The Nearness

The Nearness was released in 2024 through the label Tinker Music, serving as a collaborative project between saxophonist Pierrick Menuau and pianist Gaëtan Nicot. The recording emerged from the duo's long-standing musical partnership, aiming to capture the intimacy and nuances of a minimalist jazz conversation between two instrumentalists. Their approach focuses on space, subtle harmonic interplay, and an organic recording aesthetic that highlights the physical resonance of their respective instruments.

The design of the album reflects the introspective nature of the music, favoring a clean, understated aesthetic that directs the listener's focus toward the compositional synergy of the artists. By stripping back the production to a dialogue between piano and saxophone, Menuau and Nicot sought to explore the 'nearness' implied by the title—both in terms of their physical proximity during the session and the emotional closeness achieved through their improvisational style. The record has been noted by jazz enthusiasts for its disciplined restraint and sophisticated arrangements.