BERTRAND DENZLER
Performer/Improviser/Composer
Bertrand Denzler is a Swiss musician active in the fields of contemporary improvised music, new music and free jazz. He is based in France and Switzerland.
As a tenor saxophonist, he has toured extensively in Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East and the Far East with regular ensembles, dozens of ad-hoc groups, artists from other disciplines (dance, performance, theatre, sculpture, poetry, video), as well as solo. He is or was a member of ensembles like Trio Sowari, Hubbub, Denzler-Gerbal-Dörner, The Seen, Onceim, Denzler-Grip-Johansson.
He has composed pieces for new music ensembles and musicians including Ensemble ReRe, CoÔ (Cordes de l’Onceim), Bondi-Denzler-D’Incise, Šalter Ensemble, CCP3, Félicie Bazelaire, Ensemble Hodos, Onceim and Horns, as well as for jazz groups like the Umlaut Big Band. He has also worked as a composer for Swiss filmmaker Christoph Kühn.
As an improviser, performer and/or composer, he has participated in over 70 published recordings, released by labels like Potlatch, Umlaut, Confront, Aussenraum, Remote Resonator, Mikroton, Trestle, DDS, Matchless, Creative Sources, Ambiances Magnétiques, Leo, For4Ears, Label Bleu or Unit.
He has published texts about improvisation and experimental music in collaboration with Jean-Luc Guionnet, as well as with Burkhard Beins and Phil Durrant. He also gives improvisation workshops.
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ENSEMBLES (present and past - selection)
Contemporary improvisation
Trio Sowari, Hubbub, Denzler-Gerbal-Dörner, The Seen, Zoor, Mattin-Guionnet-Denzler-Unami, Baron-Denzler-Guionnet-Rives, Denzler-Koch, Chamæleo Vulgaris
New music
Bondi-Denzler-D’Incise, Onceim, The Lair, Horns, Šalter Ensemble, Ephemer
Jazz
Protocluster, Denzler-Grip-Johansson, Cape Doctor, Sunny Murray Duo, Christophe Marguet Quartet, Denzler-Dürst-Pfammatter, Burhan Öçal Group, Denzler-Wiesendanger
COLLABORATIONS (selection)
Played with
Christine Abdelnour, Sophie Agnel, Jennifer Allum, Cristian Alvear, Gilles Aubry, Pierre-Antoine Badaroux, Gaudenz Badrutt, Jim Baker, Boris Baltschun, Marc Baron, Nik Bärtsch, Pascal Battus, Félicie Bazelaire, Burkhard Beins, Sébastien Beliah, Ilia Belorukov, Olivier Benoit, Steve Beresford, Augustin Bette, Frédéric Blondy, Cyril Bondi, Patricia Bosshard, Michael Bullock, Chris Burn, Cyprien Busolini, Lucio Capece, Xavier Charles, Thomas Charmetant, David Chiesa, Sébastien Cirotteau, Olivier Clerc, Seth Cluett, Angharad Davies, Rhodri Davies, Matt Davis, Benoît Delbecq, Jean Derome, Jacques Demierre, Jacques Di Donato, D’Incise, Michel Doneda, Axel Dörner, Benjamin Dousteyssier, Benjamin Duboc, Léo Dupleix, Phil Durrant, Thomas Dürst, Isabelle Duthoit, Marina Džukljev, John Eckhardt, John Edwards, Daniel Erdmann, Mazafumi Ezaki, Bobby Few, Fidel Fourneyron, Alexander Frangenheim, Lionel Friedli, Frédérick Galiay, Miguel A. Garcia, Bertrand Gauguet, Antonin Gerbal, Jürg Grau, Michael Griener, Joel Grip, Tomaž Grom, Jean-Luc Guionnet, Will Guthrie, Barry Guy, Franz Hautzinger, Steve Heather, Sven-Åke Johansson, Phil