Jochen Baldes releases ‘Bashō’ on Unit Records

Jochen Baldes releases his album ‘Bashō’ on the Unit Records label on 23 October 2026.¹ The album is out on CD.¹ According to hitparade.ch, there is also an LP.²

The starting point is the Japanese haiku poet Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694).¹ Born in Zurich in 1964, Baldes has spent recent years immersed in Japanese literature.¹

The quartet puts two tenor saxophones side by side: Baldes and Christoph Irniger, both doubling on bass clarinet.¹ Alongside them, Raphael Walser plays bass and Lukas Mantel plays drums.¹

The band recorded at Jazzhaus in Zurich, and the cover is by Niklaus Troxler.¹³

Live, the quartet plays Esse in Winterthur on 12 November.¹ The Unerhört festival at Jazz im Seefeld, Zurich, follows on 25 November.¹ On 24 January 2027 the band plays Jazzclub Moods in Zurich.¹