Michael Arbenz meets Andy Sheppard: From Bach to Ellington - Live

by Neil Duggan
June 13, 2025

Recorded live at the Bird's Eye Jazz Club, Basel, Switzerland, in 2024, From Bach to Ellington--Live, has Swiss pianist Michael Arbenz and British saxophonist Andy Sheppard reinterpreting four of Duke Ellington's classics, together with two original pieces from Arbenz inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach. Arbenz came to All About Jazz's attention when, along with ...

Jon Wollenberger

Born: March 11, 1995

Jon Wollenberger - Drummer | Composer | Bandleader

Jon Wollenberger is a Swiss-based drummer, composer, and bandleader whose music pulses with raw emotion and cinematic beauty. Rooted in jazz yet unbound by genre, his sound is a rich tapestry woven from folk, blues, and the atmospheric influences of artists like Radiohead, Brian Blade, and a love of Indian music.

With a dynamic touch and an instinct for storytelling through rhythm, Jon crafts music that resonates beyond the notes, drawing listeners into a world where improvisation meets deep melodic expression. His drumming is both fiery and fluid, shaping sonic landscapes that feel intimate yet expansive.

Christian Moser

Born: March 28, 1980

Christian Moser is an oudplayer and improviser. His particular interests concern the cultivating of musical mindsets that go beyond the dualism of tradition/presence, being/becoming, immancence/transcendence. In his youth he studied violin. At the age of 18 he started playing the oud and from 2005-2010 he studied Turkish Music at the I.T.U?. conservatory in Istanbul with Abdi Coskun, Mutlu Torun and Mehmet Bitmez. In 2020 he graduated with a Master of Art in specialized performance / free improvisation. His mentors were Alfred Zimmerlin and Fred Frith. Christian Moser lives and works in Basel, plays in various ensembles throughout Europe, composes music for film and dance.

Devin Daniels

A recent graduate of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Studies, Inglewood-native Devin Daniels is one of the most unique and exciting voices in LA's thriving the modern jazz scene. African American Alto Saxophonist Devin Daniels has performed in many different configurations of bands in the jazz idiom since 2010. Hailing from Inglewood, California, Daniels started playing saxophone in the Just Lovin’ Music Studios program, led by pianist Michelle Love. This program is a free program designed to give students of color a chance to rent out and learn a new instrument

David Giesel

Born: April 8, 1996

David Giesel is a German drummer, composer and bandleader from Basel who works mainly in the fields of jazz, pop and improvised music. The unmistakable characteristics of his sound are the clarity, the dynamic spectrum, followed by the urge to constantly rediscover himself without losing the focus on the music.

David Giesel grew up near Freiburg and completed his bachelor's degree in 2023 at the Stuttgart University of Music and Performing Arts. He studied with Eckhard Stromer, Fabian Arends, Rainer Tempel and Alexander "Sandi" Kuhn.

David Giesel released his first albums as a sideman with the "Lukas Wögler Quartett" (Alba, Plastic Jazz), the "Simon Bremen Quartett" (Reflections on Predictability, Unit Records) and others. In 2021 he received the "BMBF Deutschlandstipendium" and found the band "Larceny" with which he released the EP "Shapes" 2022 and the album "Crosscurrent" (2023) on "XJAZZ!MUSIC" Berlin.

Linda Jozefowski

Born: November 28, 1982

Linda Jozefowski is an eclectic swiss flautist, composer and educator, exploring a vaste range of musical directions, from jazz to indian music, electronic, r'n'b, odd grooves, experimental and classical music. Her musical training with numerous teachers enabled her to discover a variety of teaching methods.

At the age of 6, after her father heared her playing the "Lambada" from ear on a piano toy, she started taking piano lessons. Her strong drive for music led her to experiment and improvise on all instruments beside the piano from a very young age. 

Lillamors

by Lawrence Peryer
June 24, 2023

Today, the Spotlight shines On the Basel-based band LILAMORS, which consists of vocalist Ana ?op, pianist Thilo Seevers, and sound artist Jaka Arh.With their debut album, When I Am Dead, My Dearest (Radicals Music), LILAMORS is taking jazz into new territories of experimental electro-acoustic music, utilizing poetry from the last two centuries as well ...

Ben Zahler

Born: July 3, 1979

Fascinated by the Piccolos of the Basel carnival, Ben Zahler picked up the flute at the age of eight. Yet, before he could switch to the Piccolo, he dived down into the world of Jazz clubs and never looked back.

After attaining his “Master of Arts” at the Swiss Jazz School Bern with Andy Scherrer, Bert Joris and Günter Wehinger, he toured with his Band aloft (among others with Nadja Stoller and Stefan Rusconi) and recorded his first album We Do (TCB 26802). Other notable records include the Paul Klee record by the Swiss Jazz Orchestra directed by Jim McNeely.

Yumi Ito

With her voice, Yumi Ito creates worlds far beyond all boundaries. The Polish-Japanese-born Swiss is considered one of the most outstanding representatives of vocal improvisation and moves effortlessly between genres and her roles as a singer, pianist and composer. Ito's own music is correspondingly diverse, a veritable ocean of art-pop, jazz and neoclassical music. Based on countless concerts and tours, the musician acts like a Zen master, clear, reflective and with a uniquely powerful energy. Milestones in her career include performances at the Blue Note New York, Montreux Jazz Festival, tours in Asia, South America, Europe and five released albums as a band leader, most recently the critically highly acclaimed Ysla (2023 via enja yellowbird records).

2021: The Year in Jazz

by Ken Franckling
December 31, 2021

The jazz world continued grappling and adjusting in year two of the COVID-19 pandemic. International Jazz Day again went virtual for the most part. Singer Tony Bennett put the final stamp on his touring--and likely recording--career after his Alzheimer's disclosure. Trumpeter Irvin Mayfield was headed to federal prison. The National Endowment for the Arts welcomed four ...