Zurich Jazz Orchestra feat. Nikki Iles

«Female Composers» Series 

Award-winning jazz pianist and composer Nikki Iles was a founding member of the Creative Jazz Orchestra and has worked with Mike Gibbs, Vince Mendoza, Kenny Wheeler and Anthony Braxton. She has freelanced with Art Farmer, Julian Arguelles, Claire Martin and Christine Jenson and has been in the studio with Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone, Tina May, Rufus Reid, Stan Sulzmann and Dave Holland. Although she is known as a pianist, composing is and remains very important to her. Recently, she has received various commissions for compositions from renowned big bands all over the world. Nikki Iles is Professor of Jazz Piano at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Some time ago, the ZJO launched the «Female Composers» series. The ZJO is particularly pleased to be working with Nikki Iles this season. This is the British composer&#x27;s first appearance as conductor of an orchestra in Switzerland.

Leitung

Composition

Piano

Altsaxophon

Tenorsaxophon

Flute

Baritone Saxophone

Trumpet

Trombone

Bassposaune

Guitar

Bass

Drum Kit

JazzBaragge Wednesday Jam

The JazzBaragge Wednesday Jam offers an important platform for the Swiss jazz jam scene. After the musical opening of the jam band, lively and exciting sound conversations begin between musicians who spontaneously meet on stage, reflecting the diversity of jazz in all its facets. The JazzBaragge Wednesday Jam is supported by the non-profit association JazzBaragge. There is no presale for JazzBaragge, only box office.

Kaisa's Machine

Kaisa&#x27;s Machine is Kaisa Mäensivu&#x27;s vision of music in the form of her compositions. It is understandable in its purity - sometimes solemnly bouncing and grooving, sometimes making you think about all the mysteries and tragedies of life. Playing bass is Mäensivu&#x27;s way of dealing with all this. Mäensivu&#x27;s compositions are soulful and sophisticated, her playing is equally profound and often takes centre stage: her sonority and touch are instantly recognisable. A sense of history, richness of sound and surprise pervades her music.

Saxophon

Bill Laurance Solo

Five-time Grammy winner, pianist and composer Bill Laurance has already travelled a remarkable journey through a wide variety of formations and styles. Originally starting out as a classical pianist, he co-founded the fusion power collective Snarky Puppy and has played with the trip-hop trio Morcheeba as well as with jazz greats such as guitarist Lionel Loueke. And his creative drive still seems unchecked: he has released three albums in the last two years, including the solo album «Affinity» (2022), the duo album «Where you wish you were» with Michael League and most recently «Bloom» (2024) together with the string orchestra The Untold Orchestra. This time, Bill Laurance is coming to Moods solo and you can look forward to a concert full of joyful playing, creativity and improvisation.

Keyboards

Kurt Rosenwinkel's NEXT STEP

Jazz guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel has been active on the jazz scene for over 30 years and is one of the most distinguished guitarists of his generation. During his career, he has worked with countless musicians such as Eric Harland, Brad Mehldau, Joshua Redman and many more. Now he is on tour with the original The Next Step band and the album ‘The Next Step: Live at Smalls (1996)’, newly released on Rosenwinkel&#x27;s own label Heartcore Records. On it, he explores the boundaries of jazz with complex harmonies and lyrical melodies.

TC (UK) (Hospital / RAM / Formation)

V.I.P. Session by JUR Records

JUR Records invites you to the V.I.P. Session: Get ready for a wild night of dancing with well-known DJs and a good dose of drum&#x27;n&#x27;bass! TC has been a producer, singer and DJ in the drum&#x27;n&#x27;bass scene since the early 2000s.His sound is versatile and ranges from Liquid to Upfront/High Energy and Jump Up to Neurofunk. This evening&#x27;s host is MC resc, who has been known at least since this year&#x27;s JUR Love Mobile at Street Parade 2024. And of course, the locals are not to be missed: ‘nade (JUR Records), Snes (Local Bass Movement Crew), Agent C (JUR Records) and Lukey (Subset) will be at the start of this V.I.P. session. Together they will provide hot beats and powerful bass throughout the night.

