Atlantis Quartet Explores New Musical Horizons on Live at Berlin

Minneapolis jazz mainstays Atlantis Quartet return with Live at Berlin, out October 24, 2025, on Shifting Paradigm Records. Captured during the opening week of the city’s newest jazz venue, the album presents five bold new compositions that highlight the group’s fearless improvisational spirit and deep musical chemistry. Available on vinyl, CD, and digital platforms, the release marks a fresh chapter for the Twin Cities ensemble.

Formed in 2006, Atlantis Quartet—saxophonist Brandon Wozniak, guitarist Zacc Harris, bassist Chris Bates, and drummer Pete Hennig—has built a reputation for blending intricate composition with free improvisation, seamlessly fusing jazz with rock, funk, and post-bop. Critics like Bill Milkowski have praised their adventurousness, calling the band “startlingly original.”

After a quieter period during the pandemic, the quartet reconvened in 2024 with renewed purpose. Guitarist Zacc Harris reflects, “We had deeply explored a certain sound that we'd developed as a group and were ready for a fresh challenge. We wanted a more open sound with greater freedom for interaction and taking chances. These five tunes exemplify that direction.”

Live at Berlin opens with the rhythmically dynamic “Evasive Maneuvers,” combining rock energy with melodic focus. “You Are Here” channels the playful, free-swinging spirit of Ornette Coleman, while “Bucket List” propels listeners through an odd-meter 11/8 romp, highlighting the quartet’s tight cohesion. “Vantage Point” offers a spacious, sensitive ballad, and the album closes with the intense, adrenaline-fueled finale “Rush Hour,” capturing the band at the height of their inventive power.

While all compositions are by Harris, the album reflects the ensemble’s collaborative ethos. Wozniak’s lyrical sax, Harris’s bold guitar, Bates’s inventive bass, and Hennig’s energetic drumming coalesce into a performance that is both spontaneous and precise. Live at Berlin is more than a live recording—it’s a snapshot of a band evolving, reconnecting, and redefining its sound after nearly two decades together.

Live at Berlin will be available October 24, 2025, on LP, CD, and all streaming platforms.

Track Listing:

1. Evasive Maneuvers (8:27)

2. You Are Here (11:09)

3. Bucket List (8:30)

4. Vantage Point (12:16)

5. Rush Hour (10:50)