases – Three Crowns (2019) and Frozen Silence (2022) – have firmly established him as one of the most distinctive and compelling voices in contemporary European jazz.

Obara has collaborated with legendary Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stańko and has been involved in a range of acclaimed projects, including Petter Eldh’s Koma Saxo – Post Koma (2023, We Jazz Records), two albums with Gard Nilssen’s Supersonic Orchestra (If You Listen Carefully, the Music Is Yours, Odin Records / Family, We Jazz Records), and the AUKSO Chamber Orchestra, for which he composed a concerto for saxophone, piano, and orchestra. He continues to lead his critically acclaimed quartet, featuring pianist Dominik Wania, bassist Ole Morten Vågan, and drummer Gard Nilssen.

DISCOGRAPHY

As a leader

Obara International
Live in Minsk Mazowiecki
For Tune, 2015

Obara International
Live at Manggha
For Tune, 2013

Obara International
Komeda
For Tune, 2012

Maciej Obara Quartet
Equilibrium
2011

MaMuGe – Obara / Lindberg / Sorgen
Three
Ars Cameralis, 2010

Maciej Obara Special Quartet
Four
Ars Cameralis, 2010

Maciej Obara Trio
I can do it
Jaz Zabrze, 2008

Maciej Obara Trio
Message from Ohayo
Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa 2007

As a sideman

Gard Nilssen’s Supersonic Orchestra
Family
We Jazz Records, 2023

Petter Eldh Koma Saxo
Post Koma
We Jazz Records, 2023

Gard Nilssen’s Super Sonic Orchestra
If You Listen Carefully The Music Is Yours
Odin Records, 2020

Michał Jaros
Floating Bridges
Multikulti Project, 2018

Magnolia Acoustic quartet
Boozer
For Tune, 2013

Michał Wróblewski
Jazz i orkiestra
Fonografika, 2013

Piotr Damasiewicz
Power of the Horns
Ars Cameralis, 2012

Piotr Damasiewicz
Hadrons
Ars Cameralis, 2011

Fonda/Stevens Group
Live in Hipnoza
Not Two Records, 2009

Tomasz Stańko
Muzyka do spektaklu “Terminal 7”
2008

Maciek Grzywacz Quartet
Fourth dimension
2008

DISCOGRAPHY

Frozen Silence

Three Crowns

UNLOVED

As a leader

As a sideman

Concerts