Disk Jockey

Harold López-Nussa

Timba a la Americana

Pianist and composer Harold López-Nussa has been making a name for himself in the world of jazz and beyond over the past two decades, ever since he won the prestigious Montreux Jazz Piano Competition in 2005. Harold López-Nussa has released nine acclaimed albums and captivated audiences around the world with his exciting performances at renowned venues and jazz festivals. Born into a musical family in Havana, Cuba, his music reflects the full range and richness of the Cuban musical tradition, with its distinctive combination of classical, folk and popular elements, as well as its openness to improvisation. With the release of his first album on Blue Note Records in August 2023, Timba a la Americana, Harold López-Nussa takes an important step in his career with a vibrant album, full of joy and pathos, inspired by the pianist&#x27;s recent decision to leave his Cuban homeland and start a new life in France. Produced by Michael League (Snarky Puppy), Timba a la Americana presents 10 dynamic new compositions and features harmonica virtuoso Grégoire Maret, Thibaud Soulas on bass and Harold&#x27;s brother Ruy Adrián López-Nussa on drums.

Mundharmonika

Bia Ferreira

«Faminta»

An expressive singer who doesn&#x27;t mince her words: Bia Ferreira uses her music to speak out against racism, homophobia and in favour of equality. The lyrics of the Brazilian singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer are direct, in her songs Afro-diasporic rhythms such as soul, R&#x27;n&#x27;B, reggae and rap meet Brazilian music styles such as samba and repente. The result is a powerful sound that conveys a clear message: No to any form of discrimination and yes to love. In collaboration with Adalu. With this event, we are participating in «Nightlife in Solidarity», a month-long fundraiser for migrants.

Afterparty with Luca Durán

Luca Durán is a versatile Swiss-Colombian producer whose debut album Libertas is an exciting musical journey on the themes of freedom and independence. The album marks a turning point in his career, which has evolved from house and techno to a broader spectrum including ambient, Latin American rhythms and IDM. For his performance at Moods, Luca Durán will present a special setlist focusing on the Latin Urban and Brazilian Funk genres.

Vocals

Helveticus (Blaser, Känzig, Humair)

Album Release «Our Way»

Three Swiss jazz musicians from three different generations: Drummer Daniel Humair, bassist Heiri Känzig and trombonist Samuel Blaser form together the trio &quot;Helveticus&quot;. Founded in 2020, the band is now on tour with their second album &quot;Our Way&quot; on which they remain true to their concept: the repertoire includes original compositions, jazz standards and interpretations of Swiss folk songs from different parts of the country.

KNOBIL

Album Release «Knobisous»

Knobil is a French-language vocal jazz project by Lausanne-based double bassist, singer and composer Louise Knobil. Inspired by Esperanza Spalding, Charles Mingus and Oscar Pettiford, she presents her compositions together with Chloé Marsigny on bass clarinet and Vincent Andreae on drums in a style somewhere between singer-songwriter, post-bop and glittering jazz. This time Louise Knobil has her second EP «Knobisous» (2024) with her, a musical diary, in which she deals with topics such as polyamory, break-ups, laundry, queer coming-out and the systemic patriarchy. 

Bass Clarinet

Klaus Koenig – Seven Things

Album Release «From Major to Minor»

Klaus Koenig has worked as a sound engineer at Radio Studio Zurich since the 1960s and founded the legendary Jazz Live Trio with Peter Frei and Peter Schmidlin. In this formation, he accompanied soloists such as Johnny Griffin, Dexter Gordon, Clark Terry, Slide Hampton and many more in over 100 live broadcasts. After a 15-year break due to illness and cautious beginnings to revive his legendary Jazz Live Trio with young musicians, Klaus Koenig decided to bring in two wind players. This is how the quintet Seven Things was formed in 2013. Their first album Piazza Rotonda received the highest number of five stars in Jazz&#x27;N&#x27;More. This was followed by the recordings Seven Things We Always Wanted to Know and Kings And Illusion, which was awarded all five stars in the NZZ am Sonntag, as was its successor Dark With Excessive Bright. On October 13, 2024, Klaus Koenig will not only celebrate his 88th birthday at Moods, but also launch his fifth album From Major to Minor. The ideal opportunity to toast this impressive career.

