Christoph Irniger Pilgrim

The quintet Pilgrim, founded by Zurich based tenor saxophonist Christoph Irniger, has become over the years one of the most exciting ensembles in young European Jazz. Besides the leader, the band features Stefan Aeby - piano, Dave Gisler - guitar, Raffaele Bossard - bass and Michi Stulz - drums. After the highly praised group’s latest studio recording 'Italian Circus Story', Pilgrim - driven by enthusiasm and inventiveness - presents the vibrant live album 'Big Wheel'. Pilgrim plays full of verve, with plenty of room for spontaneity and improvisation and demonstrates on these recordings impressively their pulsating music. Pilgrim’s approach needs to prove itself over and again, and has to constantly develop – The Big Wheel. On the continuum of intentionally persecuting something pre-planned and letting it happen the group clearly and strongly tends to the latter. It leaves each member in a state of mutual trust in each other’s originality and experience. The accompanying soundtrack oscillates between enigmatic reflection and wild eruptions, although the band creates a dense, all-round sound which is hard to categorise.

The five members of the group, which was formed in 2010, come from different parts of Switzerland. They also play in various other groups, throughout the world, and already in their short careers they have had the opportunity to play with and be taught by jazz greats such as Dave Douglas, Nasheet Waits, Dave Liebman and Joey Baron.

www.christophirniger.com