Julian, Christine Kazarian, Mazen Kerbaj, Kazushige Kinoshita, Klank, Christian Kobi, Hans Koch, Jonas Kocher, Herbie Kopf, Peter Kopf, Samo Kutin, Andrew Lafkas, Ross Lambert, Lina Lapelyte, Dominic Lash, Didier Lasserre, Louis Laurain, Dimitra Lazaridou-Chatzigoga, Daunik Lazro, Ninh Lê Quan, Joelle Léandre, Urs Leimgruber, John Lely, Hannes Lingens, Xavier Lopez, Frantz Loriot, Werner Lüdi, Thierry Madiot, Mike Majkowski, Christophe Marguet, Jean-Sébastien Mariage, Alexander Markvart, Mattin, Jojo Mayer, Julien Mégroz, Butch Morris, Christian Müller, Günter Müller, Seijiro Murayama, Sunny Murray, Yukiko Nakamura, Burhan Öçal, Bänz Oester, Guillaume Orti, Bob Ostertag, Otomo Yoshihide, Edward Perraud, Maxime Petit, Norbert Pfammatter, Hasse Poulsen, Caroline Pouzolles, Eddie Prévost, Stéphane Rives, Arnaud Rivière, Robert Roža, Mark Sanders, Ignaz Schick, Silvan Schmid, Dmitry Shubin, Doro Schürch, Sharif Sehnaoui, Rasul Siddik, Yoni Silver, Günter Baby Sommer, David Stackenäs, Nat Su, Jeff Surak, Michael Thieke, Darryl Thompson, Irena Tomažin, David Toop, Paul Ubana Jones, Taku Unami, Franck Vaillant, Nikos Veliotis, Alexander Von Schlippenbach, Chester Washington, Mark Wastell, Matthieu Werchowski, Chris Wiesendanger, Urs Wiesendanger, Christian Weber, John Wolf Brennan, Christian Wolfarth, Seymour Wright, Daichi Yoshikawa, Michael Zerang, Etienne Ziemniak, Big Zis
Played music by
Peter Ablinger, Burkhard Beins, D’Incise, Cyril Bondi, Patricia Bosshard, Taku Sugimoto, Eliane Radigue, Stephen O’Malley, John Tilbury, Jérôme Noetinger, Ignaz Schick, Santiago Astaburuaga, Matthieu Saladin, Pierre-Antoine Badaroux, Antonin Gerbal, Félicie Bazelaire
FESTIVALS (selection)
Dni Muzyki Nowe (Gdańsk), Le Guess Who (Utrecht), Colexpla (Porto), Hors Norme (Le Pont), Neposlušno (Ljubljana), Errichetta (Rome), Densités (Fresnes-en-Woëvre), Biennale (Venice), Sacrum Profanum (Krakow), Crak (Paris), Musikfestival (Berne), Météo (Mulhouse), Ring Ring (Belgrade), Izlog (Zagreb), Edition (Stockholm), Vinterjazz (Copenhagen), Musica Estranha (Sao Paulo), Zwei Tage Zeit (Zurich), Noise (Toulouse), Pied Nu (Le Havre), Akouphène (Geneva), Bruisme (Poitiers), Umlaut (Berlin), As Alike As Trees (London), La Triennale (Paris), Archipel (Geneva), Ear We Are (Biel-Bienne), Kaleidophon (Ulrichsberg), Muzzix (Lille), Jazz Em Agosto (Lisbon), NPAI (Parthenay), Irtijal (Beyrouth), Rue du Nord (Lausanne), Frakture (Liverpool), LMC (London), FIMAV (Victoriaville QC), 2:13 (Athens), Musiques Démesurées (Clermont-Ferrand), Présences/Radio-France (Paris), Earshot (Seattle), SuperOption (Montréal), Fruits de Mhère (Brassy), Musiques Innovatrices (Saint-Etienne), Freedom of the City (London), GMEA (Albi), Chants Mécaniques (Tourcoing), WIM (Berne), Banlieues Bleues (Seine-St-Denis), La Villette (Paris), Musique Action (Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy), Europa Jazz (Le Mans), La Cité (Lausanne), Jazzfestival Willisau (Willisau), Belluard/Bollwerk (Fribourg)
VENUES / SERIES (selection)
