Zurich Jazz Orchestra feat. Theo Bleckmann

Ed Partyka and Theo Bleckmann have worked together on several projects in Germany and Finland since 2007, and as Theo is the new jazz vocal teacher at the ZHDK, a collaboration with the ZJO was but a matter of time. Originally this was supposed to happen last season, but unfortunate circumstances made a postponement necessary. Ed Partyka will arrange Theo&#x27;s own compositions as well as a broad repertoire ranging from jazz standards to songs by Kate Bush for Theo&#x27;s unique voice and combine them with the many interesting instrumental textures and timbres of the Zurich Jazz Orchestra. A very special vocal jazz concert. Theo Bleckmann is a multiple GRAMMY®-nominated singer, composer and ECM recording artist who has recorded more than 17 albums and collaborated with artists such as Ambrose Akinmusire, Sheila Jordan, Kneebody, Ben Monder, John Hollenbeck, Phil Kline, David Lang, Ulysses Owens, Bang on a Can All-Stars and, most notably, Meredith Monk since 1994. Bleckmann was interviewed by Terry Gross on the NPR program Fresh Air and appeared on the David Letterman Show with Laurie Anderson. He consistently tops the DownBeat polls, and in his home country of Germany he was awarded the prestigious JAZZ ECHO by the German Phono Academy.

Leitung

Vocals

Altsaxophon

Saxophon

Baritone Saxophone

Trumpet

Trombone

Bassposaune

Tuba

Flugelhorn

Guitar

Piano

Bass

Drum Kit

Anouar Kaddour Chérif - El Mizan

jazzhane & Moods present

El Mizan, translated as &quot;the balance&quot; in Arabic, symbolizes equilibrium and harmony, evoking a fluidity in movement. Initiated by Algerian composer Anouar Kaddour Chérif, El Mizan explores &quot;Magh-rock,&quot; a psychedelic folk fusion of captivating rhythms infused with Algerian chaabi and experimental music. The lyrics, in Darija, a Maghreb dialect, celebrate freedom, the aspirations of new generations, and the melancholy of exile, all expressed with a musical fervor transcending borders. Through its debut album, &quot;Harba&quot; (&quot;the escape&quot;), El Mizan evokes popular memories and infectious rhythms, blending scales and ideals without concern for geographical boundaries, forging connections between the East and the West. Inspired by the diverse cultural mix of its members, El Mizan creates contemporary sounds, delivering a pronounced rock sound punctuated by elegant vocal harmonies. This unique cultural fusion radiates immense energy, celebrating the wisdom of the elders and the passionate dreams of new generations.

Warm Up & Afterparty with Mumbi Kameri

Swiss-Kenyan selecta Mumbi Kameri is a Zurich-based music collector, selector, and radio host and curator. A resident at Kasheme and the initiator of the newly founded Kasheme Radio, Mumbi is known for her eclectic sets, with roots in reggae, jazz, and percussive sounds. She likes to take her audience on a musical journey that is both soulful and surprising. Mumbi’s tasteful selections have taken her to cities and venues in Salerno, Istanbul, Dublin or Berlin. We’re happy to host her for the first time at jazzhane.

Mandolin

Composition

Clarinet

Percussion

Anna Erhard

Hollabackshroom & Chrigi G. us Z.

11 Jahre GDS.FM - Warm Up

Two GDS resident DJs will be on the decks before and between the concerts: Hollabackshroom from Zurich played a wonderful summer set at the GDS roof terrace day last summer despite the rain. She will also be there for the anniversary. She only has vinyl in her luggage, but in various genres from psychadelic to hip hop, jazz, 50/60/70s, disco, rare grooves and ambient. Chrigi G. us Z. has been collecting music for a long time. Almost pathologically, actually. With GDS.FM, he has now found a way to make it accessible. He puts together daily playlists for the radio program and presents his favorites mixed in clubs and bars or at festivals.

Melting Steine

11 Jahre GDS.FM

Melting Steine are multi-instrumentalists and producers Martin Schenker and Luzius Schuler as well as keyboard player and bassist Dshamilja Kalt. Their nostalgic, warm instrumental music combines elements of jazz, bossa and psychedelic synthesizer music and sounds like the soundtrack to your dream island in the Mediterranean Sea. Their incomparable sound is created in a garage in the middle of Switzerland, where they record their compositions on an old Tascam tape machine with guitar, drum machines, flute and analog synthesizer. Lots of chorus, tape delay, vibrato, spring reverb and the warmth of analog recording technology give the music a psychedelic touch and you can hear the musical influences of the 60s and 70s. This is carefully crafted mood music that is sophisticated but has catchy melodies and unique sounds that have earworm potential.

Anna Erhard tackles the big issues with small words. With a trained eye and surgical precision, she dissects the thematic world of a thirtysomething and relentlessly presses where it hurts. On her recently released third album Botanical Garden, Erhard explores the boundaries between classic song structures and associative writing with sparkling imagination and a keen sense for everyday curiosities. While the music on Botanical Garden sounds somewhat more accessible than on Campsite, the lyrics also seem freer and more direct. Anna Erhard is larger than life - despite, or perhaps because of, her height of exactly 1.70 m. GDS.FM (Zurich&#x27;s radio against the current) is an independent and ad-free platform for music creators. We are committed to making local cultural diversity accessible on the radio. For ten years, we have been organizing our own concert series and club nights in various locations and broadcasting live from festivals and events of all kinds. Since October 2024 every now and then at Moods.

