Marc Doffey - Illusion (2026) [Hi-Res]

The young German saxophonist and clarinetist Marc Doffey — also a composer, arranger and bandleader — releases his quartet album “Illusion” in 2026. By now he has developed a distinctive voice of his own. He is joined on the recording by pianist Billy Test, drummer Dominik Raab and double bassist Matthias Akeo Nowak. The music combines relaxation and intensity, melodiousness and depth: from intimate, chamber-like nuances to driving dynamics, from poetic soulfulness to hymn-like groove.
The album’s conceptual core is fleeting states in which inner experiences crystallize into images, moods and associations. The title “Illusion” stands for the attempt to carry these inner movements outward and make them audible. The written compositions serve as a starting point for energetic interplay, where each player’s personal expressiveness, extensive musical experience and the immediate joy of playing come together. The sound balances melodic clarity with improvisational openness; at the meeting point of the composed and the spontaneous, unexpected sonic images keep emerging. What matters most is the moment of playing itself, when intuition, attentive mutual listening and direct contact between the musicians turn into a living musical dialogue.

Marc Doffey - ts, fl, cl, bcl
Billy Test - p
Matthias Akeo Nowak - b
Dominik Raab - dr

Tracklist:
01-01 Marc Doffey, Billy Test, Dominik Raab, Matthias Akeo Nowak - Quick Tip [5:13]
01-02 Marc Doffey, Billy Test, Dominik Raab, Matthias Akeo Nowak - Breathing [7:50]
01-03 Marc Doffey, Billy Test, Dominik Raab, Matthias Akeo Nowak - Holographic Tonic [8:39]
01-04 Marc Doffey, Billy Test, Dominik Raab, Matthias Akeo Nowak - Dream Compass [5:44]
01-05 Marc Doffey, Billy Test, Dominik Raab, Matthias Akeo Nowak - Illusion [6:41]
01-06 Marc Doffey, Billy Test, Dominik Raab, Matthias Akeo Nowak - Snippets [5:44]
01-07 Marc Doffey, Billy Test, Dominik Raab, Matthias Akeo Nowak - Supernova [8:22]
01-08 Marc Doffey, Billy Test, Dominik Raab, Matthias Akeo Nowak - Silence [5:04]
01-09 Marc Doffey, Billy Test, Dominik Raab, Matthias Akeo Nowak - Hideout [4:26]
01-10 Marc Doffey, Billy Test, Dominik Raab, Matthias Akeo Nowak - Wishing Well [5:18]