Bertrand Denzler

Bertrand Denzler (born 1963 in Geneva, Switzerland) is a Swiss and French musician and composer active in the fields of free improvisation, free jazz and contemporary music. As a performer and improviser, his main instrument is the tenor saxophone..
==Career==
Denzler first played recorder, oboe and guitar in baroque and contemporary music ensembles, experimental rock bands and folk music groups. In the 1980s, he was a member of blues, jazz, soul and funk bands as a saxophonist. Since the 1990s he is mainly active in the fields of free improvisation, free jazz and contemporary music. 
He has performed and recorded in Europe, Northern America, South America, the Middle East and the Far East as a member of numerous groups and ensembles, as well as solo and with artists from other disciplines (dance, sculpture, video, poetry, performance, theatre).
He has played with Sunny Murray, Benoît Delbecq, Hélène Labarrière, Norbert Pfammatter, Chamæleo Vulgaris, Hubbub, Trio Sowari (with Burkhard Beins and Phil Durrant), Momentum, Hans Koch, Axel Dörner, Michael Griener, Günter Müller, Jean-Luc Guionnet, Mattin, Taku Unami, the saxophone quartet Propagations, John Edwards and Eddie Prévost, Zoor, Sbatax, Neuköllner Modelle (with Joel Grip, Sven-Åke Johansson and Alexander Von Schlippenbach), Mark Wastell’s The Seen, Jason Kahn as well as solo.
He has composed works for ensembles such as Onceim and CoÔ as well as film music.
His music can be heard on recordings published by labels such as Potlatch, Matchless Recordings, Confront Recordings, Umlaut Records, Remote Resonator, Insub, Mikroton, Creative Sources, For4Ears, Ambiances Magnétiques, Leo Records, a.o.
He has also published texts about music, including the book The Practice of Musical Improvisation (Bloomsbury Academic, 2020) as a co-editor with Jean-Luc Guionnet.
In 2018, he was awarded a "Get Going" grant by Fondation Suisa.
==Discography==
As a composer (and sometimes performer)
* Beliah-Heilbronn-Majkowski-Shirley – Low Strings – Confront (2023)
* Šalter Ensemble – Štiri dela – [Ubiquité (B. Denzler) + The Šalter (R. Roža) + Common Ground Alltogether (R. Crnić) + Pet spominov / Five Memories (T. Grom)] – Zavod Sploh + Bruit (2021)
* Denzler-Dupleix – Plateaux – [Plateaux (B. Denzler & L. Dupleix) + Positif (L. Dupleix) + Tessiture (B. Denzler)] – Albertine Editions (2021)
* Costa-Denzler-Fernandes-Lopes – Som Desorganizado 2019 / CD1 – [Sonoscopie (B. Denzler)] – Sonoscopia (2020)
* Bondi-Denzler-D'Incise – Phonolecte / Pyrrhonisme – [Phonolecte (B. Denzler) + Pyrrhonisme (D'Incise)] – Insub (2020)
* CoÔ – Arc – Potlatch (2019)
* Bondi-Denzler-D'Incise – Périodes – Remote Resonator (2018)
* Badaroux-Denzler-Gerbal – Topographie / Ghost Polyphonies – [Topographie (B. Denzler) + Ghost Polyphonies (A. Gerbal)] – Remote Resonator (2018)
* Félicie Bazelaire – Basse Seule – Confront (2018)
* Ensemble Hodos – Rouages 2 – Remote Resonator (2017)
* Horns+ – Arpents / Composition No. 20 / For Otis – [Arpents (B. Denzler) + Composition No. 20 (P.-A. Badaroux) + For Otis (B. Denzler & P-A. Badaroux)] – Remote Resonator (2017)
* Umlaut Big Band – Umlaut Big Band plays Badaroux, Gerbal, Denzler, Borel – [Composition No. 21 (P.-A. Badaroux) + Parallel Degrees (A. Gerbal) + Stage Band (B. Denzler) + The Crual Death Of John Silver (P. Borel)] – Remote Resonator (2016)
* Horns – Horns 2.1 – Remote Resonator (2016)
* Onceim – Morph – Confront (2015)
* Horns – Horns 1.2 – Confront (2015)
* V.A. – Ombres d'orgue – [Frotttements (B. Denzler) + pieces by Daniel Glaus, Junghae Lee, Marie-Cecil Reber, Daniel Zea] – ASM/STV (2012)
As an improviser or performer
* Sbatax (Denzler-Gerbal) – Spires – Umlaut (2023)
* Denzler-Grip-Johansson – Excelsior – SÅJ (2023)
* Denzler-Kahn – Translations – Potlatch (2022)
* Ephemeral Collectives / V.A. [Denzler-Mariage-Loutelier a.m.o.] – Improvisation in the Lab – Urborigène (2021)
* Protocluster – Penrose + Perplex – Protocluster (2021)
* The Seen – For Sake Of Joy : Live – Confront (2021)
* Denzler-Durrant-Wastell – What Do You See When You Are Sleeping? – Confront (2021)
* Patricia Bosshard / Onceim / CoÔ – Sillons / Reflets – Potlatch – (2021)
* Denzler-Gerbal – Sbatax – Umlaut (2020)
* The Seen – For Sake Of Joy Of Study Of Oneself Together – Confront (2020)
* Denzler-Moimême-Rodrigues – Immobility and Movement – Creative Sources (2020)
