Florian Weiss' Woodoism: REFUGIUM (Vinyl)

Florian Weiss - trombone; Linus Amstad - alto saxophone; Valentin v. Fischer - double bass; Philipp Leibundgut - drums, glockenspiel

For five years, this young Swiss quartet led by Florian Weiss has been captivating both the press and a growing fan base nationwide. In the spring of 2014, composer and trombonist Florian Weiss, along with Linus Amstad (alto saxophone), Philipp Leibundgut (drums, glockenspiel), and Valentin v. Fischer (bass), all students at the University of the Arts Bern at the time, formed the band Woodoism. By June 2015, they were selected for the "DKSJ-Best of Swiss-Jazz-Bachelors" concert series, and in 2017, they self-released their highly acclaimed debut album "Woodoism." In 2018, the quartet won the "ZKB Jazzpreis" (Zurich Jazz Prize), including the Audience Award, and embarked on tours across Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Slovakia.

With "REFUGIUM," Florian Weiss' Woodoism presents their second album, recorded at the legendary Bauer Studios in Ludwigsburg, Germany.

The band name, a deliberate double association of Voodoo and Wood, signifies warmth and complexity in sound. The lineup, featuring only a two-piece rhythm section plus two horn players, is as unusual as it is appealing for a jazz quartet.

"As a trombonist, I appreciate the absence of a harmony instrument because it allows the instrument's tonal and lyrical possibilities to shine. In larger bands, techniques like multiphonics, where you simultaneously play one note and sing another (heard in 'Schichtende,' 'Heavy Cats,' and 'Danse Amoureuse'), are challenging to use as they can easily get lost in the overall sound," says Weiss. He further explains the album: "'REFUGIUM' is also the title of one of the pieces on the CD that are particularly close to my heart. It is dedicated to an imaginary place where one feels safe and sheltered. A place where time, obligations, problems, stress, and everyday life don't matter. The album is called 'Refugium' because, in a way, this band is my musical refuge. Here, I bring my pieces, here we work together on our musical ideas and their realization. Over the five years of the band's history, we have become really good friends, and it is nice to feel that, even though I (almost) take on all the compositional and organizational tasks, everyone is pulling in the same direction and showing a strong commitment to the band."

For more information, visit www.woodoism.ch.

Press:

"Woodoism practices a chamber jazz that is simultaneously delicate and powerful. (...) The young trombonist and his partners build subtle polyphonies, and conversely, they let it rip (...) with a lot of wit, temperament, even exuberance. (...) Music that is both demanding and enjoyable. In the old days, that was once a characteristic of jazz in general."

Peter Rüedi, Weltwoche

"Florian Weiss' Woodoism wins ZKB Jazz Prize 2018. The band convinced the international jury with strong stage presence, musical dramaturgy, and imaginative compositions. (...)"

NZZ

"(...) The quartet Woodoism impressively demonstrated the high quality and originality of young Swiss jazz."

Frank v. Niederhäusern, Jazz'n'More