Although the Slovenian saxophonist Luka Zabric is involved in various bands and also likes to play solo, his main activity is with the acoustic quartet The Gatherers. Together they create intriguing sounds, referring to various styles, and their only certainty is change – sometimes they are characterised by trembling improvisation, while other times by lazy reflection.

Luka Zabric’s biography can only be found on the website of the music school in Ljubljana, which he attended. It is also in vain to look for interviews with him. All we know is that he was born in 1997, and the first years of his education were spent in the capital of Slovenia. Then he moved to Graz, Austria, where in 2020 he graduated from the Jazz Institute at the University of Music and Performing Arts. The next stop was Copenhagen. He continued his education at the local music conservatory, among others under the supervision of pianist Kaia Draksler and saxophonist Lotte Anker.

The Gatherers have existed since 2019 and openly admit to being inspired by free jazz, contemporary classical and experimental music, as well as folk. The artists have a debut album under their belt, entitled Cradled Cravings. Their stylistic interests are indeed audible there. This is a band that very consciously fills its music with various elements. Although they do not shy away from spontaneity, you can hear that they care about precisely defining the character of subsequent songs or their parts. For example, the quartet can offer a friendly, melodic mood, only to soon fall into an emotional frenzy or trance pulsation. It is possible that this feature of their music will prove the most exciting for the Wrocław audience.