* Belorukov-Bosshard-Denzler-Markvart – Bizarre Perspectives – Akt-Produkt (2020)
* Hubbub – Poitiers – Remote Resonator (2019)
* Denzler-Filip – Das rote Schloß – Smallforms (2019)
* Bertrand Denzler – Four Saxophone Solos – Remote Resonator (2019)
* Denzler-Lash – Pivot – Spoonhunt (2019)
* Wolkokrots with Bertrand Denzler – Gewolla Kid – Theme Park (2019) 
* Eliane Radigue / Onceim – Occam Océan 2 – Shiiin (2019)
* Peter Ablinger / Onceim – Notes & Bloc-Notes – Remote Resonator (2019)
* The Seen – Archive : volumes VI – X / 2014 to 2016 – Confront (2019)
* Denzler-Grip-Johansson – Zyklus 1 – Umlaut + SÅJ (2019)
* Diatribes / Diatribes + R. Ortis + Horns – Echoes & Sirens – Aussenraum (2018)
* Trio Sowari – Third Issue – Mikroton (2018) 
* Euphorium Freakestra – Grande Casino – Euphorium (2018)
* Denzler-Grip-Johansson + Schlippenbach – Neuköllner Modelle 3-7 – Umlaut (2017)
* The Seen – One Day Band Session 12 – Trestle Records (2017)
* The Seen – Archive : volumes I – V/ 2005 to 2009 – Confront (2017)
* Denzler-Gerbal-Dörner – Le Ring – Confront (2016)
* Denzler-Grip-Johansson – Neuköllner Modelle 1-2 – Umlaut (2016)
* Stephen O'Malley / Onceim – Gruidés – DDS (2015)
* Denzler-Gerbal – Heretofore – Umlaut (2015)
* Zoor – Volumes a+b – Umlaut (2014)
* Denzler-Edwards-Prévost – All-in-All – Matchless (2013)
* Hubbub – Whobub – Matchless (2011)
* Bertrand Denzler – Tenor – Potlatch (2010)
* Trio Sowari – Shortcut – Potlatch (2008)
* Baron-Denzler-Guionnet-Rives – Propagations – Potlatch (2007)
* Mattin-Guionnet-Denzler-Unami – -/:. – Fargone (2006)
* Trio Sowari – Three Dances – Potlatch (2005)
* Denzler-Guionnet-Kinoshita-Unami – Vasistas – Creative Sources (2005)
* Denzler-Dörner-Erdmann-Griener-Müller – Stralau – Creative Sources (2005)
* Charles-Denzler-Mariage-Werchowski – Metz – Creative Sources (2004)
* Hubbub – Hoib – Matchless (2004)
* Hubbub – Hoop Whoop – Matchless (2003)
* Denzler-Koch – Asymétries – Ambiances Magnétiques (2003)
* 49° Nord – Tentacles – Av-Art (2003)
* Momentum – Momentum 3 – Leo (2002) 
* Denzler-Mariage – Mars – Inversus Doxa (2002)
* Chamaeleo Vulgaris – Les Falaises – Inversus Doxa (2002)
* Chamaeleo Vulgaris – Toter Hirsch – Inversus Doxa (2002) 
* Hubbub – Ub/Abu – For4Ears (2001)
* Nanocluster – 02/2000 – Leo (2000)
* Christophe Marguet Quartet – Les Correspondances – Label Bleu (2000)
* Chamaeleo Vulgaris – Ouverture Facile – Leo (1999)
* 49° Nord – Animal Language – Unit (1999)
* Bertrand Denzler Cluster – Y? – Leo (1999)
* Denzler-Dürst-Pfammatter – Now – labelle (1996)
* Denzler-Haerter Quartet – Minor Works – labelle (1994)
* Burhan Öçal Group – Dervis Mustafa – MGB/Musikszene Schweiz (1993)
* Denzler-Wiesendanger – Folies – labelle (1992)
==Music for film==
* Friedrich Glauser – The End by Christoph Kühn (2011)
* Bruno Manser – Laki Penan by Christoph Kühn (2007)
* Nicolas Bouvier – 22 Hospital Street by Christoph Kühn (2005)
* Alfred Ilg – L’Abyssin blanc by Christoph Kühn (2003) – as a music consultant 
* Bilder des Alltags by Christoph Kühn (1994) 
* Sophie Taeuber-Arp by Christoph Kühn (1993)
==Publications==
* B. Denzler, J.-L. Guionnet (editors): The Practice of Musical Improvisation, Bloomsbury Academic (2020)
* B. Denzler, J.-L. Guionnet: S’y entendre en discorde… in L’expérience de l’expérimentation, M. Saladin (editor), Les Presses du Réel (2015)
* B. Denzler, J.-L. Guionnet: Schématisons in Revue & Corrigée #88 (2011), reprinted in Mouvement #68 (2013)
* B. Denzler, short Text in Albert Ayler, témoignages sur un Holy Ghost, F. Médioni (editor), Le Mot et le Reste (2010)
* B. Beins, B. Denzler, Ph. Durrant (Trio Sowari): 27 questions for a start, self-published as a 4-pages booklet (2007), reprinted in French in Revue & Corrigée #74 (2007), reprinted in Echtzeitmusik Berlin, B. Beins, Ch. Kesten, G. Nauck, A. Neumann (editors), Wolke Verlag (2011), reprinted in Audio Culture (revised edition), Ch. Cox, D. Warner (editors), Bloomsbury Academic (2017)
* B. Denzler, short Text in John Coltrane, F. Médioni (editor), Actes Sud (2007)
* B. Denzler, J.-L. Guionnet (editors): Out In The Field in Blocks of Consciousness and the Unbroken Continuum, B. Marley, M. Wastell (editors), Sound 323 (2006)
* B. Denzler, short Text in Jazz en Suite, F. Médioni (editor), Editions du Garde-Temps (2000)
Category:1963 births
Category:People from Geneva
Category:Saxophonists
Category:Improvisation