When Walter Norris died last year aged 79 the few obituaries that ran referred to the fact that the US pianist was on Ornette Coleman's album Something Else!!!, an appearance that may outlast the instant tributes, but certainly not the importance of that period of the 1950s in jazz history, even if Norris was a bit player. Leszek Możdżer in the early part of his career was in a band in Poland called Młość and Ornette Coleman's music was at the centre of that groundbreaking outfit's world, so his interest in the pianist is fitting for this reason alone although Możdżer was not aware of the pianist at the time. This album, a two-piano affair with no other instruments in sight, was recorded at the Berlin club A-Trane, and it is an honest album, faithful in the way the audience sound is captured, and in the fidelity of the instruments. While two-piano albums often have an all-you-can-eat tangle of notes to them and nearly always seem too busy, this album like the very best of this specialised area within jazz (eg the 1978 album An Evening With Herbie Hancock and ChickCorea: In Concert) has a lucidity to it. Możdżer clearly adapts his very easily distinguishable playing, which is grounded in Komeda and Wayne Shorter, with his own arsenal of gracenotes and little leaps and bounds to fit Norris’ style, which is more opaque but very stimulating. The pair did not work together again, which makes this a valuable and even quite touching document, but it's more than that as Norris’ own tunes are really very lovely particularly ‘Reflective’, and it's a triumph of the underdog ultimately.

Jazzwise talks to Leszek Mozdzer about the albumWhen did you first get to know Walter Norris’ music?

The first time was when I was taking part in a cultural exchange of students when I was 18 or 19 years old. I heard it at73x0027; a friend's house. I was really thrilled I had suddenly discovered a new name not on the market. It was a live recording I heard, a different world and the music of Walter Norris had a personal touch. After he died his wife showed me his papers, how he had a number system and practice routines, involving different meters for each hand. The paper was covered with numbers, and it took me a while to work it out.

What sort of person was he?

He was sensitive. He told me he fell out with Mingus because he accidentally called him Charlie instead of Charles, and Mingus got mad. That was the main reason Walter came to live in Europe. He wanted to stay in the shade, and not be in showbusiness, and so he taught in Berlin. He was like a scientist, analysing the music.

Tell me about the night at the A-Trane you recorded this album. How did it feel?

It was a testing concert. We planned to do gigs together, and this was a way to find out how to understand each other, gain a connection. We were playing long takes, some 14-17 minutes long, and I edited some down later. Walter's doctor told him he was not allowed to play any more concerts because of his heart, and he died in his flat. His wife said he was smiling the last time they talked.

Do you like to play in a two-pianist situation?

I did an album before with Adam Makowicz at Carnegie Hall [released in 2005]. It's not easy, getting the pianos right, the same tuning, and the same quality. Promoters don't like it either. You don't want to overload the music for the audience. That night at the A-Trane I didn't think I was able to resonate 100 percent, but I was fascinated. Walter Norris was a significant, amazing person and it's important for me to release this.