Florian Hoefner to Release INTO THE AQUASPHERE Album on ALMA Records

Conductor JC Sanford leads an ensemble featuring John Hébert, Eric McPherson, and Christine Carter on the record.

By: Rachel Stone Sep. 01, 2026

Florian Hoefner to Release INTO THE AQUASPHERE Album on ALMA Records

Florian Hoefner is releasing a new album, INTO THE AQUASPHERE, on October 23, 2026 via ALMA Records/Universal. The album unites a jazz quartet with a chamber orchestra, recorded in Montreal under the direction of conductor JC Sanford.

Hoefner has previously built a career in the jazz world as a pianist and composer, winning a Juno Award and earning international acclaim for an extensive discography. He has also worked in classical chamber music as the composer of 'Blue Chapter' from 'Project Earth' by the Iris Trio and poet Don McKay.

INTO THE AQUASPHERE marks Hoefner's first large ensemble project, pairing a jazz quartet (piano, bass, drums and tenor saxophone) with a 22-piece classical chamber orchestra. As Hoefner explains, 'this is not a jazz quartet accompanied by an orchestra, but one ensemble, where the quartet is fully integrated with the orchestra.'

The album comprises three original compositions — 'Aerial Rivers,' 'AMOC,' and 'Force of Nature' — recorded at Studio Piccolo in Montreal in October 2024. The ensemble features John Hébert on jazz bass and Eric McPherson on drums, along with an all-star woodwind section including clarinetist and bass clarinetist Christine Carter, percussionist Ben Reimer, and a string section led by concertmaster Nathalie Bonin.

The project centers on the elemental force of water and its influence on life, with each piece portraying a different facet of the relationship between human life and water. 'Aerial Rivers' is named after the atmospheric movements of large amounts of moisture from the Amazon Basin that sustain life over a vast area of South America. 'AMOC' references the acronym for the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, an extensive system of Atlantic Ocean currents now under threat through climate change. The final composition, 'Force of Nature,' explores the elemental power of water in its many forms, drawing inspiration from water's ability to both destroy and soothe.

Discussing the aquatic theme of the album, Hoefner said, 'I have always been creatively inspired by the environment. Even when I lived in Germany I always sought out nature experiences, whether it was hiking high up in the Alps or swimming in wild waters. These experiences have left a lasting impression on me and I care deeply about protecting the natural places that inspired them.'

The new album follows a productive period for Hoefner across several ensembles, including his longstanding trio with Andrew Downing and Nick Fraser, a reincarnation of his quartet, the Florian Hoefner Group, and the Atlantic Jazz Collective, an all-star ensemble he co-founded with fellow Juno Award winners saxophonist Mike Murley and bassist Jim Vivian, which featured Norma Winstone and Joe LaBarbera on its 2025 Juno-nominated debut album, Seascape.

'I'm driven by the challenge of finding new ways to express my musical voice. Whether through different ensembles, collaborations, or artistic contexts, my goal is always the same: to create work that connects with audiences through performance,' Hoefner said.