Wed – March 4, 2026
MAURICE LOUCA: SAET EL HAZZ «THE LUCK HOUR» (DE/LIBN/CH)
20:00 – PROGR Turnhalle
progressive accoustic soundscapes
Maurice Louca (guit), Sharif Sehnaoui (guit), Raed Yassin (bass), Marina Mello (harp), Khaled Yassine (perc, gamelan), Biliana Voutchkova (violin)
In Egypt, ‘The Luck Hour’ usually describes a wild party followed by a gentle atmosphere of silence. Maurice Louca’s music is just as varied as this feeling can be : sometimes a drone accompanies almost unbearable scratching noises, sometimes the music sounds like experimental country. This special atmosphere is created by microtonally modified instruments. But long, progressive soundscapes remain throughout like invitations to dream.
ÓSKAR GUDJÓNSSON AND SKÚLI SVERRISSON DÚO (ISL)
21:15 – PROGR Turnhalle
poetic fairytales and more
Óskar Guðjónsson (sax), Skúli Sverrisson (bass)
The Icelandic duo Óskar Guðjónsson and Skúli Sverrisson invite us to dive into the depths of our inner worlds. Their collaboration is based on a special sensitivity for each other and a shared pursuit of the art of musical storytelling. Between silence and sound, a delicate, far-reaching conversation emerges that touches the listener by forming a distinctive musical language that conjures up poetic landscapes in the mind’s eye. We very much look forward to a concert that leaves room for pause, reverie and attentive listening.
Thu – March 5, 2026
BURNING QUESTIONS: INTERVIEW WITH IBELISSE GUARDIA FERRAGUTTI AND FRANK ROSALY
18:30 – Galeriezone PROGR
Q&A with Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti and Frank Rosally about art, life and society. Come by and have an Apéro with us!
Free admission, collection
(Language: English)
EARSCRATCHER (A/USA)
20:00 – PROGR Turnhalle
disruptive free improvisation
Dave Rempis (sax), Elisabeth Harnik (piano), Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello), Tim Daisy (dr, perc)
The transatlantic quartet had to wait a long time for their first tour, which was originally scheduled for May 2020. One might expect that the improvisations of the four musicians will sound all the more urgent and existential today. Having released two albums in the meantime, this band was incidentally formed in 2019 to celebrate pianist Elisabeth Harnik’s 50th birthday, a good fit considering many parallels can be drawn between Earscratcher’s music and the atmospheres of a birthday party where everyone may go crazy when it’s time to open presents and then suddenly calm down after everyone has eaten their fill of cake.
IBELISSE GUARDIA FERRAGUTTI & FRANK ROSALY – MESTIZX (NL/GB)
21:15 – PROGR Turnhalle
ritual music, sonic healing
Frank Rosaly (dr, mbira, sampler, synth), Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti (synth, perc, voc), James McClure (tpt, elec, perc), Lida Brouskari (synth), Uldis Vitols (bass, synth)
A deeply moving blend of cumbia, avant-garde jazz, Chicago post-rock, bomba and much more. Mestizx, the gender-neutral form of the derogatory term for a person of mixed race originating in colonial times, is deliberately adopted here by Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti and Frank Rosaly to describe their musical reflection on decolonisation and the resistance power of ritual and protest. Against the backdrop of their personal roots in Bolivia, Brazil and Puerto Rico, they explore the effects of colonialism on geography, history and identity. Despite the serious subject matter, Mestizx take us by the hand with their unifying, soulful, movement-inspiring music and lead us into a sonic universe.
YVONNE MORIEL :: SWEETLIFE (A)
22:30 – PROGR Turnhalle
eclectic dub-jazz
Yvonne Moriel (sax, flute), Lorenz Widauer (trp), Stephanie Weninger (moog, keys), Raphael Vorraber (dr)
Is it possible to combine solos that are deeply rooted in jazz tradition with the unmistakable electronic sound of a Moog ? Yes it is! And saxophonist and composer Yvonne Moriel, currently one of the most exciting protagonists on the Austrian jazz scene, proves it. With her quartet sweetlife she has been developing a unique sound since 2022 that blends modern jazz, dub influences and electronic soundscapes. The result : complex rhythmic structures meet atmospheric sounds, dub effects and an energetic stage presence that nonchalantly sweeps aside supposed genre boundaries.
Fri – March 6, 2026
BURNING QUESTIONS: INTERVIEW WITH AYA METWALLI
18:30 – Galeriezone PROGR
Q&A with Aya Metwalli about art, life and society. Come by and have an Apéro with us!
