SABA is a collective with a special sound, transparent and universal; the mix of the light flutes, acoustic guitar, voice, saxophones (especially the soprano) and percussions creates a soundscape that could have resemblances to many different kinds of traditional folk music with an unusual and contemporary twist.

These four  musicians are all composers and original improvisers who already work together in different settings with roots in afro, reggae, blues, jazz, folk…
The music is signed by each members of the group and arranged conjointly, seeking for new forms, sounds, rhythmical explorations and taking the audience for a thrilling journey…

Line up:
Simon Spang-Hanssen, soprano & tenor-saxophones, flutes
Alain Apaloo, acoustic & el. guitar, vocals
Mariane Bitran, flute, alto-flute, el.
Ayi Solomon, percussions

Alain Apaloo, started from childhood playing traditional drums in traditional african music ensembles in his home country in Togo. Alain began to play guitar early with the legendary Togolese blues singer, Jimmy Hope then in Ghana with Kwame Yeboa’s Sakra band. In 1996, Apaloo fell in with Ghana’s leading star, Kojo Antwi, touring extensively throughout Europe and North America.
Since his move to Copenhagen, where he graduated from The Rhythmic Music Conservatory, Alain Apaloo has leaded his own projects: Apaloo’s Solo, Mezzy Slide &The Crew, APT3 and ApiPipo, world music that is inspired by Alain’s African roots and jazz. Especially, this project has been successful with two albums: Nunya guest starring guitar player, Kurt Rosenwinkel and Floodgate, that won the Danish World Music Award of the year 2009. Already in 2007, Alain Apaloo was nominated for Best Danish Blues Album for his Blues record Flying Vision. Since then, Alain Apaloo has been involved in a myriad of musical projects, playing worldwide with among others: Rasmus Lyberth, Ken Lending Blues Band, Paul Banks, Simon Spang-Hanssen, Dan Hemmer, Jacob Dinesen, Ayi Solomon, Sarah da Silva, Bob Rockwell, Willy Jonson, Arnold Ludvig Sextet, Twin Tribe, just to name a few…                  Alain Apaloo is an artist that can not be ignored!   – Politiken, DK

Simon Spang-Hanssen, one of the most creative saxophonist/composer on the actual Danish scene. Since his first album Soul on Fire, Simon Spang-Hanssen has been regarded as a personal voice on the international jazz world scene. His ability to connect, his imagination and strong improvisations has lead him to play worldwide in Europe, Africa as also in  Brasil and USA, with a range of international musicians from the world music scene as well as the jazz scene.
Simon has released 16 albums as a leader and is currently touring with his own groups: Ear Witness with pianist Mario Canonge, Linley Marthe on bass, Felix Sabal Lecco on drums, Middle Earth with Syrian oud player Maher Mahmoud, Brazilian Project a quintet with Eneias Xavier, Limao Queiroz, Ricardo Fiuza from Belo Horizonte,  and recently Café Central a Septet with bl.a.singer Claudia Campagnol.
As a soloist, Simon has played with John Tchicai, Michael Gregory Jackson, Niels Præstholm, ONJ France National Jazz Orchestra dir. Denis Badault, Jan Kaspersen, Ben Besiakov, Jesper Lundgaard, Alex Riel, Nguyên Lê, Richard Bona, Billy Hart, Nenê Baterista, Edouard Ferlet, Xavier Desandre, Bob Rockwell… “Finally, the freshness of the soprano-sound of Simon Spang-Hanssen, seems, to me, to be one of the most convincing today.”   Jean-Pierre Moussaron – Jazz Magazine, France

Mariane Bitran French flutist living in Denmark since 1998. Her music is wide-spanning; inspired by different forms and rhythms and by her collaboration with musicians from the world-jazz-scene, as well as her roots in both classical and contemporary music. Mariane Bitran has released two albums with her quintet on Stunt Records, A Place for you and All One, then in collaboration with Japonese pianist, Makiko Hirabayashi, Grey to Blue with American saxophonist, Bob Rockwell.
As soloist, Mariane Bitran has performed in festivals and toured in France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Brazil, with musicians such as: Christophe Chassol, Zoomtop Orchestra with Richard Bona, Oscar Castro Neves, Novelli, Pernille Bevort, Marcelo Nisinman, Simon Spang-Hanssen’s Brazilian Project and Café Central, Bojan Z … In Denmark, Mariane has played/ recorded with Peter Danstrup Sacrified, Alain Apaloo’s ApiPipo with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Arnold Ludvig Sextet, Jens Viggo Fjord Trio, Saba with Ayi Solomon, Frederik Lundin, Marilyn Mazur, Ijexa Group, Barthelot Ekeme with Palle Mikkelborg, among others…
 » …she possessed a reel and progressive imagination in the jazz idiom. » Kjeld Frandsen – Berlingske Tidende

AYI SOLOMON born and raised in Mamprobi, a suburb of Accra, Ghana. He is a self taught musician. Ayi Solomon played with the famous band, Classic Vibes, touring extensively in Africa and in 1982, in Europe to participate in the Annual Afro Festival. At the end of the festival he went to Germany with Classique Vibes under a one-year management contract playing in American and German clubs. After the tour, Ayi decided to stay in Copenhagen and has since then toured the world with the following musicians and bands: Palle Mikkelborg, John Sund, Susi Hyldgaard, Katrine Suwalski  Another World, Alain Apaloo’s  Api Pipo, MoussaDiallo, Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra,  Rasmus Lyberth, Tax Office, Himmerland, Simon