MUSIC
The Art of Flying
Inspired by the shifting forms of starling murmurations, The Art of Flying is a work for a ten-piece ensemble in which written composition and collective improvisation constantly reshape one another. Rules drawn from flock behaviour guide the musicians along the fragile boundary between order and chaos, allowing individual voices to form a shared musical movement. Reflecting on the climate crisis and the erosion of biodiversity, the project was presented at the 2023 Schaffhauser Jazzfestival.
MUSICIANS
Alexandre Cahen — piano, composition
Francesca Gaza — voice
Irina Olshevskaia — voice
Ana Cop — voice
Fernando Brox — flute
Sebastian Greschuk — trumpet, flugelhorn
Baptiste Stanek — tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet
Ema Grcman — cello
Nadav Ehrlich — bass
Jordi Pallarés Barberà — drums, percussion
Patricija Škof & Alexandre Cahen
Rooted in the intimacy of voice and piano, the duo treats songs as open spaces for improvisation and experimentation. Their repertoire brings together original music and personal arrangements, creating a contemplative sound world shaped by listening, freedom and nuance. The duo has recently recorded its first album, scheduled for release in 2027.
MUSICIANS
Patricija Škof — voice
Alexandre Cahen — piano
Monde(s)
Monde(s) is a freely improvised dialogue in which piano and electric guitar create an ever-changing landscape of sound. Moving between resonance and silence, texture and pulse, the music unfolds without a predetermined form. Each piece emerges through attentive listening, allowing fragile harmonies, sudden contrasts and unexpected directions to coexist. The duo has recorded an album, scheduled for release in late 2026.
MUSICIANS
Martin Theurillat — electric guitar, effects
Alexandre Cahen — piano, prepared piano
COLLABORATIONS
Hugo Diaz Quartet
Led by soprano saxophonist and composer Hugo Diaz, the quartet develops a distinctive sound shaped by lyrical melodies, fluid harmonies, rhythmic intricacy and subtle electronic textures.
Built around Diaz’s compositions, the music moves freely between jazz, contemporary influences and exploratory soundscapes. The quartet’s playing combines strong collective cohesion with space for individual expression.
Their debut album, Confluences, was released in 2024 and received enthusiastic critical attention, including a “Coup de cœur” from Radio France. The album led to an extensive tour across France and Europe.
The quartet received the First Prize at the Un Doua de Jazz competition and the Audience Prize at the European Jazz Competition in Avignon in 2023. They were also laureates of the Propulsion programme and the Centre Régional du Jazz missioning scheme, and finalists in several major French jazz competitions.
MUSICIANS
Hugo Diaz – saxophone, composition
Alexandre Cahen – piano
Vladimir Torres – double bass
Louis Cahen – drums
Arboria
Arboria is a large-ensemble project rooted in the contemporary Basel jazz scene and centered around the music of vocalist and composer Patricija Škof.
Combining lyrical writing, rich harmonies and an expansive instrumental palette, the project brings together elements of modern jazz, classical music and collective improvisation. The arrangements create a spacious sound world in which voices, winds, rhythm section and strings interact in constantly evolving textures.
Formed in 2024, Arboria premiered with a sold-out concert in Basel. The ensemble recorded its debut album at Jazzcampus Studio Basel, released on 22 May 2026 with sts|sts records.
MUSICIANS
Patricija Škof — vocals
Sofia Will — conductor
Álvaro Ocón Ocón — trumpet
Fernando Brox — flute, trombone
Marta Wajdzik — alto saxophone
Tibor Pernarčič — tenor saxophone
Corrado Cerutti — guitar
Alexandre Cahen — piano
Joan Codina — double bass
Lucas Zibulski — drums
Pippa Sieppala — violin
Jennifer Armor — violin
Yu-Yun Peng — viola
David Liam Roberts — violoncello
Emilio Giovanoli Quintet
Led by Ticinese double bassist and composer Emilio Giovanoli, the quintet brings together musicians who met during their studies at Basel Jazzcampus.
Their music draws from contemporary jazz while engaging with hard bop, impressionist harmony and electronic-inspired rhythmic patterns. Inspired by the landscapes of the Alpine Arc, the compositions move between radiant melodies, open textures and communicative improvisation.
The quintet’s debut album, Refractions, was released in 2023. The project was selected for Swiss Diagonales Jazz 2024 and subsequently performed in several Swiss jazz clubs and festivals.
MUSICIANS
Emilio Giovanoli — double bass, composition
Lennard Fiehn — tenor saxophone
Martín Theurillat — guitar
Alexandre Cahen — piano
Max Liebenberg — drums
Basel Jazz Orchestra
Alexandre Cahen collaborates regularly with the Basel Jazz Orchestra as a composer and arranger, writing original music for the ensemble’s programme.
His compositions bring together jazz, contemporary writing and improvisation, while exploring the possibilities of large-ensemble orchestration.
This collaboration offers a broader setting for the development and performance of his music.
MUSICIANS
Basel Jazz Orchestra — big band
Francesca Gaza — conductor
Alexandre Cahen — composer, arranger
Axis of Resonance
Axis Of Resonance is a free-improvised project born from the meeting between Spanish drummer Jordi Pallarés Barberà and French pianist Alexandre Cahen.
The duo develops a space of interaction where simple piano melodies meet metallic resonances, tinkling bells, repetitive patterns and sudden avalanches of notes. Together, their instruments create a sound world made of wood and metal—at times tender, at times torn apart.
Through improvised textures, melodies and rhythms, the music draws a map without a fixed direction. The duo extends this exploration into the studio, where fragments of improvisation are placed under the microscope and shaped through post-production.
Their first release is a two-volume album, Axis of Resonance — Volumes I & II. Both volumes were recorded in Basel in September 2020 and released simultaneously on 20 May 2022 by the independent label Orx! unarchiveS.
MUSICIANS
Alexandre Cahen — piano
Jordi Pallarés Barberà — drums, percussion
Snejana Prodanova Quintet
Led by bassist and composer Snejana Prodanova, the quintet explores original compositions situated between modern jazz, improvisation and playful experimentation. Its music combines melodic writing with an open approach to rhythm, interaction and sound, leaving space for each musician’s individual voice.
The quintet is shaped by a strong sense of collective dialogue, moving freely between composed material and spontaneous musical decisions.
MUSICIANS
Snejana Prodanova — double bass, composition
Alexandre Cahen — piano
Lennard Fiehn — tenor saxophone
Martín Theurillat — guitar
Noé Franklé — drums