Bang The Bore (Bristol), KM28 (Berlin), Flatterschaft (Basel), Mains D’Œuvres (Saint-Ouen), Španski borci (Ljubljana), Petersburg Art Space (Berlin), Labor Sonor (Berlin), Gamut Series (Zurich), Confort Moderne (Poitiers), Istituto Svizzero (Rome), Fondation Suisse (Paris), Café Oto (London), Sound Museum (Saint Petersburg), Insub (Geneva), Spektrum (Berlin), Iklectik (London), Hundred Years Gallery (London), Kulturhauz (Torùn), WIM (Zurich), Mac Val (Ivry), UTADEO (Bogotà), Roter Salon Volksbühne (Berlin), Cité Internationale des Arts (Paris), Exploratorium (Berlin), Cave12 (Geneva), Plattfon (Basel), Instants Chavirés (Montreuil), Sowieso (Berlin), Radio-France (Paris), WIM (Berne), Fragment (Metz), Vortex (London), Weserburg (Bremen), Quiet Cue (Berlin), La Voirie (Biel-Bienne), Café du Soleil (Saignelégier), Imec (Caen), Atelier Polonceau (Paris), Eglise Saint-Merry (Paris), CCAM (Vandœeuvre-lès-Nancy), CMC (La Chaux-de-Fonds), Passerelle (Brest), Les Trinitaires (Metz), Electronic Church (Berlin), Q-O2 (Bruxelles), MAMCS (Strasbourg), La Spirale (Fribourg), Dampfzentrale (Berne), Kid Ailack Art Hall (Tokyo), Bridge (Osaka), Yu Yin Tang (Shanghai), Base Bar (Shenzen), Teaterhuset Avan Garden (Trondheim), Espace Gantner (Bourogne), Goldsmiths College (London), Deep Listening Space (Kingston NY), Flywheel (Easthampton MA), Goethe Institut (Toronto ON), Atelier Tampon (Paris), GRIM (Marseille), CJBS (Vancouver BC), La Sala Rossa (Montréal QC), Empty Bottle (Chicago IL), Eyedrum (Atlanta GA), Red Room (Baltimore MD), Mopomoso (London), Stralau 68 (Berlin), Conway Hall (London), Duc des Lombards (Paris), AMR (Geneva), Centre Culturel Suisse (Paris), Kaufleuten (Zurich), Moods (Zurich), Cemal Resit Rey Konser Salonu (Istanbul), Stadtgarten (Cologne), Rote Fabrik (Zurich), ULA (Merida), Volkshaus (Zurich)
RECENT COMPOSITIONS
«Cycles» for Bondi-Denzler-D’Incise (2019)
«Fluctuations» for Ensemble ReRe (2018)
«Arc» for CoÔ (2017)
«Périodes» for Bondi-Denzler-D’Incise (2017)
«Mix» for Umlaut Big Band (2017)
«Ubiquité» for Šalter Ensemble (2017)
«Ghost Rhythms» for Antonin Gerbal (2017)
«Combinatoire» for Pierre-Antoine Badaroux (2017)
«Topographie» for CCP3 (2017)
«Low Strings» for double bass quartet (2016)
«Basse Seule» for Félicie Bazelaire (2016)*
«Stage Band» for Umlaut Big Band (2016)
«Rouages 1 + 2» for Ensemble Hodos (2015)
«Morph» for ONCEIM (2014)
«Etudes et Exercices pour ensemble» for Ensemble Hodos (2014)
«Horns 1.1 - 2.1» for Horns (2013-2015)
* With a support by Fondation Henneberger-Mercier, Fondation Nicati-De Luze, Fondation Suisa and City of Lausanne
MUSIC FOR FILM AND THEATRE (selection)
«Friedrich Glauser – The End» by Christoph Kühn (2011)
«Bruno Manser – Laki Penan» by Christoph Kühn (2007)
«Densités – Phalènes» by Clotilde Aksin (w/ Hubbub, 2007)
«Nicolas Bouvier – 22 Hospital Street» by Christoph Kühn (2005)
«Alfred Ilg – L’Abyssin blanc» (consultant) by Christoph Kühn (2003)
«Images de la vie quotidienne» by Christoph Kühn (1994)
«Sophie Taeuber-Arp» by Christoph Kühn (1993)
«Er Moretto» by Simon Bischoff (1983)
«Teatro Dell’Essere» (Rome, 1983)
MISC
Jingles for French radio France Musique (2004-2013)
Music for numerous video productions (since 1985)