Clits mit Sticks

11 Jahre GDS.FM - Afterparty hosted by Konsumkamine Kollektiv

If you only want to go to the after-party, you can pay the solidarity fee of 10 at the box office. The proceeds will be used to finance the construction of the new Konsumkamine bike for the Critical Mass. rrThe Clits will be playing with sticks. The dynamic DJ duo from Zurich, consisting of Tsali and DJ Senn, have repeatedly been responsible for wild nights at Senderkeller, Kauz and the Am Bach Festival. Their music covers a wide spectrum from tech and breaks to fun edits, indie dance and wave.

Disk Jockey

Le String Blö

Roberto Domeniconi

... combine the fresh energy of the young guard with the experience and expertise of musicians who have been shaking up the scene for some time. The two bandleaders and composers Sebastian Strinning and Lino Blöchlinger met at the Lucerne School of Music and began their musical collaboration as a duo in 2015, soon joined by Roberto Domeniconi, Urban Lienert and Reto Eisenring. The result is a music of solid and transparent constructions, a mixture of avant-rock and jazz - music full of energy and enthusiasm. Their second album &quot;Panda Bounce&quot; has just been released in 2024. 

Tenorsaxophon

Fender-Rhodes E-Piano

Jan Schlegel Solo

Jan Schlegel is a real father figure among improvising electric bassists in this country. Originally successful in experimental rock, he slipped seamlessly into the experimental jazz scene around Urs Blöchlinger and into his &quot;Legfek Trio&quot; with Peter Landis. Today, he continues to amaze musicians with his wealth of ideas and ever-changing sounds, as well as his unerring sense of form and time. The electric bassist is an accomplished jack-of-all-trades in jazz and free improvisation, working with Gabriela Friedli, Co Streiff, Dieter Ulrich, Omri Ziegele and Dieter Ulrich, among others. Always in search of sound, he manipulates his bass with rocks, staples, and other objects - whether in composed music, improvisation, or somewhere in between.

Weber–Künzi–Domeniconi

Pianist Roberto Domeniconi is a sensitive, visionary inventor who opens up new horizons with every note. Together with Christian Weber on bass, whose multifaceted playing ties the form of the music together, and percussionist Emanuel Künzi, whose delicate agility and dancing groove bring the compositions to life, they complement each other to form a trio. Their music is an adventure, a story of friendship, tradition and discovery, deeply rooted in the history of jazz and pointing to the immediate future. Together they weave a sonic narrative that evokes both images and emotions, transporting their listeners into a pleasant weightlessness.

E-Bass

Dr.O.G.E

Flo Stoffner

Dave Gisler

&quot;Free improvisation at its best&quot; is what Swiss guitarist Flo Stoffner embodies in a unique way. His way of playing and deconstructing the guitar is unmistakable and unique and has been described as &quot;some kind of autopsy of the guitar sound&quot;. Solo or in collaboration with musicians such as John Butcher, Chris Corsano, Paul Lovens, Rudi Mahall, Albert Cirera and Hans Koch, but also with spoken word artist Anna Frey or with Anna &amp; Stoffner, he has become one of the outstanding figures of the European improvisation scene. Looking back as well as forward, he raises the banner of instant composing and proves again and again how alive, surprising and up-to-date the tradition of free improvisation is today.

Two musicians invent a new state of intoxication: no drugs, just drums, organ and electric guitar. Valeria Zangger, Dominik Blum and Dave Gisler leave times and styles behind when they create their music. Motifs, essences and quotations are taken from the pool of rock, pop and their own musical worlds and catapulted into new dimensions through improvisation. The result can be a cross between Pink Floyd and free jazz, or a noise prayer with Jimi Hendrix and Arnold Schoenberg. This trio was initiated by drummer Fredy Studer, who died unexpectedly in August 2022. Valeria Zangger is now on board, with a stylistic spectrum ranging from pop music to experimental and free improvisation. The interweaving of the most diverse musical hallucinations characterises the trio and is the chemical formula for their explosive fuel. What they have in common is the desire to create energetic sound processes inspired by the history of rock and jazz, which vibrate atmospherically in the free play of encounters and can grow into powerful vibrations.

E-Gitarre

Orgel

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.

Raphael Loher - Solo

Set 1. Raphael Loher Set 2. Ramón Oliveras Set 3. Belia Winnewisser Through the use of different materials and objects, the pianist Raphael Loher creates a wide spectrum of pulsating and shimmering sounds, radiating out of the piano&#x27;s resonance body. In doing so, he combines elements of ambient, minimal and experimental electronic music. With his meditative style of playing, he engages us in a captivating atmosphere filled with delicate nuances, subtle sonic transformations and illusive shifting patterns. Loher&#x27;s piano music offers us a musical experience that is both fascinating and deeply touching. Known for his work with groups such as KALI Trio or Baumschule, Loher will commence an evening of Rituals with a solo performance. Loher&#x27;s composition ‘Keemuun’ deals with hypnotising minimal patterns and invites the listener on a journey into their own inner world.

Ramón Oliveras - Solo

In January Ramón Oliveras released his solo album &quot;A Certain Darkness Is Needed to See the Stars&quot;, a solo percussion performance, which he will now celebrate with a release concert at Moods. Like Raphael Loher&#x27;s solo piece &quot;Keemuun&quot;, both pieces deal with hypnotizing minimal patterns and invite the listener on a journey into their own inner world. Olivera&#x27;s high-energy minimal piece revolves around the non-dualistic state of life/death and one&#x27;s own body as a kind of (dance) meditation by means of pulsating polyrhythms. It makes use of the full weight of the drums and moves musically between drum rituals, contemporary minimalism and techno rave. We are delighted to celebrate Loher and Olivera&#x27;s joint premiere at Moods.

