Illusion Marc Doffey, Billy Test, Dominik Raab, Matthias Akeo Nowak

• 1 Quick Tip 05:12
• 2 Breathing 07:49
• 3 Holographic Tonic 08:38
• 4 Dream Compass 05:44
• 5 Illusion 06:41
• 6 Snippets 05:43
• 7 Supernova 08:22
• 8 Silence 05:03
• 9 Hideout 04:25
• 10 Wishing Well 05:18
• Total Runtime 01:02:55

Info for Illusion

At once relaxed and intense, melodic and profound, Marc Doffey shines on his magnificent quartet album, set for release in 2026.

The young bandleader—a saxophonist, clarinetist, composer, and arranger—has long since forged his own unmistakable sound. On "Illusion," accompanied by Billy Test (piano), Dominik Raab (drums), and Matthias Akeo Nowak (double bass), he reveals himself with exquisite clarity, navigating the space between intimate nuance and assertive dynamics, poetic soulfulness and anthemic groove.

At the heart of the music lie those fleeting moments when inner sensations coalesce into images, moods, and associations. "Illusion" represents an attempt to bring these internal stirrings to the surface and render them tangible through music. The compositions serve as a springboard for an energetic interplay that fuses individual expressive power, extensive musical experience, and the musicians' palpable joy in playing.

The music drifts between melodic lucidity and improvisational openness, with the synergy between composition and spontaneous interaction constantly giving rise to unexpected sonic landscapes. The focus remains on that musical instant where intuition, mutual listening, and the immediate connection between the musicians culminate in a vibrant, living musical dialogue.

Mark Doffey, saxophone
Billy Test, piano
Matthias Akeo Nowak, double bass
Dominik Raab, drums

Marc Doffey
Saxophonist and composer Marc Doffey has earned an outstanding reputation—both in Germany and internationally—through his versatile and creative body of work. With countless concerts, tours, and collaborations to his name, he has established himself as one of the most experienced and sought-after young saxophonists. For years, he has also distinguished himself as a composer, writing for jazz orchestras as well as for his own ensembles and projects. He currently teaches at institutions including the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK).

From 2012 to 2017, Marc Doffey studied under Professor Peter Weniger at the renowned Jazz Institute (a joint program of the Berlin University of the Arts and the Hanns Eisler School of Music). As part of his studies, he also spent six months at the prestigious Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he received instruction from artists such as Jasper Blom. In 2018, he participated in the International Workshop in Jazz & Creative Music at the Banff Centre in Canada, and in 2024, he completed a master’s degree in conducting at the University of Music and Performing Arts Mannheim under the guidance of Professor Jörg-Achim Keller. Today, in addition to his active career as a performer, he works as an educator at the Berlin University of the Arts, leads workshops, and serves as a bandleader.

Marc Doffey’s extensive experience is rooted in his long-standing membership in ensembles such as the Youth Jazz Orchestra of North Rhine-Westphalia (Jugendjazzorchester NRW), the East-West-European Jazz Orchestra TWINS 2010, and the German National Jazz Orchestra (Bundesjazzorchester)—all of which involved tours around the globe. His broad expertise is further enriched by numerous collaborations with artists such as Ralf Hesse, Edward Maclean, and Ed Motta, as well as projects with Niels Klein, Christian Elsässer, and Jules Buckley. Central to his creative output is the Marc Doffey Quintet. Founded in 2014, the band first garnered significant attention through concerts and tours across Germany. In 2016, they released their debut album, *Taking Direction*. The quintet’s success is further evidenced by a number of awards, including the 2015 Saar Jazz Prize, the 2016 Young German Jazz Prize, and the 2016 Young Munich Jazz Prize. At one point, the band—led by Marc Doffey—also received support from the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe.

Currently, Marc Doffey performs regularly with the Jazzkombinat Hamburg, the Frederik Villmow Quartet, the Ralf Hesse Big Band, the Johannes Metzger Quartet, Gaststätte zum Heißen Hirten, and various other projects.

In his playing, the saxophonist combines talent, creativity, and brilliance with technical skill and musical maturity. Marc Doffey expresses his distinctive style not only through his instrument but also as a composer. From a young age, he began creating original compositions for various bands of his own, followed by a multitude of arrangements for diverse ensembles. After his work *Moony Aesthesia* was selected for the *Zukunftsmusik* (Music of the Future) program as part of the 2016 Federal Jazz Orchestra composition competition, the Marc Doffey Jazz Orchestra finally made its debut in January 2019.

This album contains no booklet.