PUBLISHED RECORDINGS (selection)
Denzler-Grip-Johansson – «Zyklus 1» – Umlaut + SÅJ (2019)
The Seen – «Archive : volumes VI - X» – Confront (2019)
Euphorium Freakestra – «Grande Casino» – Euphorium (2018)
Diatribes + R. Ortis + Horns – «Echoes & Sirens» – Aussenraum (2018)
B. Denzler, Bondi-Denzler-D’Incise – «Périodes» – Remote Resonator (2018)
Trio Sowari – «Third Issue» – Mikroton (2018)
B. Denzler, Badaroux-Denzler-Gerbal – «Topographie/Ghost Polyphonies» – Remote Resonator (2018)
B. Denzler, F. Bazelaire – «Basse Seule» – Confront (2018)
The Seen – «One Day Band Session 12» – Trestle Records (2017)
B. Denzler, Ensemble Hodos – «Rouages 2» – Remote Resonator (2017)
B. Denzler, Horns+ – «Horns+» – Remote Resonator (2017)
The Seen – «Archive : volumes I - V» – Confront (2017)
Denzler-Grip-Johansson + Schlippenbach – «Neuköllner Modelle 3-7» – Umlaut (2017)
B. Denzler, Umlaut Big Band – «Badaroux, Gerbal, Denzler, Borel» – Remote Resonator (2016)
B. Denzler, Horns – «Horns 2.1» – Remote Resonator (2016)
Denzler-Grip-Johansson – «Neuköllner Modelle 1-2» – Umlaut (2016)
Denzler-Gerbal-Dörner – «Le Ring» – Confront (2016)
Stephen O’Malley, Onceim – «Gruidés» – DDS (2015)
B. Denzler, Onceim – «Morph» – Confront (2015)
B. Denzler, Horns – «Horns 1.2» – Confront (2015)
Denzler-Gerbal – «Heretofore» – Umlaut (2015)
Zoor – «Volumes a+b» – Umlaut (2014)
Denzler-Edwards-Prévost – «All-in-All» – Matchless (2013)
V.A. – «Ombres d’orgue» – ASM/STV (2012)
Hubbub – «Whobub» – Matchless (2011)
Bertrand Denzler Solo – «Tenor» – Potlatch (2010)
Dan Warburton – «Profession Reporter» – Aural Terrains (2009)
Trio Sowari – «Shortcut» – Potlatch (2008)
Baron-Denzler-Guionnet-Rives – «Propagations» – Potlatch (2007)
Mattin-Guionnet-Denzler-Unami – «-/:.»– Fargone (2006)
Trio Sowari – «Three Dances» – Potlatch (2005)
Denzler-Guionnet-Kinoshita-Unami – «Vasistas» – Creative Sources (2005)
Denzler-Dörner-Erdmann-Griener-Müller – «Stralau» – Creative Sources (2005)
Charles-Denzler-Mariage-Werchowski – «Metz» – Creative Sources (2004)
Hubbub – «Hoib» – Matchless (2004)
Hubbub – «Hoop Whoop» – Matchless (2003)
Denzler-Koch – «Asymétries» – Ambiances Magnétiques (2003)
49° Nord – «Tentacles» – Av-Art (2003)
Denzler-Guionnet – «Framework 2003» – Resonance FM (2003)
Violet-Denzler – «The Long March» – Zeromoon 3 (2003)
Zan Hoffman – «Here Be Monsters…» – ZH27 (2003)
Zan Hoffman – «Your Life Has Been…» – ZH27 (2003)
Zan Hoffman – «Bewilder…» – ZH27 (2003)
Chamaeleo Vulgaris – «Fête Epsilonia 2001» – Radio Libertaire (2003)
Brennan-Denzler-Weber-Wolfarth – «Momentum 3» – Leo (2002)
Denzler-Mariage – «Mars» – Inversus Doxa (2002)
Chamaeleo Vulgaris – «Les Falaises» – Inversus Doxa (2002)
Chamaeleo Vulgaris – «Toter Hirsch» – Inversus Doxa (2002)
Hubbub – «Ub/Abu» – For 4 Ears (2001)
Nanocluster – «02/2000» – Leo (2000)
Christophe Marguet Quartet – «Les Correspondances» – Label Bleu (1999)
Chamaeleo Vulgaris – «Ouverture Facile» – Leo (1999)
49° Nord – «Animal Language» – Unit (1999)
Bertrand Denzler Cluster – «Y?» – Leo (1999)
Denzler-Dürst-Pfammatter – «Now» – labelle (1996)
