Géraud Portal writes: "My desire to create this band and this album dates back to January 2020, just before the Covid pandemic. I wanted to write some music of my own and to look for a new sound after having made a recording of Mingus' music. I’d liked the positive nonchalance of the combination of Jean Paul Estiévenart on trumpet and Antoine Pierre on drums, and they’d been on my radar for a while. The lyricism and sincerity of my long-time friend Plume on the alto saxophone reveals his first-class musicianship. The icing on the cake is that Jacky Terrasson has done me the honor of making music with us; he brings not only his unique awareness of sound and space but also his taste and immense musical culture.

"I finally decided to call this album Zinneke — a reference to the Brussels culture in which I have been immersed for several months. I deeply love the vibe of Brussels, its cultural mix, and the feeling of freedom that bathes the Belgian capital. This album, my fourth as a leader, is resolutely turned towards the future, in these times when the future is so uncertain. When we improvise, we don't know where we're going — but we're going there."