Zurich Jazz Orchestra playing Rob McConnell

Leitung

Altsaxophon

Tenorsaxophon

Baritone Saxophone

Trumpet

Trombone

Bassposaune

Horn (Cornet)

Guitar

Piano

Bass

Drum Kit

Zurich Jazz Orchestra playing Rob McConnell 

Rob McConnell (1935–2010) was a Canadian trombonist, composer, and arranger. He is best known for founding and leading the Grammy Award-winning big band The Boss Brass from 1967 to 1999. Rob McConnell&#x27;s big band music is firmly rooted in the jazz tradition, but offers clever interpretations of well-known jazz standards, challenging ensemble passages (for the musicians) and exciting ones (for the audience), as well as plenty of space for the orchestra&#x27;s soloists. Other hallmarks of Rob McConnell&#x27;s music are the expanded instrumentation (eleven brass instruments, including two French horns) and the subtle humor that runs through all his compositions. Ed Partyka met Rob in 1989, and the two remained in contact until Rob McConnell&#x27;s death. Partyka recalls: “He was an incredibly warm and funny person, which you can also hear in his compositions. In my opinion, he was also an underrated soloist on the valve trombone, surpassed in expression and virtuosity only by Bob Brookmeyer.”

Dumama

Vocals

Keyboards

Fender-Rhodes E-Piano

Kay Zhang – ANCESTRAL ROOTS

ANCESTRAL ROOTS invites people to a celebration that honors heritage and culture, living in and through the diaspora, and third culture identities through sound, storytelling or chanting, making the invitation wide, vibrant and inclusive. South African musician, sonic poet, and cultural researcher Gugulethu Duma (aka Dumama) criticizes and deconstructs archaic modes of representation of South African sonic and performance culture. As a storyteller and lyricist she weaves together childhood songs, stories and personal memories with electronic hues and gestures, experimenting with the divide between traditional oral culture and futuristic, globally oriented poetics in her embodiment of an African technological consciousness. For her performances and recordings, she predominantly works with voice, uHadi (a traditional Xhosa bow instrument), live vocal effected loops, processors, field recordings and distortions. This event was co-curated by Tracy September. Tracy September is a musician, performer, and music researcher born in South Africa and based in Zürich. Drawing from jazz, traditional Xhosa singing, and electronic experimentation, her work explores memory, spirit, and protest through improvisation. Tracy weaves voice, electronics, texts, archives, and field recordings into storytelling rooted in ritual and community. She also composes for film, theatre, and dance, performs with the band Black Pitch, and DJs under the alias youngseptember.

Lea Lu & Juan Medina with Nils Wogram & Alejandra Lopez

«Vergel»

The Zurich singer-songwriter meets the flamenco guitarist Juan Medina - an encounter between the two musicians in which the musical worlds of folk, flamenco and jazz merge - something new is created. Already at their second meeting, Lea and Juan began to write songs and inspiration bubbled up. This resulted in their debut album Vergel, which means something like: It will be released in January on the Spanish label Satelite K and christened at Moods. The songs are about new beginnings, curiosity about life and the sun of January. Music that moves and touches the hearts of the audience. Juan&#x27;s virtuoso playing style meets Lea&#x27;s minimalist singer-songwriter arrangements: Her soft velvety voice flies over the raw energy of Juan&#x27;s guitar. Open harmonies between flamenco and jazz form the basic framework, above which Lea&#x27;s dancing, velvety voice floats. For the release concert, Lea and Juan will be joined by double bassist Alejandra Lopez from Madrid and jazz trombonist Nils Wogram.

Zurich Jazz Orchestra feat. Melissa Aldana

At the end of the year, the Zurich Jazz Orchestra presents the Grammy-nominated Blue Note artist Melissa Aldana - one of the most innovative and independent jazz musicians on the international scene. Born in Santiago de Chile, the saxophonist comes from a family of musicians: her father and grandfather were both saxophonists. She began playing the saxophone at the age of six under her father&#x27;s guidance. Initially influenced by Charlie Parker and Cannonball Adderley on the alto saxophone, she switched to the tenor saxophone after hearing Sonny Rollins. As a teenager, she played in jazz clubs in Santiago and was invited by pianist Danilo Pérez to perform at the Panama Jazz Festival in 2005. She later moved to the USA to study at Berklee College of Music. She released her debut album &quot;Free Fall“ in 2010. At the age of just 24, she was the first instrumentalist and first South American musician to win the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition. The Washington Post praised her as representing a new sense of possibility and a new direction in jazz. Her album Visions (2019) earned her a Grammy nomination in the Best Improvised Jazz Solo category. Nate Chinen (NPR Music) called it one of the best jazz albums of the year and praised Aldana&#x27;s ability to combine technical brilliance with a rich emotional palette. The concert program she is presenting with the Zurich Jazz Orchestra at Moods was written entirely by her. One part was arranged by Jim McNeely for the HR Big Band, the other by Ed Partyka especially for the ZJO and its soloists.