Belia Winnewisser - Solo

Playful and curious, enigmatic and energetic, with a love of small details and grand gestures: Belia Winnewisser&#x27;s musical language is personal. Enjoying a piece of her music is like having a conversation with the Zurich musician, listening to an entire album is like a day spent together. Winnewisser finds a balance in collaboration, whether with the video artist Subrihanna, as a composer in projects for theater and radio plays or by passing on her skills in music production workshops for FLINTA* artists – here Winnewisser explicitly opens herself up to the experiences and ideas of others. Her first record Radikale Akzeptanz (2018, Präsens Editionen) was released after many years in various bands (Evje, Silver Firs, a=f/m) and studying music and media art at the Bern University of the Arts. After SODA (Präsens Editionen, 2021), her third album The Essence Of released in July 2024 on the Cologne label SPA – a search for the origin of the self in music, and ultimately an open self-portrait. In between, she released two rhythmically gripping EPs, Mother Earth Took Poison In Her Soil (Die Orakel, 2022) and Tid (with Luca Durán, Präsens Editionen, 2023), which draw on her experience as a club DJ. Her upcoming EP, Mirror, is on the horizon and set for release in April 2025.

Malphino

Malphino is a mystical band from an imaginary tropical island that has devised a cinematic soundtrack to its idyll; a promised land of hypnotic cumbia rhythms, subtle digital chirps, accordion textures, voodoo fumes and woodblock charm. The latest single from this multinational group with members from Japan, Malaysia, Colombia, France, the United Kingdom and the Philippines has been released on the Swiss label Bongo Joe Records.

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 Malphino. ¡Fuego!

Synthesizer

Guiro

Maracas

Accordion

Congas

Tambora

Cowbel

Cymbal

Martha High & The Soul Cookers

Martha High accompanied James Brown, the «Godfather of Soul», for 30 years as a backing singer. Her historical contribution to soul music is beyond question. High confirmed her reputation for being an exceptionally talented musician with her solo album «Singing For The Good Times», which was released in 2016 and met with universal acclaim. From Old School to New School: Martha High &amp; the Soul Cookers are finally coming to Moods.

K.O.S Crew Dancehall Mood

Party

Dancehall Mood is the monthly reggae and dancehall party at Moods. Like on every first Saturday of the month, the K.O.S crew will make the Moods club cooking with hot riddims. This promises an evening full of dancehall hits and reggae rarities, perfectly tuned to the respective audience and immaculately presented by the K.O.S crew and their guest.

David Helbock´s Random/Control feat. Fola Dada

Random/Control was David Helbock&#x27;s most important project for many years. The three musicians from Vorarlberg celebrated their 15th anniversary last year and performed hundreds of concerts together all over the world. After the release of three albums - Random/Control (Traumton 2010), Think of Two (Traumton 2014) and Tour d&#x27;Horizon (ACT 2018) - the band is ready for a new program and new adventures. The album Think of Two, which is dedicated to the two music legends Thelonious Monk and Hermeto Pascoal, impressed Hermeto himself so much that he contributed to it and recorded especially for Random/Control in Brazil. The trio&#x27;s trademark is and remains its many instruments - just three musicians, but well over 20 instruments. Inspired by this variety of sound possibilities, David Helbock, who concentrates on the piano and some percussion, has composed many new pieces, setting poems by William Blake, Emily Dickinson and others to music. Now the trio has invited Fola Dada to sing these very poems. Fola Dada is an extremely versatile artist and can be described as a pioneer when it comes to combining different genres in song. She has become an integral part of the German jazz and soul scene and was awarded the German Jazz Prize in the singing category in 2022. Helbock&#x27;s passionate, wild trio meets one of Germany&#x27;s most exciting singers!

Reeds

Beatbox

Tatiana Eva-Marie

Tatiana Eva-Marie, who was born into a Parisian family of musicians, painters, and poets, is a transatlantic bandleader, singer, author, and actress based in Brooklyn. Though her interests have led her to explore a wide range of musical styles, Tatiana Eva-Marie’s craft is always inspired by her own French and Romanian-Gypsy heritage and a love for the Parisian art scene era spanning the 1920s to the 60s. Her newest album “Djangology” (2024) highlights the music of Django Reinhardt the composer, with her own lyrics in French, English, and Romanes (the language of the Roma) set to her original arrangements, laying the foundations for a Django songbook.

Violin

Matthias Tschopp Quartet

Miró vs. Basquiat

The concert stage as a canvas: paintings and untitled sculptures by both Swiss artists and world-famous painters serve as the starting point for Tschopp&#x27;s compositions. How do Pollock, Warhol, Basquiat and the like sound when their works are translated into musical notes? Jazz composer and baritone saxophonist Matthias Tschopp and his quartet use fine and sometimes wild brushstrokes to paint a colorful jazz artwork that looks a little different every time.

Kal Band

Kultur Shock & Moods present

The eclectic rhythm created by the combination of Balkan music with swing, jazz, blues and pop produces a completely new and original sound that is carried through from the first to the last chord. The group was founded in 1996 and has since played thousands of concerts, including all the major European festivals such as Fusion, Sziget, Berlinale and many more. With their wit, their ability to combine different sounds and their refusal to stick to folkloristic rules, Kal are both part of the gypsy tradition and cultural activists of the 21st century.

