Here in Switzerland, of course, and in surrounding Europe, but also at festivals across half the globe, in Asia, Africa, and South America. This continuous success has its reasons, which are simple and very Swiss. Peter Schärli (like several other Swiss: Roger Federer, Stephan Eicher, Roman Signer) delivers constant high-level quality. And it is one of the comforting insights on our existence that often continuous excellence sooner or later prevails.

Quality in the case of Peter Schärli means that he succeeds in finding a clever mix between artistic ambitions and the necessary appeal to the audience. Schärli presents his musicians with pieces that sound simple and singable but have hidden rough edges, challenging even for an all-round master like trombonist Glenn Ferris. Pieces that make wonderful musicians like the Valaisan pianist Hans-Peter Pfammatter, the Emmental bassist Thomas Dürst, and of course Peter Schärli himself happy. And after all, musicians work just as we normal people do: when they are happy they play better.

Glenn Ferris belongs to the few world class musicians who can claim to have played with the brilliant Frank Zappa: When he was a very young trombonist he was a member of the small Wazoo Orchestra, which played some of the best and most complex compositions of Zappa. Since he was sixteen years old, Ferris is a professional player and his discography as leader or sideman surpasses well over hundred CDs and reads like a who’s who of the jazz and pop history: From Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Tim Buckley and the Average Whit Band to Don Ellis, Quincy Jones, Art Pepper, Tony Scott, Archie Shepp and Billy Cobham to John Scofield, Michel Petrucciani and the Brecker Brothers.

Quality in the case of Schärli also means artistic integrity. An artist does not have to meet expectations. He has to be at one with himself. This is precisely what Schärli is, and the result is a body of work that continues to develop further and nonetheless always bears his signature. This signature can be felt in the music on this album: beautiful melodies and clever chords, coupled with swing, drive, sophisticated improvisations, virtuoso craft, and empathic interplay - in short, everything that jazz, or any good music, has to offer. What more could we ask for?