Afrobeats Explosion

The Afrobeats scene has virtually exploded in recent years, which is also reflected in the lively party scene that has developed around this genre. At the forefront from the beginning: &quot;Afrobeats Explosion&quot; at Moods. From its origins with Fela Kuti in the 70s to Wizkid – get ready for a special kind of dance explosion!

Benin International Musical

The Benin International Musical combines traditional rhythms and songs from the voodoo culture with electronic melodies, trip-hop grooves, hip-hop and rock from Benin&#x27;s trendy club scene. With their project, the collective aims to revive the diverse musical heritage of their ancestors and make it accessible to a wide audience. The traditional voodoo culture, which was spread in the wake of slavery, may be unknown to many, but it laid the foundations for musical movements such as jazz, blues, salsa and hip-hop. A groovy homage to a rich cultural history! Before and after the concert, DJ Voilà Tim will play a selection of African grooves. Supported by the SüdKulturFonds.

Percussion

Ebi Soda

Ebi Soda, an up-and-coming quintet from Brighton, is shaking up the UK jazz scene with a fresh, industrial sound. Their music is the result of long jam sessions in shabby studio apartments, reflecting the greyness of British streets and the dazzling influences of the internet. With their hard beats and an atmosphere that is more reminiscent of raves than classic jazz, they turn traditional norms on their head. The only constant is their love of experimentation. With this event, we are participating in «Nightlife in Solidarity», a month-long fundraiser for migrants.

La Sonora Mazurén

La Sonora Mazurén are the latest representatives of Bogotá&#x27;s lively alternative music scene. The seven musicians are influenced by traditional rhythms and sounds from Ecuador, Colombia and Peru and enrich them with synths and electric guitar. This is how they have developed their very own sound, which can be described as trippy cumbia, psychedelic chicha or African fuzz. A must for lovers of bands like the Meridian Brothers and for anyone curious to discover the new Tropsychedelica sound of Colombia. Supported by the SüdKulturFonds.

Buzz (Boss Hi-Fi)

Warm Up & Afterparty

BUZZ needs no introduction. 16 Tons: fantastic records, beautiful furniture. Boss Hi-Fi: best reggae DJs He will play one of his rare cumbia sets after La Sonora. ¡Fuego!

Accordion

E-Gitarre

Peter Evans EXTRA feat. Petter Eldh & Jim Black

Bassist Petter Eldh, drummer Jim Black and trumpeter and composer Peter Evans have known each other for several years. What the three of them have in common is their desire not only to use conventional parameters for improvisation, but also to experiment with those that are not usual and commonplace - such as timbre, dynamics or form and structure. Evans, Eldh and Black also have a very specific idea of how the playing of improvised music should be organised and how the result should sound. Evans&#x27; compositions open up new spaces for the spontaneity of free improvisation and the sensitivity of chamber music expression and also integrate Eldh&#x27;s and Black&#x27;s imaginative use of electronic music.

Billiger Bauer

Since 2017, we have been streaming some of the concerts and enabling the musicians to earn additional income - 70% of the subscription revenue goes directly to the musicians. With a subscription you get access to over 600 concerts and help to keep this project running.

Streaming

Over 700 video-on-demand and 40 live streams per year from jazz, global, blues, funk, soul and rap await you. Curated with playlists and recommendations from our program team. In addition, 70% of the subscription revenue goes directly to the musicians. With a subscription you support the artists and this project.