Muriel Grossmann Quartet

Saxophon

Composition

Hammond organ

Album Release «Breakthrough»

Muriel Grossmann is considered a master of spiritual jazz and has created impressive works with albums such as Devotion (Third Man Records, 2023) and The Light Of the Mind (RR Gems Records, 2024). The Ibiza-based multi-instrumentalist interweaves modal jazz in the tradition of John Coltrane with spiritual post-bop, free improvisation and sonic depth. Her compositions are tailor-made for her fellow musicians and impressively showcase their individual strengths. Grossmann creates a dense, meditative atmosphere on stage, as can be heard most recently on the live album MGQ live at King Georg, Cologne. At Moods, the quartet will present their latest album Breaktrough, which will be released at the end of September 2025 - and prove that they play even more vividly live than in the studio.

Patrick Sommer Sextet – Rhythm Creature

Sopransaxophon

Percussion

Guembri

E-Bass

Patrick Sommer

With Rhythm Creature, Patrick Sommer has created an ensemble that behaves like a pulsating organism. The band as a creature is only marginally tamed and indulges its instincts with relish. The musical ideas for this mostly originate from Patrick Sommer&#x27;s preoccupation with the Moroccan guembri, a lute-like, three-stringed instrument from the Western Sahara. The resulting creative output has also had a lasting influence on his approach to his other bass instruments, rhythms, and phrasing. The resulting pieces are characterised by interwoven rhythms, intense moods and captivating melodies. The band members are all groove specialists: Patrick has been working closely with guitarist Michael Bucher for countless years, and he has been playing in various formations with drummer Kaspar Rast, keyboardist Peter Wagner, saxophonist Dave Feusi and percussionist David Stauffacher for almost as long. Rhythm Creature now breathes life into these pieces and releases them into the wild.

MKZ Big Band Summit

Big Band Summit 2025 Once again: “Three Bands — One Event!” Every three years, Moods hosts the spectacular summit meeting of three big bands. The matinee will open with the Big Band MKZ under the direction of Zurich saxophonist Christoph Irniger. Next up, the SJMUZ BigBand, led by trombonist Lukas Reinert, will take to the already fired-up stage. For the third set, the two bandleaders will join 14 fellow teachers from the Zurich Music School and Conservatory (MKZ) as performers in the teachers@mkz.big.band , under the direction of pianist Andreas Christoph Szalatnay. The three ensembles present a wide stylistic range of compositions and arrangements, captivating the audience with their shared passion for orchestral jazz.

Den Dala

Synthesizer

Album Release «Say Hi to the Storks»

When you think of storks, you quickly think of offspring and new beginnings. They also flutter into Moods with Zurich band Den Dala for a record launch when they present their new album ‘Say Hi to the Storks’. Den Dala remains true to their roots. In their songs, they blend jazz, indie and psychedelic rock into a groovy mixture that makes it nearly impossible to stand still. The band is not alone - Junes, Rye (Chestnut Bakery) and Tim Bond, who are also featured on the album, will also be taking part. Not only can you say hi to the storks, but also do something good for them with your ticket. You have the option of making a donation to the Swiss Stork Society with your purchase. And a real record launch always includes a bit of mischief. What do a razor, the guitarist and 200 sold tickets have in common? You&#x27;ll find out at the concert.

Gansch & Roses

Flugelhorn

Tuba

50 Jahre Thomas Gansch Anniversary Band

Thomas Gansch needs little introduction. The Austrian trumpeter, composer and mastermind behind Mnozil Brass has already graced Moods several times - and he loved it. So much so that he is playing one of his only four shows with Gansch &amp; Roses here for his 50th birthday - the only one outside Austria and at his own request. He gave himself a birthday present: a band that will make you go into raptures. Greats such as Randy Brecker, James Morrison, Peter Erskine and Wolfgang Puschnig pay their respects to Gansch and play together with Michael Hornek, Albert Wieder, Florian Trübsbach, Fabian Rucker, Robert Hedemann - and of course the birthday boy himself. This concert was made possible in cooperation with JAM MUSIC LAB University. Thomas Gansch is professor, Peter Erskine and Randy Brecker are guest artists at JAM University. The concert is sold out; there will be no box office sales.

