The creation of FOUR FOR JAZZ in 1970 was a very happy event (Double-LP “A Land Of Dolls”, 1971 “Power Of Nature”, 1972 “Sunday Child”) Benny Bailey was the trumpeter who had previously played with the four instrumentalists at various times. He immediately became enthusiastic about the experience, and has continued to play with them ever since. FOUR FOR JAZZ’s current headquarters is in Berne, Switzerland, which is the capital of the country. The musicians also work as teachers at the “Swiss Jazz Scool”, Berne, between their concerts around Europe. Heinz Bigler, clarinettist, and saxophone player, was born in Bern, Switzerland, 1934. He received a scholarship to the Berklee Scool of Music in Boston, USA. He has performed with many famous musicians, including Clark Terry, Joe Zawinul and Clark Terry. He has developed his own style after being inspired by Charly Parker. Joe Haider, a piano and electronic keyboard player, was born in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1936. He studied composition and piano at the “Scool of Music”, Munich. He has been a leader in several groups as well as as a sideman for Art Farmer and Carmell Jones, Booker Ervin and Nathan Davis. Joe Haider was also the leader of “Radio Jazz Group” at the “Bayerischer Rundfunk”. He now resides in Avenches, Switzerland. Isla Eckinger, bass player – He was born in Basel in 1939. Before he became a great Jazz Trombonist, he had received music instruction at the Konservatorium in Basel. He is one of the most prominent bass players in Europe’s Jazz Scene, and he lives now in California, USA. Hans-Peter Giger, a drummer and percussions player, was born in Bern, Switzerland, 1939. He has been a professional musician since the age of 19. He was a frequent companion for many jazz musicians, both on European concert tours and in Paris studios (Claude Bolling). He was later even more successful with Albert Mangelsdorff, his “Family of Percussion”, from www.mms.online.ch