Free admission, collection
(Language: English)
SEEDS OF SWEAT (D/B)
20:00 – PROGR Turnhalle
strong texts, dripping sounds
Theresia Philipp (sax, cl, comp), Shannon Barnett (tb, voc), Lynn Cassiers (voc, fx), Keisuke Matsuno (git, fx), Robert Lucaciu (db), Kresten Osgood (dr)
Seeds of Sweat – does that really mean drops of sweat? Or perhaps beads of sweat? In any case, Theresia Philipp’s music is a gem! Her compositions are inspired by collective creative processes and literary texts such as those by Ber Anena, Koleka Putuma and Trinh T. Minh-ha. Poetry lends her music a special depth that does not shy away from the gravity of the world, but rather negotiates it sensually and intellectually and sets it in motion: instruments and vocals interweave like lines that arrange themselves into organic patterns or digress into wild improvisation and then dissolve again – experimental, yet accessible.
AYA METWALLI + CALAMITA (CH/D/LIBN)
21:15 – PROGR Turnhalle
punk improv crash
Aya Metwalli (voc), Sharif Sehnaoui (guit), Tony Elieh (bass), Malik Rizkallah (dr)
The musicians of the band CALAMITA as well as the artist and curator of this year’s Jazzwerkstatt Aya Metwalli are all connected in some way to classical Egyptian music and, more specifically, to the legendary singer Oum Kalthoum. In fact, their album Al Saher is based on songs from Kalthoum’s The Voice of Egypt. You’ll find yourself wanting to do the shake and meditate at the same time from the sound that emerges when punk and improvisational artists take on these songs.
GROOVEMAKER (CH/D)
22:30 – PROGR Turnhalle
congolese gospel
Nrji_drumadira (dr), La main de fer (congas), Dixmillesbaguettes (shakers), Dombsbassson (guit), Panda (guit), Bençao (guit), The Unique (bass), Elison (keys), Dolenzo (voc), NGM (voc), DIDO (voc), MKY (voc)
Who has experienced the astonishement of realising that a friend is in fact a secret master of French patisserie? Of discovering that this other friend we didn’t even know could do a somersault, routinely chains up five backflips in a row ? Of finding out that one of our cousin speaks eight languages fluently? That’s the feeling we had when we discovered all that Eliezer Nguinamau, aka Nrji drumadira – also a percussion student at the HKB – actually does. Groovemaker mix Congolese music, Central African rhythms and gospel into rousing, spiritually fulfilling music that connects people on and off the stage and catapults them into other spheres – or onto the dance floor. Deeply hopeful music.
COCON JAVEL (CH)
23:45 – PROGR Turnhalle
candy roquefort
julie b. (voc, synth), Mélusine Chappuis (keys, voc), Neal Dill (dr)
We stand by ‘Put All Your Money Into Therapy’ as a great idea, as long as you keep a few quid back to pay for the ticket to Concon Javel’s concert. Because anyone who loves bleach’n’tonic as much as we do and hates normative role models and body images as much as we do, who loves themselves – or at least tries to be okay with themselves from time to time – will also love their Candy Roquefort style in all its delicious forms. On bread, in the fridge, in our ears. And by the way: Neal Dill, one of the three core members of this super-eclectic group, is now also a mastermind in the Jazzwerkstatt cockpit. It’s hard to say whether we’re more excited about that or about Cocon Javel’s show.
ELEUSIIS (CH)
01:00 – PROGR Turnhalle
aka Philolaos Kougias – DJ
In ancient Greece, Eleusis was the place of sacred mysteries and ceremonies. The music of eleusiiis aims to evoke a similarly transcendent experience for its listeners. Through intricate soundscapes and long dramatic arcs, interspersed here and there with familiar techno vibes, the listener is invited on an out-of-body exploration.
Sat – March 7, 2026
BURNING QUESTIONS: INTERVIEW WITH BRICE WASSY AND JIM BLACK
18:30 – Galeriezone PROGR
Q&A with Brice Wassy and Jim Black about art, life and society. Come by and have an Apéro with us!
Free admission, collection
(Language: English)
YOQAL (F)
20:00 – PROGR Turnhalle
raw musical dialog
Kamilya Jubran (voc, oud), Sarah Murcia (db)
Kamilya Jubran and Sarah Murcia have been working together for over twenty years. This long-standing friendship and shared experience is clearly evident in their music – words and forms flow freely, and the fluidity of the duo’s interplay gives the oftentimes intricate structures a quality where complexity goes by hardly unnoticed. Therein lies the wonder, as in poetry. The key is not necessarily to understand everything. What matters more is to let yourself become captivated by the unique dialogue between the two musicians.
KOSACK-PARKINS-WASSERMANN (USA/D)
21:15 – PROGR Turnhalle
multidimensional sculptural sounds
Liz Kosack (synth), Andrea Parkins (acc, objects, elec), Ute Wassermann (voc, objects)
The Kosack-Parkins-Wassermann trio is very much in the spirit of the Jazzwerkstatt – each musician brings their unique voice to a completely fresh formation. All three play their instruments in an unconventional way. Liz Kosack makes her keyboard whisper, flutter and shimmer. Andrea Parkins processes her accordion electronically and experiments with feedback, distortion, sound density and drone. Finally, Ute Wassermann’s vocals add sounds to this mix that oscillate between electronic, animalistic, inorganic and human qualities.
