Peter Schärli Special Sextet featuring Glenn Ferris, Guest Barbara Berger

Glenn Ferris (*1950)

Born in Los Angeles, Glenn Ferris has been playing the trombone since the age of eight. He started Classical Music Trombone studies at eigth years old in Los Angeles. From 1964, in addition to his classical studies, he studied the Theory of Jazz Improvisation with the well known Trumpeter-Composer-Band-Leader-Innovater Don Ellis. At the age of sixteen he was now performing with the prestigious Don Ellis Big Band as well as with other musical formations. The group "Revival" was co-founded with Glenn Ferris and trumpeter-composer Jack Walrath. And then Glenn Ferris put together the "Celebration Orchestra", which featured some of the most creative musicians in Los Angeles. Besides creating his own groups, he was in demand by major artists to perform and be featured soloist in their groups. He made more than a hundred recordings. This enabled him to invent his own way of playing the trombone. Since 2000 Glenn Ferris is a Professor in the Jazz Department at the prestigious "Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse" (CNSMD) of Paris.
Frank Zappa, Stevie Wonder, Don Ellis, Dave Frishberg, Billy Cobham, George Duke, Harry James, Average White Band, Tim Buckley, John Scofield, Randy and Mike Brecker, Bobby Bradford, James Taylor, James Newton, Art Pepper, Quincy Jones, Archie Shepp, Philly Joe Jones, Martial Solal, Michel Petrucciani, Tony Scott, Urs Blöchlinger, Jack Walrath, Sal Nistico, Woody Shaw, Benny Bailey, Johny Griffin, Kenny Drew, Buddy Tate, Mal Waldron, Steve Lacy, Paolo Fresu, Peter Schärli, Daniel Humair, Louis Sclavis, Franco D'Andrea, Enrico Rava, Michel Portal, Joachim Kühn, Aldo Romano, Henri Texier, Stéphane & Lionel Belmondo, Milcho Leviev, Ricardo Del Fra, Thierry Lang etc., "Azur Quartet (Quintet)", "Palatino Quartet", "Bex-Ferris-Goubert" (BFG), "Peter Schärli Special Sextet featuring Glenn Ferris", "Peter Schärli Trio featuring Glenn Ferris", "Glenn Ferris Trio", Glenn Ferris "Chrominance" Trio, Glenn Ferris "Pentessence" Quintet und Glenn Ferris "Wheel" Trio. 

"Glenn Ferris has got to be the best trombone player in the USA."
(Billy Cobham, Different Drummer Magazine, 1974).
"One of the most complete, prolific underrated trombonists of the day"
(Mike Zwerin, International Herald Tribune, 1988).
"This American in Paris is simply the great renovator of the trombone of today, which has not yet been fully measured. He knows the history of the instrument more than anyone (from "Tricky Sam" Nanton to George Lewis with Lawrence Brown and Jimmy Knepper along the way) and from this moment, affirms himself as a stylist capable of all grooves" 
(Michel Contat, Telerama, 1999)
"Glenn Ferris, trombonist on the way to re-invent the instrument with at the heart, the memory of Ellington and with the lips, the breath of Ben Webster" 
(Michel Contat, Télérama, 2001)
"The greatest active trombonist on the two sides of the Atlantic, the american Glenn Ferris" 
(Michel Contat, Télérama, 2008)

Peter Schärli (*1955)

