Everyone has their own way of dealing with the overload of the world: some escape into the mountains with a thermos of tea, others insist that reading five hundred pages of a novel in one sitting is the ultimate form of relaxation. And then there are those who prefer to dive headfirst into music – both literally and metaphorically. Into the Blue is an invitation to such a dive. A journey into the depths, where light disappears and the unknown takes shape. Russell Snyder and Sławomir Dudar lead us into a space where every sound feels like a breath underwater – intense, essential, yet fragile. This new album from Snyder and Dudar is far from being another “background jazz” release. Instead, it is a bold and surprising step into the freedom of improvisation, showing a different side of the Polish saxophonist than in his earlier projects. Not long ago, we heard him in a trio, elegantly interpreting Ellington’s classics – the kind of music you might savor with a glass of wine, admiring its refinement and poise. Here, however, we are presented with something completely different: Into the Blue, recorded by an international quartet featuring American bassist Russell Snyder, German pianist Michael Flügel, and Polish drummer Paweł Czubatka. Together, they don’t just interpret jazz – they create it from their own emotions, experiences, and instincts. The result is an album that bridges lyricism and energy, tradition and modernity. It is a record of versatility, spontaneity, and above all, joy – an exploration of how silence, sound, and friendship can merge into one. The title track, Into the Blue, opens the album. Composed by Snyder, who penned all seven pieces, it is dedicated to the memory of Esbjörn Svensson, the charismatic leader of the Esbjörn Svensson Trio, who tragically died while diving. For Snyder, Svensson’s story becomes a metaphor for improvisation itself: like a descent into the deep sea, it carries risk, unease, and awe. Improvisation, too, is a plunge into the unknown – a space that can’t be fully predicted. From the very first notes, the quartet draws us into this current. Dudar’s alto saxophone probes like sonar, illuminating but never fully revealing the way forward. Snyder’s bass anchors the pulse, while Flügel’s piano and Czubatka’s drums generate currents and waves – sometimes carrying us, sometimes overturning us completely. One of the album’s most intimate moments comes with Day Dreams of Sarah. In contrast to the forceful opening, this piece dwells in reflection and stillness. Built on deceptive simplicity, its melody flows like a lullaby that doesn’t soothe to sleep but instead commands full attention. Dudar’s alto sings with unusual softness, as if speaking from the heart. Flügel adds pastel harmonies that shimmer like light across water, while Czubatka offers subtle cues of reassurance. Snyder holds everything together with warmth and poise, weaving the quartet into one breathing organism. Then comes Ghosted Again, a playful waltz in three. Its swaying pulse immediately shifts the mood, introducing movement, levity, and humor. It’s jazz as dance – free, buoyant, improvisational – and serves as the perfect counterpoint to the weightier title track. The blues arrives with Augie Blues, looser in spirit, full of groove and spontaneity. It’s the quartet’s most traditional piece, yet one that refuses to be cliché. Dudar plays with grit and rawness, Snyder pushes the bass forward with bold, almost soloistic lines, Flügel blends classic blues idioms with modern inflections, and Czubatka drives the groove with energy and finesse. What emerges is not just homage to jazz’s roots, but an open space for dialogue and playful freedom. From there, the album dives deeper with Portrait of Peace. Inspired by Jaco Pastorius’s legendary Portrait of Tracy, Snyder reimagines the concept on acoustic bass. Where Pastorius offered a private meditation, Snyder’s version feels like a collective prayer – a search for peace through dialogue and shared sound. His bass opens with a contemplative sketch in 7/4, raw and intimate, before the rest of the band expands it into a meditative, almost spiritual piece. Dudar’s long, lyrical lines embrace silence as part of the music itself, while the ensemble turns restraint into a source of strength. It is one of the album’s most profound statements. Closing with Tellerand, the album leaves listeners with a sense of horizon – not an ending, but an open vista, as though the depths still await our return. Into the Blue reveals a new facet of Sławomir Dudar. Known for his introspective solo album The Colours of Tonalitiesand his elegant engagement with jazz tradition in Ballads & Swings – Beautiful Songs of Duke Ellington, here he immerses himself in the collective power of quartet improvisation. The result is an album that bridges lyricism and energy, tradition and modernity. It is a record of versatility, spontaneity, and above all, joy – an exploration of how silence, sound, and friendship can merge into one. PolishJazz- Paweł Zięba