Michel Wintsch, pianist and composer, draws his unflagging inspiration from a varied musical background. He combines jazz tradition with “progressive” rock’s raw power, freewheeling improvisation and the demands of orchestral composition. His approach is both poetic and syncretic. He has a unique way of writing that allows for plenty of creativity to other musicians but also creates his own style. Music that is unclassifiable, migratory and truly present in the moment. Music that is both familiar and new to the senses. Music that moves along, but still surprises us. Michel Wintsch, a Swiss musician, was born in Switzerland in 1964. He fell in love with music as a child. He refused to accept the limitations of what schools taught. The piano became an everyday delight and a form essential to his well-being. Creativity became his way of living. He worked in the cinema, notably for Alain Tanner, the Swiss director. He adapted Marguerite Yourcenar’s writings to music and wrote the opera “Ma Barker”. His first live appearances were made with “Monkey’s Touch”, a rock band that toured the circuit frequently in the 1980s. He plays many gigs and concerts now with musicians who experiment in improvised music. These include Fred Frith and Han Bennink, Martin Schutz and Michel Doneda. He also co-founded his regular trio with Gerry Hemingway (American percussionist and composer) and Banz Oester (Swiss bassist). Michel Wintsch’s music has a unique, personal quality because of these many encounters, exchanges, and tours. from http://www.michelwintsch.com
