Altera Vita – Tony Kofi & Alina Bzhezhinska [jazz]

“Altera Vita leads you to the light. A gentle cry to our world through artistry and emotional composition. This is a meditative work of pure beauty” Chris Philips, Jazz FM

“Altera Vita us a powerful, moving, take-your-breath-away masterpiece” Downbeat

Altera Vita is the first studio album by world-renowned multi-award-winning artists Tony Kofi (tenor saxophone) and Alina Bzhezhinska (harp) as a duo. The album is saxophone and harp in perfect harmony with Tony and Alina also providing the bulk of the percussion to accompany their recordings. Tony Kofi is widely recognized as one of the leading jazz saxophonists in the UK and his duties include regularly lending his skills to legendary group Cymande for their live performances. Alina has been heralded as the “New Sound of Europe” and the duo’s innovative and refreshing approach to recording is apparent on this album. The namesake and inspiration for this album Altera Vita (2023) was named in Downbeat’s jazz albums of 2023, which is very rare for a single release!

This homage to the ethereal is dedicated to the influential Pharoah Sanders —a lynchpin in the creative and personal lives of Tony & Alina. Sharing a platform during the 2017 EFG London Jazz Festival at the Barbican in a concert honouring Alice & John Coltrane, Pharoah’s influence was profound. Riding the wave of inspiration following Pharoah’s passing, Tony channelled his gratitude into the creation of Altera Vita (for Pharoah Sanders)’ (single). With Alina’s harmonious harp in counterpoint, a serene musical dialogue was born, echoing the grandeur of Pharoah’s legacy. This track released in 2023 to critical acclaim was a major catalyst for creating Altera Vita as an album.

Lineup
Alina Bzhezhinska – Harp
Tony Kofi – Saxophone
Special guest Joel Prime – Percussion