The Bernese collective ARBRE has just been honored with the ZKB Jazz Prize 2023. Mélusine Chappuis (keys, synth), Paul Butscher (fglh, vox), and Xavier Almeida (dr, p) have propelled their soundscapes somewhere between jazz and alternative onto stages across Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Austria, and the Czech Republic. The number of venues and countries they've performed in since their establishment in 2021 may be impressive, but it is as inconsequential as the number of performers or instruments they command. What truly matters and shines is their unity. Every decision is made collectively, and the shared creative process takes precedence. Mutual support, growth together, transformation, and coming together again are the focal points.
While their first album, "Lunaires," was categorized under atmospheric jazz, their second album, "Mes épaules seront rivières," exudes a more defiant and serious tone. Yet, the ARBRE sound remains: expansive, vast, multidimensional, and intricate. Their absolute devotion to sound details, long arcs, and each other is evident.