Arbenz X Osby / Neame / Jerjen - Jazzset 2026

"Jazz should be the most altruistic form of art that exists. In jazz, you give yourself completely to allow someone else to play their best. (...) It is therefore a matter of sacrifice."
— Dizzy Gillespie

From this idea of listening and generosity, Conversation Lab is born, the project of Swiss drummer Florian Arbenz that brings together London pianist Ivo Neame and bassist Rafael Jerjen, with the participation of American saxophonist Greg Osby, a leading figure in contemporary jazz.

Arbenz and Osby have been collaborating since 1998: over twenty-five years of musical dialogue find a new form here, enriched by the encounter with Neame. In more than thirty years of activity, Arbenz has established himself as a musician capable of constructing contexts based on interaction and sharing.

The quartet moves within a common territory of rhythmic affinities, harmonic depth, and openness to improvisation. This gives rise to a sound dialogue that traverses writing and freedom, alternating swinging bursts, moments of free improvisation, and suspended soundscapes.

The international collaborations and accolades received—from Osby's recordings for Blue Note to the UK Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year award given to Neame, and the European Award for Culture conferred to Arbenz—outline the profile of four musicians accustomed to competing at the highest levels of the jazz scene.

Greg Osby: saxophone, Ivo Neame: piano, Rafael Jerjen: double bass, Florian Arbenz: drums.
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