Peter Schärli Special Sextet featuring Glenn Ferris, Guest Barbara Berger
Reviews
The Peter Schärli Sextet is a flagship of the Swiss Jazz scene. The band exists for almost 25 years now in slightly changing formations. And you can't get enough of it. On Sunday the with the singer Barbara Berger enriched band convinced once more at the packed Casineum Luzern. Schärlis music is a complex work between tender tonality and severe bursts, set in a precise relation to each other, with memorable tunes , intoxicating brass parts and brilliant soli.
Pirmin Bossart - October 27, 2009 - Neue Luzerner Zeitung, CH
The Special Sextet is more European, airier and more relaxed. And above all: Barbara Berger with her crystal clear voice is truly an asset. A "must" at the Schaffhauser Jazzfestival.
Stefan Künzli - May 18, 2009 - Mittelland Zeitung, CH
That Schärli holds on to this band for so many years is sometimes interpreted as a lack of willingness for innovation. The concert of this band at the Winterfestival proved that this is a gross misinterpretation. Schärli isn't just a stubborn person who wants to hold on to the reliable - his work is determined by the principle of the continuous evolution.
Tom Gsteiger - January 21, 2008 - Der Bund, CH
The cohesive, wonderful homogeneous sound of the ensemble bore excitingly beautiful fruit predominantly in the brass solos. Beneath Schärli those are the tenor saxaphonist Donat Fisch with an earthy sound and particularly the agile and virtuous trombonist Glenn Ferris. To watch him play already is a feast for the eyes, when he prances, tap-dances and blows in all directions with his bulky instrument.
Michael Scheiner - November 6, 2007 - Mittelbayrische Zeitung, Germany
For decades, Peter Schärli has been leading his own groups, with whom he continuously and imperturbable developed a personal music style. Its confidence is in large part due to his magnificent rhythm section. On this long way, Glenn Ferris has been an almost constant companion, and with Donat Fisch joining as a third voice a world class frontline has emerged.
November 2007 - "Unerhört! - Ein Zürcher Jazzfestival", CH
The trumpeter, band leader and lecturer Peter Schärli is an innovative traditionalist. However what seems contradictory in another domain makes sense with jazz music: That is because Schärli stands with one foot deep in the history of this music and with the other one in the presence, and in doing so understands to make the historical experience useful for the here and now.
Georg Modestin - October 25, 2007 - Der Bund, CH
Big honor for Swiss jazz trumpeter Peter Schärli. In the jazz polls of the Brazilian newspaper "Tribuna da Imprensa" published in Rio de Janeiro, Schärli surprisingly attends the first place in the category of the best trumpeters of the year. Schärli was honored for the recordings of his album "Hot Peace" (enja/mv) and outperformed trumpet stars such as Lew Soloff and Randy Brecker. "Hot Peace" is also one of the top ten albums of the year. Guest soloist Glenn Ferris (trombone), who has been playing in Schärli's Special Sextet for years, was chosen as the best trombonist. Our congratulations. Internationally in demand as never before. Peter Schärli was honored also for his album "Hot Peace" by Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR).
Stefan Künzli - December 21/28, 2006 - Mittellandzeitung, CH
Friday evening, Casino Lucerne. The Peter Schärli Special Sextet featuring Glenn Ferris is in action, a numerous audience is fascinated. Hardly surprising: Rarely do we hear music that is so smartly rich in content and that delights the soul in such an elegant way. There is everything a jazz heart for central desires. Shortened in the essences, tastefully arranged and as colourful as a Mingus octet. Melancholy with swing. That is what Schärli managed to blend so fascinatingly. Brilliant instrumentalists keep this band in the highest class.
Pirmin Bossart - February 13, 2006 - Luzerner Zeitung, CH
This passionate soul at the base of the music, this sparkling lyrism that twinkles out of the coda of a solo on its way back to the band, this wilful but sensible indulgence in dealing with form - these have been the characteristics of Peter Schärli's music for years. And maybe this is why reviewer Peter Rüedi called the trumpeter of Schötz "Robert Walser of Swiss Jazz".
