'Stepdance' marks the debut album of Portuguese saxophonist Manuel Teles and Italian-born British/Russian pianist Alexandra Tchernakova - a duo united by curiosity, imagination, and gratitude to the composers and musicians that have shaped their journey so far. Their extraordinary talent and intuitive musicality bring each piece vividly to life, transforming the recording into a conversation between performer, composer, and listener.

The repertoire transcends labels, blending classical upbringing, jazz spontaneity, and folk-rooted expression. Portuguese gems frame the album - Mario Laginha's Horn Please opens with luminous energy, while Victorino D'Almeida's Stepdance closes with exuberant and playful energy. Between them, encounters unfold rich in contrast: the fiery lyricism of Fazıl Say's Suite for alto saxophone and piano, the eloquent melodic lines and meditative richness of Gavin Bryars's Harlesden and Allegrasco, and Chick Corea's worldly Florida to Tokyo, where classical forms meet jazz freedom in a vivid dialogue.

Each work is both an expression of the composer's unique voice and a showcase for the duo's artistry, which illuminates the rhythmic wit, bursts of colour, and moments of intimate beauty. This album is a 'step of dance', between silence and sound, and between those who compose, those who interpret, and those who listen. Stepdance offers a us journey that invites seasoned connoisseurs and first-time wanderers alike to experience music that is alive, radiant, and profoundly human.