BRICE WASSY KÙ JAZZ PROJECT (F/CH)
22:30 – PROGR Turnhalle
dazzling polyrhthmic sound-wall
Brice Wassy (dr, direction), Yvonne Moriel (sax, fl), Paul Butscher (tp, flg), Josephine Nagorsnik (tb, elec), Gaspar José (vib), Mischa N’Cho (guit), Sonya Chernysh (piano), Sherine El Shwekh (bass), Christoph Steiner (dr)
Brice Wassy is known for his daring experiments, bringing together different art forms and musicians from different backgrounds in his compositions. This time, local musicians will take on Brice Wassy’s Ku Music, a series of jazz compositions he has created based on rhythms from various countries on the African continent. Some pieces have already been performed in this format while others will be heard for the first time at the Jazzwerkstatt. A one-off event, and a special treat for the Jazzwerkstatt.
SCHRAFER SNEF VS. TRASH QUEST BUNNY (CH)
23:45 – PROGR Turnhalle
joyful distortion
Jim Black (dr, elec), Lennart Schandl (bass, elec), Josephine Nagorsnik (bass, fx, voc, machines), Livia Marras (synth, voc)
No, not your Schneider’s mustard, but lots of cables, broken solder joints and eroded brains. How good it feels when something doesn’t work and legs wiggle instead of dancing. On the one hand, Trash Quest Bunny, the Swiss electronic music duo that’s older than the Alps themselves with a preference for curling up on old carpets to spiral into dizzying heights. On the other hand, a bass & drum mesh that still needs uncorking. Jim Black, this year’s co-curator of the Jazzwerkstatt is known for his violent dance drumming. He brings us this surely danceable world premiere, merci viu mau.
1000 balles (CH)
01:00 – PROGR Turnhalle
1000 balles – DJ
In short, 1000 balles’ DJ set is a bold, experimental sound exploration, mixing progressive beats with unusual sound signals such as telephone ring tones while slowly revealing an otherworldly soundscape that transports us into a cosmic floating state. Like a dream between future and memory – hypnotic, multi-layered and full of acoustic surprises.
Sun – March 8, 2026
Family concert in collaboration with Bee-flat
PHIL & LOUIS & PIERRE (F/GB)
15:30 – PROGR Turnhalle
futuristic dadaism
Phil Minton (voc), Louis Laurain (tp, fx), Pierre Bastien (tp, fx, machines)
It all started with an idea from this year’s curator, Aya, to set up a collaboration with Phil Minton for the Jazzwerkstatt. But then, as if by a happy coincidence at just the right moment, she encountered the incomparable formation The Duo C.N.T., in which Louis Laurain and Pierre Bastien interweave their art. The original idea thus gave rise to a new, dazzling entity: Phil & Louis & Pierre. And this coming together is very promising – all three are distinguished by the fact that they have developed a completely unique language on their respective instruments/machines beyond the familiar grammar of sound. Together, they are bound to surprise us and transport us to a timeless world that both carries the breath of the past century and acts as a sounding harbinger of the year 2050.
MAYBE SHE’S A BITCH, MAYBE YOU NEED A SENSE OF HUMOUR (CH/DE)
20:00 – PROGR Turnhalle
lecture performance, drones
Sonia Loenne (performance, words, comp), Lua Jungck (music production, comp), Franziska Brücker (dramaturgy, technical management)
Is it okay to punch Richard B. Spencer in the face? And how does protest music work? If your cousin tells you that men are a danger to society then she might be a bitch. Or maybe you need a little humour ? Here are six attempts to talk about anti-fascism. Uncoordinated. Between abstraction, dark drones and bad guitar playing.
(The piece is a world premiere, but the program booklet contains an outdated version of the press release.)
PHIL & LOUIS & PIERRE (F/GB)
21:15 – PROGR Turnhalle
futuristic dadaism
Phil Minton (voc), Louis Laurain (tp, fx), Pierre Bastien (tp, fx, machines)
It all started with an idea from this year’s curator, Aya, to set up a collaboration with Phil Minton for the Jazzwerkstatt. But then, as if by a happy coincidence at just the right moment, she encountered the incomparable formation The Duo C.N.T., in which Louis Laurain and Pierre Bastien interweave their art. The original idea thus gave rise to a new, dazzling entity: Phil & Louis & Pierre. And this coming together is very promising – all three are distinguished by the fact that they have developed a completely unique language on their respective instruments/machines beyond the familiar grammar of sound. Together, they are bound to surprise us and transport us to a timeless world that both carries the breath of the past century and acts as a sounding harbinger of the year 2050.