German-American pianist Benjamin Lackner makes his highly melodious ECM debut with an all-star quartet of trumpeter Mathias Eick, the esteemed Manu Katché on drums and bassist Jérôme Regard. Mathias and Manu share an extensive recording history with ECM and their respectively unique instrumental signatures can be traced across this set of exclusively original material – eight pieces by Benjamin, one by Jérôme. The bassist and the leader’s partnership goes all the way back to 2002, when, in New York, they founded Lackner’s first trio, which remains active until today. Two decades of close collaboration have molded them into intimate colleagues, who complement each other’s lines intuitively and always on the mark. Mathias Eick and Manu Katché’s effortless musicianship enhances the quartet’s fluid interplay, turning each take into a unique experience. Last Decade was recorded in La Buissonne, Provence, and produced by Manfred Eicher.