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Michael Arbenz

Michael Arbenz has been active as leader of various bands during the last couple of years. They gave concerts throughout Europe and recorded several CDs. Internationally renowned musicians such as Greg Osby, Dave Liebman, Wolfgang Puschnig, Glenn Ferris, Muneer B. Fennell, Kent Carter, Matthieu Michel and Marc Johnson joined his activities. He also gave classical concerts with Pierre Boulez, Paul Sacher, Jürg Wyttenbach, the Ensemble Contrechamps and Hans Zehnder, just to name a few.

Michael Arbenz meets Andy Sheppard: From Bach to Ellington - Live

Read "From Bach to Ellington - Live" reviewed by Neil Duggan

by Neil Duggan
June 13, 2025

Recorded live at the Bird's Eye Jazz Club, Basel, Switzerland, in 2024, From Bach to Ellington--Live, has Swiss pianist Michael Arbenz and British saxophonist Andy Sheppard reinterpreting four of Duke Ellington's classics, together with two original pieces from Arbenz inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach. Arbenz came to All About Jazz's attention when, along with his brother Florian, he worked with Ron Carter on The Alpine Session (Self Produced, 2025). As part of the trio Vein, Arbenz has released ...

Album Review

Florian Arbenz, Michael Arbenz, Ron Carter: The Alpine Session: Arbenz vs. Arbenz Meets Ron Carter

Read "The Alpine Session: Arbenz vs. Arbenz Meets Ron Carter" reviewed by Neil Duggan

by Neil Duggan
February 18, 2025

1937 was a landmark year: the Golden Gate Bridge opened and Edward VIII abdicated the British throne. In jazz, Billie Holiday made her debut with Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie began his recording career. It was also the year Ron Carter, the most-recorded jazz bassist in history, was born. With over 2000 recording sessions to his name, many of them on iconic albums, he could be forgiven for putting his feet up and reflecting on past glories, but that is ...

The pianist Michael Arbenz must be seen as hidden world star. He plays in a league with Brad Mehldau and Jacky Terrasson, technically virtuously and precisely, fissuredly wide-rangingly, filled with crazy ideas that emerge between knotted hacked chords and tingly silver-reels, harmonious, cumbersome or mellifluous – an intimate dance with the spirits of Lennie Tristano and Thelonious Monk and one’s very own mind… - Ulrich Olshausen, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

Vein..., one of the most enthusiastic and interesting piano trios in recent years... I must confess I am an official Vein fan. Since their debut, this trio has become as important to me as Esbjörn Svensson!!! - Ben Williams, Concerto