Tomoki Sanders

Electronics

E-Gitarre

Non-binary, music-crazy and at home in both Japanese and African-American culture. Tomoki Sanders is a free electron, eager to explore Great Black Music, urban music, electronic music and the avant-garde. Discovered at this year&#x27;s Winter JazzFest in New York, the 31-year-old talent is a promising artist for the future. Although Tomoki was born into music as the child of the legendary saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, they have made a name for themself. This is evident through their collaboration with the Kassa Overall supergroup over several years, as well as their joint performances with Moses Sumney, Ravi Coltrane and Maurice “Mobetta” Brown. Following these ventures, Tomoki Sanders produced the band&#x27;s debut album, set to be released on Impuls! in 2026. Building on the label&#x27;s rich history, it storms through the door reopened by Kamasi Washington and Shabaka Hutchings, showcasing all its fantastic personality.

Ludivine Issambourg feat. Brian Jackson

Flute

Spirit Music Society & Moods present

Ludivine Issambourg is one of the most famous French flutists, composers, and producers of the last 15 years. Her talent has won her the admiration of artists like Wax Taylor and Catherine Ringer. One reason for her popularity is her legendary album Outlaws, a celebrated tribute to Hubert Laws&#x27; jazz funk and his CTI years. At Moods, Issambourg will continue this story with her new work, Above the Law. She explores the influences of legendary flutists such as Jeremy Steig and Ronald Snijders, drawing inspiration from soul rare groove à la Gil Scott-Heron. The evening will be dedicated to Ludivine&#x27;s current vision of modern jazz. In addition to her own compositions, she will play select covers. For this performance, she has invited a special guest: Brian Jackson. The legendary pianist, flutist, and composer, who made music history with Gil Scott-Heron, will accompany Issambourg and her band at the Schiffbau.

Karriem Riggins & J. Rocc

Disk Jockey

Hip Hop Zoo & Moods present

These two US artists are something of a beacon in the hip-hop world. Their influence is felt far and wide, and they are hugely influential in the genre. Let&#x27;s start with Riggins, who also has an impressive career in jazz. For example, the drummer produced the rapper Common back in the &#x27;90s and has worked with renowned artists such as Erykah Badu, The Roots, J, Dilla,, Talib Kweli, Kaytranada and Madlib. He is also part of the Emmy Award-winning supergroup August Greene, alongside Common and Robert Glasper. J. Rocc is a turntable legend, one of the first DJs to play hip-hop in Southern California and the founder of the Beat Junkies. He also DJs for Madlib and was a member of Jaylib. The collaborative music of Karriem Riggins and J. Rocc sounds a bit like a classic beat tape, but is so much more. They span narratives across tracks and entire albums, giving the whole thing the character of a suite. Together, these two luminaries will guide the Moods ship safely through a stormy evening, navigating surging drum rolls, breaking beats and lightning-fast cuts. This concert will be standing.

Nik Bärtschs RONIN & Simone Felbers iheimisch – «Wätterglüüt»

Bass Clarinet

Kontrabassklarinette

Cello

Accordion

Exil und Moods präsentieren Montags 1090

Live Ambient Guitar Support: Joel Gilardini Nik Bärtsch and Simone Felber were commissioned to compose a piece for the Alpentöne 2025 festival and decided to pursue a project together. This is how RONIN meets iheimisch with «Wätterglüüt». Customs and tradition become music and music becomes customs. Which came first, the custom or the music? Stories interweave with reality, grooves with rhymes. «Wätterglüüt» oscillates between archaic, contemporary and political influences, balancing the enduring and the new. The program pays tribute to important aspects and people of our tradition and at the same time puts new customs in front of them. With this composition, Nik Bärtsch&#x27;s RONIN and Simone Felber&#x27;s iheimisch move forward to the roots and thus back to the future.

Andreas Schaerer’s Hildegard Lernt Fliegen

Reeds

20 Years Celebration 

Hildegard lernt Fliegen is not a band, but a storm. You buy a ticket and expect a concert, but what you get is a theatrical assault on your understanding of music, a Dada party, a single excitement. Band leader Andreas Schaerer unleashes his bubbling imagination on the audience at full throttle, and the Swiss sextet celebrates like the salvation of art from itself. The nameless debut album was a hit, as was the follow-up, and the band toured half of Europe, Russia and China with their mixture of jazz rock, tarantella, circus blues, swing and opera. After the presentation of their 2020 album &quot;The Waves Are Rising, Dear!&quot;, the band will celebrate their 20th anniversary at Moods. Known for their high-energy, unconventional stage performances, this sextet will once again prove that seriousness and fun in music do not have to be mutually exclusive, but on the contrary, inspire each other.

