Phase 1

At the Age of 16 I began to play guitar with my first band. My attempt to get experience by playing the classical guitar was stopped by the volume of the others. The self built pick-up didn’t help much. So I was told to either get an E-Guitar as quickly as possible or to leave. I decided to take the first option. While getting rid of my classical guitar I also left behind my fear of working with the plectrum-technique.

This experience had the advantage, that after only three months I left the band because it had become too easy. At the same time, now at the age of 18, I took Jazz lessons. My first Highlight was the Jazz-Standard "Autumn leaves". But only the visit at the Jazz festival in Montreux really lit my love for the Jazz-guitar.

After the basic practice in Jazz- and classical guitar I applied for the "Swiss Jazz School" in Bern where I had to pass an entry exam. Five years of education followed, during which I had the opportunity to join my teachers Andy Scherrer, U. Arlati, Joe Hairler and Ch. Baader for Live acts which gave me the experience necessary for my further musical career. My diploma since then, is hidden in the cupboard. Learning by doing is still my daily business.

My mentor at the "Swiss Jazz School" in Bern was my teacher Ira Kriss. It was always his utmost concern, that every note you play, actually meant to be played.

From Big band Jazz (Trombone) over Fusion, all the way to Latin Music & Pop, I changed my style and the rehearsal room evening to evening, only to please the audience every weekend on stage.

During my studies I played in five different bands, so I would always be up to date. My personal slogan even today is still: Be as manifold as possible. This way I have a better chance to survive in the "music-circus". Though this means for me, not to copy, not to have any limits, but to be ME. I am the Original, people want to hear Me, a mix of musicality, personality and extroversion.

Phase 2

Extensive Swiss tours with the "WAVEWATCHERS" and the "GROOVE CONNECTION" we’re followed by two CD Records and 4 tours in the UdSSR. Amongst Other:

• Jazzfestival St. Petersburg (1991 & 1992)
• Jazzfestival Petrozawodsk (1992 & 1993)
• Jazzfestival Moscow (1993)
• Kaliningrad (1993)

Parallel to the Tours I founded my own formation "FUNKOLOGY", for which I composed entirely new music from 1995 to 1998. On Swiss Club tours, the Jazz festival Willisau (1997), Jazz festival Moscow and Kazan (1995) I acted in concert and performed live.

Phase 3

The Search for something new

Over 20 years now I have been working as a teacher. During this job I was overrun by the Hip Hop Scene. Many of my students encouraged me to try something new. This way, I wouldn’t end up in a dead end, because I asked myself: “How can you combine Hip Hop and Jazz-Guitar or Jazz-Live-Music with DJ Turntables? After hesitating to rap in Swiss German, the Italian Rapper Jovanotti caught my attention. From that point, I had my idea, and my path was obvious once again.

Within 6 months, more exact from October 1996 to March 1997, I published my first Solo-Album: "Storia Personale" as front man and Rapper in Italian. I had rediscovered my language.

It became more and more obvious, that as front man I was receiving all the attention of the people, which is known to be a risk factor. During this time, I additionally played the trombone in the "Cosimo Lampis Salsa Orchestra" with Latino rhythms and worked as arranger. This gave me a manifold insight into the south-American music scene.

The Year 1999 was something like a turning point in my life. In the middle of the preparation for my second solo-album I fell very ill. The illness forced me to a whole year of rest and withdrew me from the public. But there is no such thing as coincidence and this “break” was the most important one that formed my life. What influence it had on my music and my work, I can not define.

Beginning of the Year 2000, I started the first Mexico Tour with my favourite musician and friend, saxophonist Markus Hauser (CH). As a result of our tour we brought out 2 albums. Jazz mixed with original pieces from Argentina (Tangos) and Mexico (Boleros). In the following years we made two more tours through Mexico.

In December 2001, at one of my last concerts with the Band "FUNKOLOGY", I met DJ Bobesch, who led me back to the roots. During a live concert he heard my Wah Wah guitar and showed me his version of it. Two days later after a two hour telephone conference with him, the band "THE BRAND NEW RHYTHM" was founded with 5 crazy stage performers. This band played pure funk: Deep Funk.