Mario Peric

Warm Up & Afterparti

The BalkanEkstra Parti doesn&#x27;t stop at oriental sounds or Arabic rhythms - the main thing is to dance! With the legendary concert and party series Kultur Shock, Mario Peric is one of the pioneers of the Balkan scene as an organizer, DJ and producer. He has been thrilling audiences for many years with his varied, explosive and crazy sounds. His musical spectrum cannot be pinned down to one direction. The main thing is that it rocks!

Florence Adooni

In short, Florence Adooni is one of the most influential vocalists of Frafra Gospel in northern Ghana, where the northern savannah meets the rainforest. In her touching and innovative arrangements, Adooni puts a contemporary veil on this vibrant musical culture. Highlife, Afrobeat and West African polyrhythms become a spiritual sound you can&#x27;t get enough of. The new album &quot;A.O.E.I.U (An Ordinary Experience In Unity)&quot; of the &quot;Queen of Fra Fra&quot; was released this February.

Keyboards

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!

BUREAU BUREAU für die ganze Familie

Experiencing music together is the focus of the family concert series at Moods. There are no children&#x27;s songs, but rather concerts with good music that invite you to dance and marvel. In a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere, young and old have the opportunity to discover the colorful world of music together and be inspired by the enthusiasm. With a colorful mixture of jazz, spoken word and wild improvisation, Bureau Bureau invites everyone to a musical adventure. Sometimes loud and boisterous, sometimes soft and playful, the three musicians create worlds of sound that captivate and entertain. A concert full of surprises for curious ears! - Duration of the concert 50-65 minutes - Kids of all ages are welcome. - We will keep the volume at a reasonable level, but we do recommend hearing protection for the little ones. - Children under the age of 12 can attend the concert free of charge, but we ask that they reserve a free ticket in the system. - Teenagers between the ages of 12 and 16 pay half price. - Can&#x27;t afford a ticket? Send us an email at info@moods.ch.

BUREAU BUREAU

BUREAU BUREAU have been playing experimental music with a focus on text as a duo since 2021 and working together on various other projects: In 2022, they premiered a work for 24 musicians on the subject of glacier melt, wrote reworks of music by an ensemble of friends, played a Kirchenhall program and released their first album as a book. They won the ZKB Jazz Prize 2022 and played concerts in Switzerland and Germany. In addition to the search for something new in music, the project focuses on a thematic reference to current affairs and an interdisciplinary approach. The music of Loenne and Cina can probably be described as combining around 40 different sounds, playing loud and wild, throwing lyrics around and yet being softies at heart. Spoken word meets pop meets free improvisation. Somehow experimental music, but mostly – and above all – appealing to people who say they don&#x27;t listen to that much experimental music. BUREAU BUREAU work as an actual BUREAU for small and big stories. And sound. Sound!

Lea Maria Fries

Album Release «Cleo»

A fascinating voice reminiscent of Mélanie De Biasio and Beth Gibbons: Lea Maria Fries (et.nu, 22° Halo) is releasing her first solo album &#x27;Cleo&#x27; on 4 April 2025. On it, the Swiss singer confidently tells of an artist&#x27;s intimate search for her future, maturity and sensitivity. It is about encounters with the world, about being a woman in society and culture, and about becoming a queen like the one who has inspired her since childhood: Cleopatra. Strong, soulful, powerful, fresh and full of surprises, &#x27;Cleo&#x27; captivates the listener with every note.

Yazz Ahmed Quartet

«A Paradise In The Hold»

With her music, British-Bahraini trumpeter Yazz Ahmed seeks to blur the lines between jazz and electronic sound design, bringing together the sounds of her mixed heritage in what has been described as &quot;psychedelic Arabic jazz, intoxicating and captivating.&quot; Her fourth studio album, A Paradise in the Hold, delves even deeper into her dual heritage and has produced a treasure trove that draws on traditional music and stories from her childhood home. Ahmed writes for voice for the first time, with lyrics inspired by Bahraini wedding poems and the yearning songs of pearl divers. Deeply textural, expansive and full of potent performances, the album charts the heroic voyages of the jewel hunters of yore, who sailed home through rough seas with precious cargo, and Ahmed&#x27;s own journey of self-discovery over the past decade. Her compositions invite us to groove and dance whilst embracing an introspective melancholy as we embark on a journey from London through Zurich to Bahrain and back again. In her words: &quot;I hope that through my music I can bring people together, build bridges between cultures and change the perception of women in jazz and people of Middle Eastern heritage.&quot;

Yusuf Findus

The music-listening carpet likes fruit. Cucumbers &amp; carrots too. In his day to day as jazz booker at Moods, he reads and writes countless artist bios, which is why he is committed to a world without curly parsley. Yunus will prepare a tasting menu, consisting of seven kilos of near mint records, three varieties of bağlama, market jazz from Kerns with a jus de disco &amp; soundtrack confit. For dessert: Doppio with Parsley, smooth, VSOP 1993. Kisses from the kitchen.

Vibraphon

Sina

The renowned artist Sina is celebrating her 30th anniversary. The singer has invited her loyal fans to determine the live program: The Bescht of 30 Jahre fan playlist is the result of this campaign. No-one charms and causalizes with the audience like she does, and because Sina turns every concert evening into a unique experience, it&#x27;s worth paying her and her six-piece band a visit. It&#x27;s all about giving something back to the fans, says Sina, because I&#x27;m very grateful to be able to do this job thanks to them. Celebrate with me and accompany Sina on her anniversary tour through Switzerland!