Christoph Fellmann - February 2006 - Das Kulturmagazin, CH
Strange: this hand-picked group that enfolds the best cracks rates among the most interesting formations; however, their level of awareness is in no proportion to their importance,although 50 years-old trumpeter Peter Schärli and his Special Sextet have been on the move for more than a dozen years. The advantage of a long-term "working band" versus short-term projects that unfortunately, are still the rule in jazz, is evident. The program as such barely knows stylistic mantraps and testifies to the immense musical territory that was transmigrated by Schärli in the course of his animated career.
Nick Liebmann - February 16, 2006 - Neue Zürcher Zeitung, CH
Music is not just music. If you give it some soul, music becomes lively. Peter Schärli has this capacity. What he offered with his band, was a musical Gala Dinner.
Kornelia Schiller - May 19, 2004 - Badische Zeitung, Germany
One example for this has been for years: the sextet of Peter Schärli. As a paradigmatic, unconventional thinker, as a broody and reflective person he is leading a band of international calibre in which he successfully balances original understatement with power, refinement with directness and emotionality with complexity. Cosmopolitan and loner at the same time, Schärli resists all fashions and mostly choses to work with people alike. More than ever, Schärli aims for a music with large half-life period and heavy specific weight.
Peter Rüedi - April 26, 2001 - Die Weltwoche Nr. 17, CH
For two decades the Swiss trumpeter and flugelhornist Peter Schärli can not be omitted as an integral part of the European jazz scene. In different bands, he has untiringly searched for his own way and set clear and unmistakable marks. On his new CD "Guilty", the background of this sextet becomes impressively clear: a bandgroove, which doesnʼt rely only on virtuosity and energy but on a collective urge to expand and renew existing sound worlds. A wonderful, sonorous music with warm and moving coolness.
Frank von Niederhäusern - April 20, 2001 - Aargauer Zeitung, CH
Peter Schärli is one of the unpretentious and modest personalities within the jazz world. That is why he ranks among the best trumpeters and flugelhornists in Europe - a star without allure.
May 2001 - Jazz Zeit, Wien, Austria
And the melancholic, swinging pieces seem so unspectacular, as we know to expect from Schärli. But world class is hiding behind this façade.
Hanspeter Vetsch - May 19, 1997 - Schweizer Illustrierte No. 21, CH
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. In any case, the "Peter Schärli Special Sextet featuring Glenn Ferris and Tom Varner" is currently one of the best formations in Switzerland, no: in all of Europe.
Peter Rüedi - May 22, 1997 - Die Weltwoche No. 21, CH
Nothing takes one deeper than experiencing the "Peter Schärli Special Sextet featuring Glenn Ferris and Tom Varner" live. It can't be forced, it just happens.
Pirmin Bossart - August 1996 - CH
La musica di Schärli si può considerare senza mezzi termini un manifesto del jazz made in Europe, lirica e swingante, raffinata, a momenti melanconica ma mai retorica o banale, utilizzando a piene mani da avanguardia e mainstream senza per questo lasciarsi catalogare. Il jazz europeo ha ormai una propria identità e Peter Schärli è tra i suoi migliori corifei, un musicista dal linguaggio moderno e dall'eloquio scarno ma profondo, senza note inutili. Eppure abrasivo in questo suo modo di essere per come riesce a scavare nella superficie di una musica solo apparentemente "orecchiabile" e di facile, per noi europei, fruizione. Valutazione: * * * *
Vittorio Lo Conte - September 2006 - allaboutjazz.com, Italy
Este grupo de cámara suena como una orquesta completa; solamente nombres como Charles Mingus, o la pequeña banda de George Russel, nos tienen acostumbrados a semejante milagro. Un grupo de jazz moderno, sincero y sin pretensiones. Melodías líricas, a veces melancólicas, sobre un sonido encantador de la sección ritmica, y las irrupciones solistas realizadas por los excelentes ejecutantes con gran desenvoltura, hace de éste uno de los mejores conjuntos de jazz de Europa.
