Reto Suhner Quartet - 20 (2020)

The saxophonist Reto Suhner participates in various Swiss and international formations from duo to jazz orchestra. What is important to Suhner is the unpredictable moment of the musical dialogue, which is based on improvisation. This is where tension is created, new sounds are created, stories are told here.

Reto Suhner, born in Herisau, graduated from the jazz vocational school with Carlo Schöb and Lester Menezes. There were also workshops with Jerry Bergonzi, Art Lande, Ed Neumeister and Bela Lakatos, and in 1999 a stay in New York with private lessons with Dick Oatts, Billy Drewes, Rich Perry and Bob Mover. In 1998 and 2007 Reto Suhner received the cultural promotion award of the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden. He has given concerts with Mats-Up, Zurich Jazz Orchestra, Swiss Jazz Orchestra, Lauer Large, Martin Streule Jazz Orchestra, Wolfgang Muthspiel's Large Ensemble feat. Ambrose Akinmusire, Guillermo Klein, Scott Robinson, Colin Vallon, Lester Menezes, Johannes Lauer, Steffen Schorn, Rainer Tempel, Bert Joris, Spittin 'Horns, Composers Collective, Adrian Frey Septet, Herbie Kopf’s U.F.O. and SWILIT, Pius Baschnagel’s Influences, Max Frankl Quartet, Controvento, Peter Eigenmann and Béatrice Graf.

He plays the following saxophones: Alto, Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, C-Melody Tenor, Bass; following flutes: Piccolo, C flute, alto flute, Bansuri, Xiao, Dizi; following clarinets: Eb, Bb, Alto, Kontra Alto; Duduk, Theremin.

He is not a leader who wants to control everything. On the contrary: what Reto Suhner likes most is to get creative and interactive processes going. In other words: Suhner takes the grass-roots democratic potential of jazz extremely seriously. He also says that his aim is not to achieve technical perfection, but to be surprised and inspired by the music.

Suhner has held on to the quartet formation with saxophone, piano, double bass and drums for twenty years. In and of itself, it is an instrumentation that belongs to the Courant Normal of jazz, but which also allows a degree of spontaneity and authenticity that goes far beyond this Courant Normal. Suhner does not have a fixed concept, but it can still be said that the music of his quartet is about combining timeless jazz virtues with a subtle form of subversion.

Of course, he is also inspired by listening experiences and musical encounters. For example, he is an admirer of the quartet of saxophonist and jazz visionary Wayne Shorter, who shorts out tradition and mystery in his breathtaking performances. Lately, Suhner has been strongly influenced by the cooperation with the quirky and phenomenal multi-instrumentalist Scott Robinson. And so he now indulges in an instrumental multiple way on the new recording of his quartet. Suhner opens a new gate and gives his quartet access to a terrain where many a new adventure awaits the daring group.

However, it would be wrong to be too distracted by the new timbres and the essence of this quartet's music. This essence lies in the simultaneity of agile spontaneous maneuvers and a seventh sense for longer arcs of tension. In other words: the quartet tastes the sweetness of the moment, but also appreciates the drama of the duration.