Melina Nora

Support Act

Melina Nora&#x27;s playful music tells of growing up and growing away, of setting off, arriving and returning from time to time. A balancing act between heaviness and lightness, a look out of the train window, the blinding sun on your face, the passing landscape in the periphery and your thoughts somewhere else entirely. Wallisertitschi-Indie-Popmüsig-Unplugged - light-footed, yet with depth. Fresh, fragile, free and a little rebellious! The young Valais native will open the evening with her emotional songs.

Mãeana

Adalu & Moods present

Following a successful run in Brazil the performance Mãeana is now embarking on a tour across Europe. The repertoire blends timeless songs popularized by the Bahian João Gilberto with contemporary hits by the Pernambucan João Gomes. Juazeiro and Petrolina meet on the bridge formed by Mãeana, creating what she calls &quot;pisa nova,&quot; a fusion of the piseiro groove with the intention of bossa nova. The vocals will be accompanied by guitar and percussion, framed by Mãeana&#x27;s unique aesthetics that transform every stage she graces.

V.I.P. Session by JUR Records

Semtex 50 bday

JUR Label founder Semtex aka Sasha is celebrating his 50th birthday and is inviting all Drum’n’Bass lovers to the ultimate birthday session. Get ready for a wild night of dancing with top-notch DJs and a hefty dose of Drum’n’Bass! He started collecting and selling vinyl at the age of 16 – then in 1991, he founded the legendary JUR Records, which continues to throw DnB parties and hip-hop concerts to this day. For his big day, Semtex has put together a killer lineup that speaks for itself: Seba (Secret Operations, Sweden) is coming through with his new album and will set the decks on fire. Klute (Commercial Suicide, London) is known for his versatile DnB sets – always full of surprises. Robyn Chaos (Therapy Sessions UK), the Queen of Darkness, will be playing a top-tier old school set – goosebumps guaranteed. And: we’re also celebrating Z-Groove’s birthday that night – Twice the reason to tear up the dancefloor! Grab your discounted presale tickets and join us for a night full of beats, bass, and good vibes with Semtex and Z-Groove. We’re looking forward to seeing you! Cheers, Semtex

Nduduzo Makhathini

Since making his international debut for Blue Note in 2020 with Modes of Communication: Letters From the Underworlds, Makhathini has earned widespread acclaim for the genuinely spiritual transcendence of his music. For Makhathini, a Zulu healer and educator who has delved deeply into the histories and traditions of his ancestors, improvised music has never been merely about aesthetics or idioms. As the New York Times put it when naming Modes of Communication one of the Best Jazz Albums of 2020: “In a moment when spiritual jazz has become a dangerously buzzy concept, trust a musician who has truly devoted his life to divination practices.” Makhathini&#x27;s third release on Blue Note, uNomkhubulwane travels beyond any existing notion of music-making to offer his most profound vision of creative mysticism yet. Here the pianist seeks inspiration on a wholly metaphysical plane — using sound as a way to commune with, as he puts it, “supernatural voices.” Makhathini’s three-movement suite takes its title from the Zulu name of “God’s only daughter and a manifestation of God’s very creation purpose,” the pianist explains. “She is also believed to be a mythical rain goddess, a regulator of nature, light and fertility.” A shapeshifting force, uNomkhubulwane can manifest in the form of an animal, or a hurricane or a rainbow — the lattermost of which, Makhathini says, symbolizes her “kindness and regulation of balance.” As always, Makhathini’s message is ultimately one of perpetual optimism for his people, and for all people. “Essentially, this offering is an invitation to humanity to cultivate ways of being that yearn for freedom and balance,” he says. “Here I invite you to a new mode of humanism that is oriented towards singing the songs of uNomkhubulwane.” What a delight and honour to welcome Nduduzo Makhathni to moods for the third time for an evening of shared music, spirituality and philosophy.

Sélène Saint-Aimé String Trio

Sélène Saint-Aimé only appeared on the music scene a few years ago and has already developed a strong, independent identity. With a father from Martinique and a Franco-Ivorian mother, she describes herself as an Afro-descendant. Accordingly, her musical identity is clearly cosmopolitan, as she is influenced by both her roots and her travels. In this exclusive concert series, she will reinterpret songs from Louisiana, the West Indies and La Réunion and get to the bottom of her Creole identity. She will be accompanied by Cedric Watson, one of the most distinguished violinists for Creole Southern music, and Guillaume Latil, one of the most sought-after jazz cellists.

Cello

Hammond organ

Zurich Jazz Orchestra feat. Thomas Gansch

Album Release «Neat Little Songs»

The long and very fruitful artistic relationship between Thomas Gansch and the ZJO has now been immortalized on a studio recording. This new CD will be presented on May 22nd at Moods. The program consists exclusively of compositions by Thomas Gansch, arranged by Ed Partyka. In addition to Thomas, the soloists of the ZJO can also be heard extensively. The music is profound and humorous at the same time and combines elements of jazz, classical and folk music with unexpected detours into the world of film music and 20th century pop culture. Almost exactly eleven years have passed since Thomas Gansch&#x27;s first performance with the ZJO. Today he is a good friend of the band and a favorite of the ZJO audience. The basic concept therefore remains the same for the joint CD: musical fireworks, fun, unconventional, crazy. Gansch and the ZJO have already performed everything imaginable together: Gil Evans, Don Ellis, their own music. And Thomas Gansch&#x27;s own music can now be heard on the new CD. Thomas Gansch and Ed Partyka have known each other for half an eternity. They met in 1999 at the Vienna Art Orchestra, and later Ed Partyka also played in Thomas Gansch&#x27;s band Gansch &amp; Roses. We have known each other for so long, but until now I have never had the opportunity to arrange his music for a jazz orchestra. I am very pleased that this has finally become possible and that we can present this special program with new arrangements with the ZJO on a joint disc, says Ed Partyka. Thomas Gansch not only has a keen awareness of the history of popular music and jazz, his roots also extend to Alpine folk music and the entire history of European classical music. All this profound knowledge is wrapped up in Viennese humor and presented with a great stage show and virtuoso trumpet playing. Listening to him, you get the impression that playing the trumpet is very easy.

