Latest News
JAZZ GUITAR WORKSHOP
The Jazz Guitar Workshop of the Arosa Music Course Weeks took place from July 28th to August 3rd 2024 and was a great success. I am privileged to be able to teach this course again in 2026! Here is the info and link.
VILNIUS CONCERT FOR PEACE
In the first week of October 2026, I will be traveling to Vilnius, in Lithuania, to participate as guitarist in an international band performing a concert of original compositions in the LVSO Concert Hall. The concert will also be televised, and I am working on a major composition for the performance. I am super excited and thankful to be blessed with this opportunity.
DEMO RECORDING
Despite breaking my kneecap just days before a scheduled studio recording session in mid September, we went ahead and rehearsed and recorded four demo versions - of my compositions Azul Oscuro, Le Sentier Sous La Neige, Le Sillage, and Ikigai. The musicians came as planned for the project, except two who were unavailable. So thank you to Javi Leutenegger (piano) and Matthias Spillmann (flügelhorn / trumpet) who so wonderfully played your parts at such short notice. Thanks also to Luca LoBianco, Adam Pache (whom I hadn't seen for at least 14 years and who traveled from Bologna), Richard Maegraith (whom I also hadn't seen for that long and who came from Berlin with his bass clarinet), Silvio Cadotsch, and guest accordionist, closet vocalist, and Swiss Jazz Award winner Lea Gasser. The project has also received a much-needed organisational boost in the person of Mauro Bünzli, a dear friend of mine, who gives freely of his precious time because he truly believes in my project. The mixed and mastered result can be heard on the project page for SAFE PASSAGE
SOLO GUITAR CONCERT RECORDING
My video of the second evening of a solo guitar two-concert series is ready and uploaded on YouTube and you can see it on this site as well, of course. Go check out Lukas Brunner's wonderful Baritone guitars in action here, as well as some new photos of the B-Mighty here! There are also new pictures of a recent photo shoot with Börries Hessler on the Photos Page.
LEMONADE, ANYONE?
Probably the most exciting news is the fact that in deciding to make lemonade out of the lemons COVID brought, I was able to compose, revisit and arrange a number of new and old works. As a result of this process, there are now so many new compositions that it is likely that (almost) no compositions prior to 2013 will be included in the studio album recording. It is even possible that there are enough compositions for a two-album recording. The compositions have given rise to a particular instrumentation: 4-piece rhythm section plus Flügelhorn, Bass Clarinet, and Trombone. Aside from a warmer sound, this allows for an intriguing color palette while still maintaining the simplicity and space of a smaller ensemble. I’m super excited about it, and the personnel is beginning to take shape. I’m also blessed to have had the excellent composer Jochen Neuffer providing advice.
Collaborating on the progress of the album recording with Reto Sommerau of Aufwind in Chur has helped me tremendously. It's also super exciting to be able to start rehearsals this year still since the band lineup is now set. I'm super excited to have the following musicians join me on the project:
Richard Maegraith (Australia, living in Berlin): Bass Clarinet
Nolan Quinn (Switzerland): Flügelhorn
Silvio Cadotsch (Switzerland): Trombone
Yves Theiler (Switzerland): Piano
Luca LoBianco (Italy, living in Switzerland): Bass
Adam Pache (Australia, living in Bologna): drums
Lukas Brunner Baritone Guitars, Reto Fürst, Graubünden
I have been spending a lot of time on my gorgeous new Brunner baritone guitars. These instruments are amazing. Contact Lukas Brunner if you are interested.
Thanks to some advice from Reto Fürst at Fürst Guitars, I’ve been able to completely overhaul my jazz effects board. I’m super happy with it, new streamlined cabling and a few pedal changes and upgrades. Next step is to sell superfluous equipment and upgrade my amplifier situation. Trying to not suffer from G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome), but it's difficult....
I've moved to Chur in the beautiful canton Graubünden, where I've integrated nicely into the local jazz scene and its primary organization, JazzChur. The vibe is great, and there are three main jazz performance locations: the Postremise, where a large and a smaller stage provide wonderful facilities for anything from larger ensembles to Jam Sessions; The Okra Kulturgarage, where quirkier, experimental, and perhaps more acoustic music happens, and the Marsoel Bar, where different small combos regularly play. My own trio's performance on March 23, 2023 at 20:15 at the Marsoel was wonderful and the venue was packed - thanks to everyone who came from near and far - and it was great to play with the wonderful Rolf Caflisch (drums) and Rees Coray (bass). Check out the Concerts page.