VILNIUS MAMA JAZZ 2025 Trio „ALLIANCE“ (IL, LT) / ISHMAEL ENSEMBLE (UK)

Trio „Alliance“:
Viačeslavas Ganelinas – piano, keys
Petras Vyšniauskas – saxophones
Arkadijus Gotesmanas – drums, percussion

The Lithuanian jazz scene has never lacked creative experimentation and strong personalities, and trio Alliance is a perfect example. Bringing together jazz giants from Lithuania and around the world — Viačeslavas Ganelinas, Petras Vyšniauskas, and Arkadijus Gotesmanas — this ensemble has been captivating audiences for a quarter of a century with their innovation and expressiveness.

Alliance can be called a creative laboratory where the freedom of jazz improvisation meets the precision of academic music and the depth of stage experience. Each member shapes a unique sound and brings their own story and power; together they become an unstoppable musical organism.

At the Vilnius Mama Jazz festival, Alliance will present their latest album Live at Organum 2023.

Ganelinas, Vyšniauskas, and Gotesmanas are long-established symbols of Lithuanian jazz. Their cultural contributions are recognized by numerous prestigious national and international awards. However, their greatest value lies not only in recognition but also in their continuous inspiration of new jazz generations, who successfully carry forward their creative legacy.

ISHMAEL ENSEMBLE (UK):
Pete Cunningham – vocals, saxophone, effects
Holysseus Fly – vocals, piano, synthesizers
Stephen Mullins – guitar
Jake Spurgeon – bass, synthesizers
Rory O’Gorman – drums

Bristol has long been known as a hub for British musical experimentation. Among the drum’n’bass beats and trip-hop sounds, the Ishmael Ensemble was born, taking its name from Ishmael, the narrator of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick.

Ishmael Ensemble is one of the brightest phenomena on the British music scene, admired for blending tradition with innovation. The collective merges jazz and electronic music under the leadership of the exceptionally talented producer and saxophonist Pete Cunningham.

What began as a modest experiment in Pete’s home studio soon grew into a large-scale creative project. Their debut album A State of Flow was hailed as a masterpiece exploring cinematic melodies and psychedelic soundscapes, praised by both music lovers and elite UK critics alike.

Their second album, Visions of Light, further established Ishmael Ensemble as a unique force transcending jazz and electronic boundaries. The music envelops the listener in the atmosphere characteristic of their hometown Bristol — with enchanting sounds, wide sonic ranges, pulsations, and dynamics. This release was named BBC Radio 6 Music Album of the Year, and the group was invited to perform at the prestigious Winter Jazz Festival in New York.

This marvel of contemporary British music arrives at Vilnius Mama Jazz promising to share inspiration, love, and a space for unrestricted creativity where jazz means not only music but total freedom of expression.

More information: vilniusmamajazz.lt

The festival is funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture and Vilnius City Municipality.

Tickets available here.