English saxophonist Andy Sheppard's stellar career as band-leader started in 1987 and he made his ECM debut with the quintet recording Movements in Colour, (2009), followed by a critically lauded release with Trio Libero 2012), successful quartet recordings  Surrounded By Sea, (2015) and  Romaria, (2018) and an internationally acclaimed trilogy of albums  in a trio with Carla Bley and Steve Swallow. Now, for Salt Catchers, nearly four decades since his auspicious career start, Sheppard has assembled a new trio with Italian pianist Rita Marcotulli and French bass player Michel Benita – two musicians "with whom I go back quite a long time, but never recorded with collectively.“

Full of captivating melodic beauty, delicate harmony and thoughtful interplay, Salt Catchers features eight new Sheppard originals plus one tune by Carla Bley, taking shape as a haven of tranquillity. Sheppard’s distinctive sound and elegantly phrased lines are complemented here by two fellow travellers of impeccable taste and deep empathy.

Explaining the album’s title Andy Sheppard remembers, ”it came about...when...I went to visit the Salinas (salt works) and saw some wonderful photos...of workers catching salt - which struck me as a very hard job.

Sheppard‘s eights originals were all written especially for this new recording and are completed by "Lawns“, a Carla-Bley-composition. "It is a tune that we played a lot in the trio with Carla and Steve but that we actually never recorded. Manfred (Eicher), who is an unrivalled master when it comes to create the running order of the tracks, also liked the idea of including it – and I think now it is really an important part of the album‘s fabric.“

Salt Catchers was recorded in March 2025 at Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI in Lugano and produced by Manfred Eicher.