Mira Lu Kovacs

Mira Lu Kovacs is the voice of the avant-garde supergroup 5K HD, band leader, grunge-pop guitarist for My Ugly Clementine, sound corporate designer for Vienna&#x27;s Belvedere Museum and theatre musician. Amidst this exciting diversity, Mira Lu Kovacs&#x27; solo project on her latest album &quot;Please, Save Yourself&quot; (2024) surprises with an extraordinary calmness. Her voice, introspective lyrics and guitar unfold into sophisticated compositions that become music for daydreaming and maybe even shedding some tears.

30 Jahre Zurich Jazz Orchestra

Horn

30 Jahre Zurich Jazz Orchestra

Since its foundation three decades ago, the Zurich Jazz Orchestra (ZJO) has established itself as one of Europe&#x27;s leading professional big bands. With tireless energy, artistic curiosity and a deep love of the big band tradition, the ensemble has had a decisive influence on the Zurich jazz scene - with its unmistakable sound of swinging elegance, experimental openness and orchestral power. The musical development of the ZJO has been decisively shaped by the various musical directors, who have set new impulses with their signature style and expanded the stylistic diversity of the orchestra. Each era - whether characterized by their own compositions and arrangements, international collaborations or programmatic curiosity - has furthered the ZJO&#x27;s artistic identity. On its 30th anniversary, the ZJO looks back on an impressive musical journey. The anniversary concert program brings together highlights from the repertoire of the past decades - works that have particularly shaped the ensemble and its audience. At the same time, we are opening up the archive and bringing some hidden treasures back to the stage: less frequently performed compositions and arrangements that impressively expand the artistic spectrum of the ZJO. It is an evening full of memories, discoveries and perspectives - a musical homage to the past and a resounding outlook on the future of an orchestra that is constantly changing and yet remains true to its vision.

Floriano Inacio

Cavaquinho

Album Release Tour «Duas Moradas»

Pianist and composer Floriano Inacio Jr. has &quot;Duas Moradas&quot; (two homes) - he moved from the global metropolis of São Paulo to Bülach. And so his fifth album, which tells the story of this journey, is called Duas Moradas. The songs were written all over the world and recorded in a studio in the Brazilian hinterland. Inacio Jr. was inspired by nature, his family and his musician and poet friends, whose memory resonates in every note. The album captivates with a variety of Brazilian rhythms, which are also strongly influenced by the aesthetics of jazz. With engaging melodies, contemporary harmonies and expressive improvisation, the work reveals Floriano&#x27;s passion for jazz, especially Brazilian jazz.

Ace Ross

Finale

Ace Ross is the alter ego of drummer and producer Arthur Routaboul, who is active in various up-and-coming jazz and contemporary music bands. Ace Ross boldly combines live jazz and modern production. In doing so, he creates an innovative and captivating musical experience, influenced by bands such as corto.alto or Nubiyan Twist.

alpha-ray

alpha-ray describe their music as &quot;trip-hop-inspired, jazz-influenced, synthesiser-backed hybrid pop&quot; – and you can hear that influence. The quartet combines lyrical and intimate storytelling with electronic sounds and beats. The result is an intense yet gentle musical mix that reflects the contrasts of life.

Mundus

The Trio Mundus creates a powerful yet melancholic sound, drawing on influences from groove, contemporary jazz and hip-hop. Victor Decamp&#x27;s compositions act as a musical diary, capturing the feeling of being at home amidst moments of loneliness and intensity. This is music that never fails to surprise.

Zurich Jazz Orchestra feat. Thomas Gansch

Director

The long-standing and very fruitful partnership between Thomas Gansch and the Zurich Jazz Orchestra will continue this year. In addition to repertoire from the past, there will also be new arrangements written by Ed Partyka especially for this concert, presenting Thomas Gansch as a composer and multi-instrumental soloist, but also as an amiable &#x27;enfant terrible&#x27;. One thing is certain: the wonderful musicians of the ZJO will provide some musical surprises. It is also certain that the band and the audience will experience an unforgettable evening.