FORQ

Yeah! FORQ is back! Originally formed by pianist Henry Hey (who played in the bands of David Bowie, Rod Stewart...) and Michael League, the all-star band from New York has just released their sixth album &quot;Big Party&quot; last year. Instead of League Eli Menezes now plays bass, who has shared the stage with Richard Bona and Lauryn Hill, but otherwise everything remains the same with Chris MqQueen (Snarky Puppy, Bokanté) and Jason &quot;JT&quot; Thomas (Snarky Pully, Roy Hargrove, D&#x27;Angelo) on drums.

Ms. Hyde

From researched obscurities to disco-funky grooves and hits with format. Exclusively vinyl.

Melike Şahin

Singer, songwriter, and composer Melike Şahin is Istanbul&#x27;s latest shining star. Known to be the modern «Turkish Diva», Melike is an unconventional modern pop icon. Aficionados of psychedelia will remember her voice from the legendary Turkish psychedelic band BaBa Zula, and indeed Melike&#x27;s music draws from her earlier artistic journey. Signature and euphoric guitar riffs, organs, and synthesizers seamlessly blend with her modern interpretation of Anatolian pop, a style she calls «Mediterranean Arabesque». Her bittersweet and poignant lyrics are a continuation of the cultural heritage of the Mediterranean. A passionate storyteller, Melike powerfully sings about womanhood, equality, and resilience. In «Bedelini Ödedim» («I paid the price») she sings «I deserve every inch of this proud smile» and «No way I&#x27;d break down, see I got back on my feet again». Her songs have become feminist anthems at women&#x27;s rallies in Turkey.  Having collaborated with award-winning musicians around the globe, Melike will release her second studio album Akkor in late 2024 and perform in Switzerland for the first time in May 2025!

Anıl

Warm Up & Afterparty 

Co-founder of jazzhane, Anıl believes that his search for melancholy in music and the perception of home (or the lack thereof) is a search for belonging: a feeling that can be fictitious. Believing that stories are told through music, Anıl blends melodramatic tunes from Anatolia and the Levant with the Andalusian cadence, Rumba, or Cumbia, accompanied by deep basslines. Depending on the night and setting, the stories can be dark, joyful, ecstatic, or humorous, oftentimes energetic and with explosive energy.

Greg Foat

He is a jazz pianist, composer, music producer - and a fixture on the London jazz scene: Greg Foat. In his pieces, Foat mixes jazz and ambient with electronic influences, creating unique soundscapes that invite immersion and exploration. Greg Foat is an innovator, always pushing the boundaries of his music. He recently collaborated with Venetian electro legend Gigi Masin on the critically acclaimed «Dolphin». His creativity knows no bounds. His live releases are proof of this. On «Live at Can Rudayla, Ibiza», for example, he fuses analogue synthesizers with ambient house and space jazz, while on «Live at Villa Maximus, Mykonos», he combines more cosmic jazz sounds with psychedelic elements. Foat will perform at Moods with the living groove machine Moses Boyd. The young jazz drummer, who turns 34 this year, has been described by the Guardian as the poster boy of London&#x27;s jazz revival.

Quinteto Astor Piazzolla

The music of Astor Piazzolla lives on! For over twenty years, the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla has been dedicated to the artistic legacy of the Argentinian composer and bandoneon virtuoso. Both classics and lesser-known pieces introduce us to the sonic kaleidoscope and intoxicating rhythms of tango nuevo. The Piazzolla Quinteto is the only project authorised by Piazzolla&#x27;s widow that has access to the huge estate of the old master. Having already won two Latin Grammy Awards for their albums, their latest album &#x27;Oblivion&#x27; is due for release in 2025.

Bandoneon

SOFIA @ JazzBaragge 

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio—or simply DLO3—burst onto the scene with their 2016 debut Close But No Cigar, quickly topping the U.S. jazz charts. To best prepare for the live concert in Zurich, we recommend checking out their live album Live at KEXP!. This recording overflows with frenetic joy and features a mix of DLO3 originals alongside timeless classics like Curtis Mayfield’s masterpiece, “Move On Up.” Since their beginnings in Seattle, the band has been delivering rhythmic soul with organ solos that feel like Lamarr’s fingers are chasing each other across the keys. Their compositions often evolve from his nimble touch, with the rest of the trio weaving their own intricate patterns around it. While comparisons to Booker T. &amp; the M.G.’s are inevitable, DLO3 carves out their own sound. As Lamarr himself describes it, the band plays “soul music with strong jazz influences”—making them the perfect fit for a night at Moods! While Lamarr while take on the Hammond Organ duties, he will be joined by Josh Perdue on guitar and Ehsaan Karimi on drums.

Hollabackshroom

Warm-Up & Afterparty

Exclusively vinyl - funk, disco, jazz, country, rock and everything in between. Hollabackshroom is from Zurich and works in Zurich&#x27;s nightlife.

