Macedonian-born saxophonist, clarinetist and composer Hristijan Risteski announces his debut album Waters Dance,  a focused and distinctive statement from an artist working at the intersection of European jazz, the classical tradition, and the rhythmic language of the Balkans. Recorded with his international quartet and set for release on October 2nd, 2026, on vinyl, CD and all streaming platforms, the album opens the first chapter of a long-term artistic project built around movement, identity and the dialogue between composition and improvisation.

Born in Ohrid, North Macedonia, and based in Graz, Austria, Risteski began on the clarinet at ten, going on to complete a degree in Classical Clarinet Performance at the Faculty of Music in Skopje before moving to jazz saxophone at the Jazz Institute of the Kunstuniversität Graz (KUG), where he is currently completing his Master’s studies. That dual training runs through everything he does. The structural discipline of the classical tradition and the openness of jazz are not separate compartments in his work — they inform each other, giving his compositions a clarity and balance that is immediately identifiable.

After years of work across the Austrian and European jazz scenes — in small groups, big bands, orchestral settings and theatre productions — Risteski has built a substantial body of experience and a clear compositional direction. Waters Dance is where that direction crystallises. The album was recorded in October 2025 at ArteSuono Studio in Udine, Italy, with Grammy Award-winning sound engineer Stefano Amerio, a producer known for his commitment to sonic transparency and the natural capture of ensemble sound. The recording reflects that approach: direct, detailed and without over-production.

The quartet at the centre of the project is built on genuine musical relationships. Pianist Marko Churnchetz, double bassist Hrvoje Kralj and drummer Chris Smith bring together musicians from across Europe and the United States who have developed their working rapport through live performance. This is not a group assembled for a studio session — it is an active band, and the record sounds like one. The interplay between the four musicians is central to the album’s character, with each voice contributing to the collective sound rather than competing for space.

The album is conceived as a single connected arc. Water provides the conceptual framework — as a force that is in constant motion yet retains its essential nature, it maps directly onto how Risteski approaches composition and improvisation. The music shifts between lyricism and rhythmic drive, between transparency and density, always with an underlying purposefulness. Balkan rhythmic and melodic traces run through the material — not applied as a stylistic reference, but present as part of Risteski’s musical DNA, woven into a contemporary European jazz language. Improvisation is treated as conversation: responsive, purposeful, and integral to the structure of each piece rather than an addition to it.

The release follows a three-stage schedule. A preview track and music video arrive in May 2026, offering a first look at the album’s sound and direction. A second single and video follow in September, with the complete album released on October 2nd on vinyl, CD and all streaming platforms. Live performances and European festival appearances will run alongside the campaign, extending the project into a concert context and connecting the recorded work with audiences across the continent.

For Jazzmedia & More, Waters Dance represents precisely the kind of project we are here to support: a debut album of real substance, from an artist with a defined artistic voice and a clear plan for how to bring it to the world. We are pleased to be working with Hristijan at this stage of his career.

For more information about Hristijan Risteski and Waters Dance, or to discuss press and bookings, please get in touch.