Elina Duni Trio feat. Rabih Abou-Khalil

Jurykonzert

Born in 1981 as the daughter of a writer and a director in the Albanian capital Tirana, Elina Duni first appeared on stage at the age of just five. A lot has happened since her first musical steps on radio and television: today, Elina Duni is an ECM artist and, since 2017, a laureate of the Swiss Music Prize. In this ZKB Jazz Prize Special, the oud virtuoso Rabih Abou-Khalil meets the Elina Duni Trio with Marc Méan and Matthieu Michel. A unique constellation that will probably bring some golden moments. The concert took place as part of the ZKB Jazz Prize.

Zurich Jazz Orchestra Funk Night

Joseph Bowie’s Big Band Funk - The Legendary Music of Defunkt

Joseph Bowie is the brother of the big band musician Byron Bowie and the co-founder of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Lester Bowie. Joe himself founded the punk-funk-jazz group Defunkt in 1978. The band released several genre-bending albums in the 1980s, and their music has been called one of the most adventurous sounds of the last quarter of the 20th century. Over the past 20 years, Joe Bowie has also worked to adapt this music for big band. One of the arrangers Joe has worked with since 2011 is Ed Partyka. The ZJO is looking forward to an energetic evening of danceable hits from the long history of Defunkt.

Dominique Fils-Aimé

Dominique Fils-Aimé is back with a new album and after several attempts finally plays the Moods stage for the first time. Following her successful trilogy of albums that traced the history of African-American culture and history and even earned her a JUNO for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year in 2020, comes her latest record, &quot;Our Roots Run Deep,&quot; which will be released in September 2023 on Ensoul Records. Inspired by soul icons such as Billie Holiday, Etta James and Nina Simone, the Canadian with Haitian roots tells of the wellspring of her soul and holds the audience with her voice in a soothing sonic embrace.

Nubiyan Twist

Acclaimed by the press and critics, celebrated by fans, part of the crème de la crème of British jazz, Nubiyan Twist from Leeds bring together virtuoso musicians, experienced producers and inspired composers under the direction of Tom Excell. Together they create an unmistakable, infectious big band sound with influences from jazz, hip hop, Afrobeat, Latin, soul, reggae and dance music – a captivating, powerful musical experience.

Zurich Jazz Orchestra

Regie

Best of: Arranging Jazz

The art of jazz arranging has been around for 100 years. The Zurich Jazz Orchestra will trace the development of this art form for big band - a best-of program as a look back at our season theme The Art of Arranging. The journey begins in the 1920s, continues with the swing and big band era of the 1930s and 1940s and leads into the post-war period. Influential arrangers such as Bob Brookmeyer, Gil Evans, Carla Bley, Billy Strayhorn, George Gruntz and Mathias Rüegg will be in the spotlight and show how &quot;The Art of Arranging&quot; has developed over the past 50 years.

Zurich Jazz Orchestra feat. Ola Onabulé

Vocal Artistry Series

If little more than a year passes before the ZJO invites a guest for a second time, the premiere must have been a complete success: In November 2022, British-Nigerian vocalist and songwriter Ola Onabulé performed with the ZJO for the first time. He is a virtuoso, self-effacing singer and a lyricist with today&#x27;s world in mind and history in the back of his mind. The topics of his songs hardly leave anything out, from basic human love of life to political content. In doing so, he refrains from stereotyping, which makes his work more elaborate, but his songs all the more authentic.

Zurich Jazz Orchestra feat. Karolina Strassmayer

Gil Evans' «New Bottle Old Wine»

The Zurich Jazz Orchestra will present the complete program of the original arrangements of Gil Evans&#x27; classic album New Bottle Old Wine from 1958, with alto saxophone soloist Karolina Strassmayer interpreting the parts originally played by Cannonball Adderley. Compositions such as King Porter Stomp, St. Louis Blues and Round Midnight will be heard. Before Strassmayer became the first woman to join the WDR Big Band in 2004, she was part of the New York jazz scene for over 15 years and played with Chico Hamilton and the Diva Jazz Orchestra. Today she is a professor of jazz saxophone at the Folkwang University in Essen, where she founded and still directs an empowerment program for women in jazz. The second set of the concert features jazz standards arranged by Ed Partyka for the outstanding soloists of the ZJO and orchestrated for the same unique instrumentation as Gil Evans: Trumpets and trombones are reduced from four to three each, with horn and tuba used instead. The piano is missing entirely and the saxophones are largely replaced by flutes and clarinets.

Jazz

Rap / R'n'B / Brass

Experimental

Jazz Experimental

Soul / Blues / Funk

Rap / R'n'B

Pop / Rock / Singer / Songwriter

Jazz Modern Creative

Global Sounds

Electronic / Party

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Zurich Jazz Orchestra playing Rob McConnell

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