Peter Schärli began to play the trumpet at the age of ten. He studied at the "Swiss Jazz School" in Berne and closed his studies in 1981. Since 1978 he has been working as a professional musician and has played with many different artists and bands, nationally and internationally, in various contexts and styles: Stella Rambisai Chiweshe, Irène Schweizer, Sandy Patton, Charlotte Hug, Lindsay Cooper, Co Streiff, Vince Benedetti, Peter Schmidlin, Tom Varner, Paul Rutherford, Tony Marsh, Dom Um Romão, Burhan Oeçal, Fredy Studer, Rick Margitza, Christy Doran, Hans Koch, Johannes Bauer, Macanda McIntyre, Uli Scherer, Bernd Konrad, Wu Wei, Bruno Amstad, Christian Weber, "Jerry Dental Kollekdoof" (music theatre), "Cameleon" (Salsa), "Steel Pulse" (Reggae), "Conelli" and "Roncalli" (circus), "Federlos" (circus-theatre), "Legfek Orchester" by Urs Blöchlinger, "Le Phils Ocean Park" by Roland Philipp, "European Chaos String Quintet", Michel Wintsch and "Road Movie featuring Gerry Hemingway", "Donat Fisch Quartett", "erb_gut featuring Peter Schärli" etc. Peter Schärli has played at music and theater festivals in Europe, India, the former USSR, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Burkina Faso, Bolivia and Colombia. 
In addition to the "Peter Schärli Special Sextet featuring Glenn Ferris" he leads two other projects: "Peter Schärli Trio featuring Ithamara Koorax" (Ithamara Koorax - voc, Thomas Dürst - b, Hans-Peter Pfammatter - p, Peter Schärli - tp) and "Peter Schärli Trio featuring Glenn Ferris" (Glenn Ferris - tb, Thomas Dürst - b, Hans-Peter Pfammatter - p, Peter Schärli - tp). As a sideman he presently plays in groups such as "Roberto Domeniconi>>Vierklang", Tommy Meyer "Root Down", "Orkester Ben Jeger" and others. He has also cooperated as a composer and/or trumpet player in several theaters, circusses, films and radio plays. Peter Schärli teaches at the "Musikhochschule" Lucerne, where he began instructing in 1981.

"In the jazz polls of the Brazilian newspaper "Tribuno da Imprensa" Peter Schärli surprisingly attends the first place in the category oft he best trumpeters of the year. Schärli was honoured for the recordings of his album "Hot Peace" (enja/mv 9171 2) and outperformed trumpet stars such as Lew Soloff and Randy Brecker. "Hot Peace" is also one of the top ten albums of the year." 
(Stefan Künzli, Mittellandzeitung, 2006)
"Peter Schärli is one of the unpretentious and modest personalities within the jazz world. Although he ranks among the best trumpeters in Europe - a star without allure." 
(Jazz Zeit Wien, 2001)
"Schärli, who has long been judged on the wrong level and misunderstood as a Miles Davis imitator, is more like a steadfast melancholic (if there is such a thing), a real dreamer, a kind of (let`s risk the unspeakable) Robert Walser of Swiss Jazz." 
(Peter Rüedi, Die Weltwoche, 1997)

Barbara Berger (*1970)

Barbara Berger studied classical singing at the "Musikhochschule Bern" and Jazz singing at the Jazz School Lucerne. She has worked with the theatre company "Madame Bissegger" (clown theatre), Louis Naef ("Tag des Jammers"), Peter Schärli ("Die Schlacht"), Daniel Ott ("Klangkörper Schweiz" at the Expo Hannover), Leo Dick ("Kann Heidi brauchen, was es gelernt hat?"), Jan Brönimann ("Knock-out-Maus"), Dide Marfurt ("Doppelbock") among others. She was part of the well- known quartet "Familie Trüeb" (Jazz Festival Montreux 1995). Her interest is in new music, jazz, theatrical projects and the unique "Naturjodel".

Donat Fisch (*1956)

In 1989, after his studies at the Swiss Jazz School in Berne, where he was inspired by Andy Scherrer, Donat Fisch founded a trio with which he worked intensively on the development of his musical language. As an improviser he appears to balance effortlessly on the narrow ridge between logic and intuition. His systematically acquired knowledge and skills flow in a stream of unclichéd sounds that are full of surprises. Fisch models lines that oscillate between sensuality and abstraction with a gripping sound, which unites robust and aggressive elements with Spartan tonalities. 
CDs: Fisch im Trio "Live im Birdʼs Eye" Unit Records 2006, Donat Fisch Quartett "Mr. Goodman" Ammoniac Music 2001, Donat Fisch Quartett "Intervals and Melodies" Unit Records 1999, Fisch im Trio "Circle and Line" Unit Records 1998, Fisch im Trio "Toys" TCB Records 1991

Hans Feigenwinter (*1965)