Pachyman

Puerto Rico native Pachy García started playing guitar at a young age but his developing interest for early Jamaican music made him switch to piano &amp; bass instead. It wasn’t until he relocated to Los Angeles that he began self teaching himself drums. Around that time he formed the band Prettiest Eyes and started collecting inexpensive recording equipment that he found at thrift stores and second hand music shops. After having enough gear to make his own recordings out of his basement, Pachy began recording music to pay homage to the early reggae pioneers he grew up listening to. He named the studio &quot;333 House&quot; and started learning techniques used by the engineers responsible for shaping the sound of early dub reggae, particularly Scientist and King Tubby. The recording process of the music was documented on his Instagram account with videos that showed him playing every instrument and ultimately mixing the end result in one live dub take.

BUZZ needs no introduction. 16 Tons: fantastic records, beautiful furniture. Boss Hi-Fi: best reggae DJs. Just the right person for the warm-up and the afterparty!

LAYENA

«Arcades»

Formed in 2021, the band developed its early musical identity through long jam sessions playing around repetitive loops, vocal styles influenced by Nigerian Afrobeat and EDM, as well as long improvised interludes. Three years of playing and touring together propelled the music to what it is today: a modern and generous soundscape, intimately connected to the harmonic language of Jazz, spreading its wings through the tradition of Italian chanson.    LAYENA operates as a true collective, where responsibilities spanning composition, booking, IT, management, and finances are shared and organized amongst all its members. In December 2023, the band recorded its debut album, &quot;Arcades&quot; at Relief Studio in Belfaux (CH), which was officially released in September 2024. Of course, playing music remains a priority and LAYENA will share their music with us in May 2025.

J'Peux Tim

J&#x27;peux Tim, originally from Kosovo, is the co-founder and was co-owner of Kasheme Zürich and the founder of the Spirit Music Society music label. He has been spinning records in Switzerland and abroad for nearly a decade. Dance music, Jazz Fusion and Spiritual Jazz make his heart beat a tick faster.

Michael Wollny Trio

«Living Ghosts 2025»

For pianist Michael Wollny, the trio with bassist Tim Lefebvre and drummer Eric Schaefer is the constant in his otherwise constantly changing cosmos of collaborations. The three musicians share an almost inexhaustible musical vocabulary, an outstanding sensitivity when playing together and the ability to constantly create new music of tremendous tension and dynamism from the moment. The band is a unity of three unmistakable characters: Michael Wollny is regarded as one of the most important European pianists of his generation. His playing blends influences from jazz, classical music, indie pop, new and early music to create an unmistakable personal style. Wollny has been playing together with drummer Eric Schaefer for more than 20 years. They share a deep intimacy and at the same time the ability to surprise and challenge each other time and again. American Tim Lefebvre forms the foundation of the trio, with a weighty tone, rock-solid groove and a fine sense of dramaturgy. Together, Wollny, Schaefer and Lefebvre create music of exuberant dynamics, boundless variety and maximum urgency. With reference to the origins of the piano trio format, the British Jazzwise Magazine writes: The Michael Wollny Trio makes it clear that we are living in the 21st century and not in the 1960s!

Anna Frey & Vera Kappeler

The pianist and harmonium player Vera Kappeler and the rapper and lyricist Anna Frey got to know each other in a so-called men&#x27;s pub, where they sat together at the bar until the early hours of the morning. That was many years ago. Now they are performing together again. As a duo, with undivided attention for each other&#x27;s playing. Vera Kappeler has long had an affinity for texts and their musicality, while Anna Frey has devoted herself increasingly to the musical-improvisational reading of her texts over the past few years. We can look forward to the interplay between these two musicians and the interweaving of sound and language. The concert is also the vernissage of Anna Frey&#x27;s second book FEST, which will be published by &quot;verlag die brotsuppe&quot;. Especially for this evening a book table will be provided by the Buchhandlung Volkshaus.

Flo Stoffner, Chris Corsano, John Butcher

&quot;Quiet Is The New Loud&quot; was a Kings of Convenience album from 2001 and also reflected the feeling for music of at least parts of this generation. It also works as a motto for the trio of John Butcher, Chris Corsano and Florian Stoffner. Their music differs from boisterous, powerful free jazz in that they refrain from playing their instruments very loudly. In fact, this is music for concentrated listening rather than for rocking along or even headbanging. It is more about precise musicality, crystal-clear interjections and a certain gentle thoughtfulness, but of course also about sound exploration and design. This results in tectonic sound worlds that press against each other. At their concerts, you sometimes get the feeling of standing in a machine room with a birdhouse full of exotic birds at its center. Butcher, Corsano and Stoffner don&#x27;t need excessive volume or solos to entice you into a standing ovation to get their message across. Their message is written in elegant lowercase letters and rarely used acoustic fonts.

Saisonabschluss

Carte Blanche Special

Franziska Bruecker, Roberto Domeniconi, Dave Gisler, Simon Grab, Victoria Mozalevskaya, Lucas Niggli, Jonas Ruther, Tizia Zimmermann

The carte blanche evenings at Moods are something special. Curated by leading Swiss jazz musicians, these evenings invite you to discover and inspire. And what&#x27;s better than an artist&#x27;s carte blanche evening? When all the musicians join forces. Every year, the Moods Musicians&#x27; Council selects Swiss musicians for a Carte Blanche. With a budget of 11,000 francs, they are free to organise their projects as they wish. There are (almost) no limits – be it concerts, sound installations or invitations to guest musicians. Dave Gisler, Franziska Bruecker, Jonas Ruther, Lucas Niggli, Roberto Domeniconi, Simon Grab, Tizia Zimmermann and Victoria Mozalevskaya have come up with something special to close this year&#x27;s Carte Blanche season at Moods. Solo, trio or all together: Moods Carte Blanche artists will showcase their talents in a variety of constellations on 6th June. Instead of concentrating on their own musical creations, as they did in their individual shows, they will create unique soundscapes together on this evening. Familiar patterns and genre boundaries are completely ignored. For example, while Simon Grab - the noisemaker par excellence - is completely electronic, Victoria Mozalevskaya originally comes from classical music and has now dedicated herself to contemporary jazz. Worlds will collide, we promise.