Carlos A. Sourdis - 15. September 2003 - El Heraldo, Barranquilla, Colombia
De lujo! Así fue el concierto que ofreció el sexteto suizo, se lucieron toda la noche. La interpretación de sus composiciones demostraron que no en vano se encuentran entre los mejores músicos de Europa. La espectacular interpretación del sexteto en Homenaje a Miles Davis fue "I fall in love to easily" hicieron que el público pidiera de pie un nuevo tema a los suizos, que atendieron la petición.
Judith Jaliri - 12. September 2003 - La Prensa, La Paz, Bolivia
Coupable, dit-il. Guilty. Mais de quoi? D'aimer le jazz qui sonne et d'avoir des dons pour faire chanter les cuivres? De faire vivre un sextette international (et mixte, avec une femme, Béatrice Graf, à la batterie) et d'avoir évité l'usure du temps en six ans d'existence? D'écrire de fins arrangements qui tirent admirablement parti de la combinaison rare du trombone de Glenn Ferris, du cor de Tom Varner et de son propre bugle (ou de sa trompette)? Cet art de la suspension (Dark Nights) et ce son mat au velouté soyeux (Neustadt 27), qui tissent un cool d'aujourd'hui, élégant et mesuré, constitueraient-ils un délit? Non, vraiment, on ne voit pas quelle faute Peter Schärli devrait avouer, sa plume est variée, brillante et surprenante, et nul de ses acolytes ne déçoit, libres dans l'écrit et précis dans l'exécution. Chaque thème possède son visage, s'inscrit dans la mémoire dès la première écoute comme une mélodie familière et demande à être réentendu: les musiciens ne sont que six, on les croirait le double. Impeccables dans la mise en place, et sûrs dans l'improvisation. ... Bref, si l'on doit rendre un jugement, alors il sera sans équivoque: amnistié!
Vincent Bessières - November 2001 - Jazzman, France
La musica di Peter Schärli incarna una delle vie trombettista svizzero si avvale di due dei suoi collaboratori abituali, il trombonista Glenn Ferris e lo specialista di corno francese Tom Varner, creando un sestetto senza sassofoni, con una front line costituita solo da ottoni. Guilty costituisce la terza incisione per la Enja Records, dopo "Tomorrow" e "Blues For The Beast" e testimonia la perfezione dell'intesa fra i musicisti di questo gruppo. Ci sono delle perle fra le esecuzioni di questo gruppo che meritano di essere messe tra i migliori esempi di jazz prodotto al di quà dell'Atlantico, "Dark Nights" ad esempio, che trasporta la musica e gli ascoltatori nelle notti fumose di un jazz club, o "Broken Wing", una composizione del pianista Richie Beirach, o ancora il "Requiem", che tuttavia riesce a swingare, trasformato in una ballada. Un originale esempio di collaborazione creativa fra musicisti europei e americani. Valutazione: * * * * *
Vittorio Lo Conte - Juni 2001 - allaboutjazz.com, Italy
Peter Schärli est devenu un des musiciens qui comptent sur la scène européenne, parce qu'il développe à l'écart des modes et des conservatoires un jazz aux architectures très personnelles. Il incarne en musique la devise du "moins égale plus": il développe son art dans des eaux calmes, nourrit ses arrangements d'interractions subtiles, de sentiments sublimés et de traditions transfigurées. C'est une des raisons qui motivent le label allemand "enja" de documenter cette oeuvre en progrès, comme en témoigne le dernier album qui vient de paraître. Les riches compositions sont magnifiées par des arrangements de toute beauté.
Christian Steulet, Michael Tolck - Mai/Juni 2001 - Viva la musica, Genève, CH
"Peter Schärli Special Sextet featuring Glenn Ferris and Tom Varner": sans doute le meilleur jazz band de la scène suisse.
Arnaud Robert - 23. Mai 2001 - Le Temps, CH