As a teenager Hans Feigenwinter played keyboards in pop bands. He studied piano at the Swiss Jazz School in Berne. Among others, he has worked with Buddy de Franco, Franco Ambrosetti, Woody Show, Jerry Bergonzi, Daniel Schnyder, Rick Margitza, Chico Freeman, Gary Bartz. Since their founding he has been member of "Hip Noses" and "Peter Schärli Special Sextet featuring Glenn Ferris". He realized his own ideas in groups like "Think King", "Rough Bop", "Zap" and with his first trio (CD "Lift"). 1996 he released the CD "In" with his quartet. In 1999 came out the CD "Gas" with Bänz Oester and Norbert Pfammatter and 2003 the CD "Because You Knew". In 2000 this trio played concerts with Joe Lovano. Hans Feigenwinter composed, among others, "Tank" (a collection of instrumental songs), for the Saxophon Quartet "Arte" and Wolfgang Zwiauer (CD "Gang", 2003), and for radio plays. 2004 he released on Universal Label "Behind the Bend" with his new quintet. Feigenwinter teaches at the "Musikhochschulen" Basel and Lucerne.

Thomas Dürst (*1957)

Thomas Dürst started to play the double bass when he was fifteen. Now he is one of the most sought-after bass players in the swiss jazz scene. Innumerable concerts with various bands of different musical styles bear witness to his skills. Since 1983 he teaches at the "Swiss Jazz School" in Berne. Thomas Dürst plays and has played and recorded, among others, with John Tchicai, Al Grey, Hal Singer, Rick Margitza, Benny Waters, Sandy Patton, Urs Blöchlinger, Nadja Stoller, Donat Fisch, Peter Schärli and many others.

"Fisch im Trio", Peter Schärli "Don`t change your hair for me", "Free Pulse", "Hot Strings", "Swing Express", "Peter Schärli Trio featuring Ithamara Koorax", "Peter Schärli Trio featuring Glenn Ferris"

Norbert Pfammatter (*1959)

Norbert Pfammatter startet to play drums when he was thirteen. He studied drums at the the Swiss Jazz School in Berne and closed his studies in 1985. Since 1994 he is docent at the "Musikhochschule Luzern", division drums. He works, among others, with the following musicians: Andy Scherrer, Don Li, Donat Fisch, Bertrand Denzler, Sascha Schönhaus, Heiner Althaus, Christoph Grab, John Voirol, Nat Su, Stefano Saccon, Cyrill Bugnon, Maurice Magnoni, Hans Koch, Hans Feigenwinter, Chris Wiesendanger, Léo Tardin, Christoph Stiefel, Joe Haider, Colin Vallon, Malcolm Braff, Jean-Paul Brodbeck, Hans-Peter Pfammatter, François Lindeman, Michel Wintsch, Philipp Schaufelberger, Marc Liebeskind, Harald Haerter, Marianne Racine, Elina Duni, Bänz Oester, Patrice Moret, Christian Weber, Heiri Känzig, Stephan Kurmann, Hämi Hämmerli, Thomas Dürst, Eric Peter, Peter Frei, Ivor Malherbe, Umberto Arlati, Peter Schärli, Matthieu Michel, John Aram, Robert Morgenthaler, Jean Jacques Pedretti, Pierre Favre, Fredy Studer, Lukas Niggli, Fabian Kuratli, Marcel Papaux, Joe Lovano, Chris Potter, Sal Nistico, Arnett Cobb, Tony Lakatos, Bob Mover, Tim Garland, Art Lande, Dado Moroni, Benoit Delbecq, Kenny Barron, William Evans, John Schröder, Jay McShann, Milt Hinton, Reggie Johnson, James Woode, Marc Johnson, Hélène Labarriere, Erik Truffaz, Adrian Mears, Eric LeLann, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Adrienne West, Sandy Patton, Marc Soskin, Enrico Rava, Flavio Boltro, Glenn Ferris, Gianni Basso, Jochen Bohnes, Gregoire Maret, Antonello Messina, Yang Jing, Sujay Bobade, Raghuvendra Kulkarni.