Denzler-Haerter Quartet – «Minor Works» – labelle (1994)
Burhan Öçal Group – «Dervis Mustafa» – MGB/Musikszene Schweiz (1993)
Denzler-Wiesendanger – «Folies» – labelle (1992)
RADIO RECORDINGS (selection)
RTV SLO (Slovenia), DRS/RSR/RSI (Switzerland), France Musique, France Culture, BBC Radio 3, ORF, Deutschlandfunk, Danmarks Radio, TV TRT 2 (Turkey), Resonance FM (UK)
RESIDENCIES (selection)
Mains D’Œuvres (Saint-Ouen), Izlog Festival (Zagreb), Densités (Fresnes-en-Woëvre), La Muse en Circuit (Alfortville), Festival Météo (Mulhouse), NPAI (Parthenay), Jazz à Poitiers (Poitiers), Stralau 68 (Berlin), Instants Chavirés (Montreuil), Le Grand Mix (Tourcoing), Festival Luisances (Brest), Radio DRS (Zurich)
PUBLICATIONS
B. Denzler, J.-L. Guionnet: «S’y entendre en discorde…» in «L’expérience de l’expérimentation»,
M. Saladin (editor), Les Presses du Réel (2015)
B. Beins, B. Denzler, Ph. Durrant (Trio Sowari): «27 questions for a start» in «Echtzeitmusik Berlin»,
B. Beins, Ch. Kesten, G. Nauck, A. Neumann (editors), Wolke Verlag (2011) + Reprinted in «Audio Culture, Revised Edition, Readings in Modern Music», Ch. Cox, D. Warner (editors), Bloomsbury Academic (2017)
B. Denzler, J.-L. Guionnet: «Schématisons» in Revue & Corrigée #88 (2011)
B. Denzler, short Text in «Albert Ayler, témoignages sur un Holy Ghost», F.Médioni (editor),
Le Mot et le Reste (2010)
B. Denzler, short Text in «John Coltrane», F. Médioni (editor), Actes Sud (2007)
B. Denzler, J.-L. Guionnet: «Out In The Field» in «Blocks of Consciousness and the Unbroken Continuum», B. Marley, M. Wastell (editors), Sound 323 (2006)
TALKS / DISCUSSIONS
Panel discussion for the release of the book «L’expérience de l’expérimentation» by M. Saladin (editor), Instants Chavirés, Montreuil (2015)
Lecture w/ Jean-Luc Guionnet about the interview project «Expéditions», Journée d’Études
«Ce que la scène fait au son», IMEC, Caen (2011)
Panel discussion about improvisation, Pannonica, Nantes (2007)
Panel discussion about Albert Ayler, Jazz à Luz, Luz-Saint-Sauveur (2004)
TEACHING
Improvisation workshops in Montreuil (Instants Chavirés), Paris (Rendez-Vous Contemporains), Limoges (Luette Agile), Berlin (Umlaut), Reims (CRR), Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy (CCAM), Lille (Le Crime), Mulhouse (Météo), Brest (ENM), Montreuil (Instants Chavirés), Antony (EDIM) a.o.
CURATING
Co-curator w/ P.-A. Badaroux and A. Gerbal of the netlabel Remote Resonator and the concert series Circuit Court Polonceau/Remote Resonator (since 2016)
Curator of the concert series «At Work», Instants Chavirés (2013)
Co-curator w/ M. Baron of a mini-festival at Naxos Bobine (2010)
Co-curator w/ Sh. Sehnaoui and J. Hindi of concerts at 118 Hilton Palace (2002)
Co-curator w/ Klac-Sons (F. Blondy, A. Palier, S. Rives) of concerts at Théâtre sur le Pavé (1999-2000)
MISC
Member of Onceim’s artistic committee (2012-2016)
Member of SUISA, Swissperform and Sonart
EDUCATION
Saxophone lessons with John Voirol and Omri Ziegele
Oboe studies with André Raoult at Zurich Conservatory
Recorder and early music studies with Dorette Fluri at Zurich Conservatory
Born 1963 in Geneva