Otis Sandsjö, a Swedish saxophonist based in Berlin and the initiator of the band Y-OTIS, is one of the most prominent voices in European jazz today, whose “liquid” jazz even combines hip-hop and electronic music. Otis’ compositions can be called a hypnotic sonic mosaic – not only improvisation, but also a subtle synthesis of rhythms, moods and different sound textures, which constantly changes and floats, as if jazz itself were “sampling” itself. Otis came to the stage in an unusual way – having grown up in a family with an actress mother and a punk rock musician father, he played homemade drums when he was six. He discovered the saxophone a little later, but he improved his technique even in the Balkans, studying Roma folk music. Moving to Berlin in 2011 was a turning point – the trio Speak Low was born here with Lucija Cadotsch and Petter Eldh, which opened up space for experiments and freedom. The debut album “Y-OTIS”, released in 2018, instantly captivated the critical community – it was a new step in the jazz language, in which improvisation, sampling aesthetics and strictly controlled chaos merge into a continuous sonic dialogue. Otis’s riffs, electronic elements and freedom fundamentally changed the understanding of what modern jazz is. “Y-OTIS 2”, released in 2020, further highlighted the group’s unique sound – melancholic melodies intertwine with rhythmic “groove” motifs. Thus, “Y-OTIS” became a manifesto of modern jazz, and critics described this new sound: “quenching thirst, but at the same time arousing it even more”. O. Sandsjö is today one of the most unique progressive jazz saxophonists in Europe, constantly surprising with his ability to break the boundaries of genres. “One of the most original European saxophonists,” Mondo Jazz describes him, while Deutschlandfunk Kultur calls Otis “one of the most interesting young European jazz musicians.” This year, Otis returns to Vilnius Mama Jazz with eclectic double bassist Petter Eldh. This duo was a guest at the festival last year – in 2024 – together with Petter Eldh Post Koma and undoubtedly brought the audience to new life with their post-jazz sound. But the surprises don’t end there – drummer Jamie Peet, who was already beating the rhythm at the age of five, and today collaborates with musicians such as Gregory Porter, Kris Bowers and Lars Dietrich, joins this jazz alchemy. Keyboardist Dan Nicholls, the axis of Y-OTIS, hears music as a visual experience. His sound ideas are formed not only from jazz, but also from videos, animation and discussions prevailing in society. All this is reflected in the band's sound - full of color and depth. Such is the calling card of "Y-OTIS" - constantly changing, flowing, surprising and thirst-quenching "liquid jazz" music. Get ready to be drawn into a whirlwind of musical sounds, because the "Vilnius Mama Jazz" stage will briefly become one of the "Y-OTIS" stops.