Electronics

Christoph Grab's ROOT AREA & Guests

Album Release «In Pursuit of Happiness»

ROOT AREA stands for soul jazz. After three years, the top-class line-up, consisting of Christoph Grab and Nicole Johänntgen on saxophones, Marcel Thomi on Hammond organ and Elmar Frey on drums, is now making an impressive return with its new album In Pursuit Of Happiness. For the album release at Moods, Zurich guitarist Michael Bucher will also be accompanying the band. With the new album, ROOT AREA consistently continues their idea of integrating a wide variety of grooves into their music and using them as a foundation for their original compositions and improvisations. Whether bluesy boogaloo, gospel ballads, New Orleans grooves, quirky reggae or Afrobeats - ROOT AREA combine deep musical roots with the present.

Majur

Blending notes of R&amp;B, Blues and rap with the waves of soul. The Bahian artist had a striking start to her career, featuring in the Latin Grammy nominated song “AmarElo” alongside Emicida and Pablo Vittar. Majur’s debut album “Ojunifé” (2021), documents her journey of self-discovery and features collaborations with Liniker and Luedji Luna, reinforcing the message of diversity and black affection. She made her international debut at the Roskilde Festival and has been featured in major Brazilian lineups such as Rock in Rio. With a powerful musical presence, Majur merges African, Indigenous, and modern influences, solidifying her place in the music scene.

Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy

With the track «Mam Yinne Wa»e Alogte Oho &amp; His Sounds of Joy set an unmistakable exclamation mark and put the gospel of the Frafra from northern Ghana on the musical map of the world. This was followed by a busy concert schedule in Europe and enthusiasm from audiences and critics alike. “O Yinne” is now the second album by Alogte Oho &amp; His Sounds of Joy. The gospel choir singing, which is reminiscent of the trombones of Jericho in intensity, is the brand core of the group alongside the melodic brass interjections, the flashing synthesizer accents and the heavily grooving rhythm section. However, anyone who thinks of what is commonly referred to as Gospel when hearing the word will be surprised, because gospel here only refers to the textual content. Musically, it&#x27;s an Afro-futuristic firework of pentatonic vocal explosions, carried by rolling West African rhythms.

Try a little tenderness

Brandy Butler

&quot;Try a little tenderness&quot; is a project that strengthens the vision of a connective and collective society in times of great discord. By focusing on building solidarity, connecting the past with the present, and imagining just and community-led futures through the power of music, the project opens up spaces for people to remember our shared humanity in a collective form, while igniting hope. Inspired by Nina Simone&#x27;s powerful 1976 performance in Montreux and her song Four Women, &quot;Try a little tenderness&quot; is a theatrical concert evening that brings together four exceptional Black female vocalists – Brandy Butler, Celina Bostic, Melissa Laveaux, and Tracy September – to explore the complexities and diversity of different experiences through the lens of Black womanhood. Through music and spoken word, rooted in personal and collective experiences, the concert seeks to create a space for reflection, connection, and empowerment. Honoring the legacy of many Black female singers, truth-tellers, and griots of their time, this concert channels the emotions and struggles of today, offering a platform for shared stories of possibilty. The concert aims to serve as a vessel for comfort, healing, and collectivity.

Director

Dramaturgy

Ydivide

Album Release «The Default»

Following the internationally acclaimed debut album Lumumba, Intakt Records will release the second CD The Default by Ydivide in 2025. Many important drummers are great band leaders. With their overview, sense of rhythm and form, they provide guidance for the band. During his many years of artistic activity as a drummer in various formations, Clemens Kuratle has developed an individual language as a composer and drummer. He is considered one of the most original drummers of the younger generation, and one of his greatest achievements is the initiation of and continuous work with the band Ydivide, a British-Irish-Swiss collaboration. This quintet brings together the young British jazz scene with saxophonist Dee Byrne, Elliot Galvin on piano, Irish guitarist Chris Guilfoyle, the outstanding Swiss bassist Lukas Traxel and mastermind Clemens Kuratle. Clemens Kuratle and Ydivide have extraordinary musical and technical skills and have developed their very own musical language over the years. Ydivide has something to say: the music is driven by the urgent questions and conflicts that this generation, and the next, have to face. The compositions from the pen of Kuratle reflect political and social issues. Since over 40 years, the Zurich-based label Intakt Records reflects musical and social developments and presents counter-worlds. It is with great pleasure that we will celebrate the beginning of an album, as well as the end of the current season together with Intakt Records.

Barbatuques

Moods Summer Special

Barbatuques scored a hit with Baianá in 2005, which later became the World Cup anthem in Brazil and led to countless remixes. However, to reduce the group from São Paulo to one track would not do them justice. With their mixture of body percussion, vocal music and influences from various Brazilian styles, funk, electronics and rap, Barbatuques have created their own unmistakable sound aesthetic and thus contributed significantly to the worldwide spread of body percussion. Their music has been used for various film, commercial and video game soundtracks and has led to performances in over 30 countries. 25 years after their formation, they return with a new stage show that includes new material as well as their older hits.

Jowee Omicil

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