Adrian Frey, piano

Classically trained pianist and composer Adrian Frey is a musician whose wide scope of activities range from jazz and Latin to experimental music.

His first encounters with jazz and improvisation during his childhood led to concerts as a teenager and at the age of 19, he performed at the Zurich Jazz Festival.

After receiving a degree from the Conservatory in Zurich, Adrian studied at the New England Conservatory in Boston, USA. His teachers included pioneering voices of jazz such as pianist Ran Blake, composer George Russell, drummer Bob Moses and saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi. They influenced Adrian's dedication to creating his own musical language.

Later he spent four months in Havanna, Cuba, where he deepened his knowledge of Latin music through lessons in piano and percussion. In 1999 he was awarded a grant to spend three months at the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris.

The release of his debut CD "Adrian Frey Trio" in 1995 on "Unit Records" established Adrian as a pianist and composer with an original, fresh voice.

With his second trio CD "The Sign" (2001), he further developed his music. Influences of jazz, Latin and classical styles resulted in an exciting blend of interplay and rhythms.

Since 1997 Adrian has also continued his musical explorations with his Septet whose 2004 debut CD "Seven Songs" displays a colorful world of melodies, rhythms and grooves with original compositions and swinging solos.

Besides playing and recording with his own groups, he has performed with many outstanding musicians (such as Hal Crook, Adam Nussbaum, Franco Ambrosetti, Jay Clayton, "Mighty Flea" Gene Connor, Daniel Schnyder, Reggie Johnson, Julio Barretto,etc.) in a variety of contexts from solo to big band concerts in Europe and the USA.

In 2004 he was a member of the Big Band of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Adrian also premiered that year his composition "Objects and Moments" for jazz trio and string orchestra in several concerts.

He teaches piano, improvisation and eartraining at Zürich University of the Arts.

Discography

as Leader/ Co-Leader

Adrian Frey Trio                  no flags (unit records, 2010)

Martin Schlumpf/ Adrian Frey      Zweizeit (timegrid music 2008)

Adrian Frey Septet               Seven Songs (altri suoni, 2004)

Peggy Chew/ Adrian Frey         Sonic Calligraphy (altri suoni, 2004)

Adrian Frey Trio                 The Sign (altri suoni, 2001)

Adrian Frey                           Trio (unit records, 1995)

as Sideman

Martin Streule Jazz Orchestra           FIRE  (unit records, 2009)

Lariba (urban latin music)            Como Lo Ves (ventiladormusic, 2009)

Günter Wehinger              Frozen Time (zhdk records, 2008)

Zurich Jazz Orchestra               New Plans (Universal, 2008)

Martin Streule Jazz Orchestra         EARTH  (unit records, 2007)

Jochen Baldes subnoder                 The Moholo Songs (double moon, 2006)

Zurich Jazz Orchestra     Beyond Swiss Tradition (Universal, 2005)

Jochen Baldes             Subnoder (yvp, 2003)

Peggy Chew Quartet     Real Days (altri suoni, 2000)

Jochen Baldes Quartet                 Niniland (Brambus Records, 1999)

Peggy Chew                        Detour Ahead (shaomei productions,1996)

Ruedi Häusermann                   Ben-ja-min (Turicaphon, 1984)