Peter Schärli Trio featuring Ithamara Koorax

Ithamara Koorax (*1965)

Ithamara Koorax was born in Rio de Janeiro to European parents. At the tender age of five, she could already play the piano and sing enchantingly. When she was seventeen, she was already earning her own money with music. She sang jingles, advertisements for radio and television, and worked with various bands as a backing vocalist. At first known only to insiders in the recording studios in and around Rio, she rapidly gained a larger audience. Her first solo recording "Illuminada" catapulted to the top of the charts in Brazil. This recording was then chosen to be the soundtrack for a telenovela, a Latin American soap opera. These minidramas are so important in Brazil that being part of one is a ticket to fame - Ithamara was no exception, she became famous. She is in high demand. One cannot get enough of her. Performances and recordings with Hermeto Pascoal, Azymuth, Edu Lobo, Marcos Valle, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfá, Martinho da Vila, João Donato and many other Brazilian stars become the order of the day. She sings new telenovela songs, which also conquer the hit parade. Her reputation reaches the Far East; she takes Japan and Korea by storm. She records new CDs with renowned artists such as Art Farmer, Jack de Johnette, Ron Carter, John McLaughlin, Larry Coryell, Sadao Watanabe, Eumir Deodato, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Mario Castro-Neves, Manuel Gusmão, Raul de Souza and Dom um Romão, to mention only a few. Her outstanding album "Love Dance" (2003) meets with resounding success and is chosen as the fifth best album by the "Down Beat Reader's Poll". Even normally unemotional reviewers cannot praise her lavishly enough, referring to her "tender intimacy, hot passion and magical music".

"One of the best singers in the current scene"
(Antonio Carlos Jobim, 1994)
"It's an honor and a privilege to work with such a great artist as Ithamara, one of the best singers in the world! I feel very fortunate for the chance of having my songs covered by a singer of her stature, gifted with the highest musicality, the most impeccable technique, the most incredible vocal range and the most impressive emotional power I ever encountered in any Brazilian singer."
(Luiz Bonfá, 1995)
"It's a wonderful album and Ithamara sounds wonderful. I have long thought that the future of jazz would benefit from more knowledge by American musicians of South America music. Your album reinforces this belief. One of my favorite singers in the world was Elis Regina. She would, I'm sure, love your work."
(Phil Woods, 1995)
"I quickly became a Koorax convert. Ithamara Koorax is her own woman. She is multi-faceted and multi-lingual, comfortable in all situations and expressive in a variety of languages. Her range and technique are remarkable but you don't necessarily take time out to marvel at her technique until later on because you are too absorbed in her musical message. Obviously, her singing speaks for itself with celestial eloquence."
(Ira Gitler, 2002)
"Dear Ithamara, Congratulations on your new CD and the good ratings in the Down Beat Reader's Poll. Going up each year! Thank you for including "Unisphere" on your new album. Your package arrived on my birthday, and no birthday surprise could have been nicer."
(Dave Brubeck, 2005)

For more information about Ithamara Koorax please contact www.koorax.com

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 Trio featuring Ithamara Koorax" he leads two other projects: "Peter Schärli Trio featuring Glenn Ferris" (Glenn Ferris - tb, Thomas Dürst - b, Hans-Peter Pfammatter - p, Peter Schärli - tp) and "Peter Schärli Special Sextet featuring Glenn Ferris, Guest Barbara Berger" (Glenn Ferris - tb, Barbara Berger - voc, Hans Feigenwinter - p, Donat Fisch - ts/as, Thomas Dürst - b, Norbert Pfammatter - dr, 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)

Hans-Peter Pfammatter (*1974)

Hans-Peter Pfammatter, swiss pianist, is working with latest technologies, samplings and soundprogramming. He is trying to open up the field of sound in respect of a fine arts performance. But the piano stays his main focus. Hans-Peter Pfammatter is a highly talented pianist who combines lyrical movements with free improvisation to build up a genuine acoustic experience. He had tours and concerts with Christy Doran's NEW BAG, Ray Anderson, Tony Overwater, Fee Claasen, Fred Lohnberg-Holm, Peter Schärli, Corin Curschellas, Urs Leimgruber, Fredy Studer, Fritz Hauser, Gilbert Paeffgen, Baenz Oester Group, Alexander Sipiagin etc.

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 Special Sextet featuring Glenn Ferris", "Peter Schärli Trio featuring Glenn Ferris"