Biography (En)

2025-01-21T18:31:11Z

Born in 1967 in Germany into a religious family, he discovered music at the Baptist church, through Bach chorales and Gospel. For four years, he studied classical trombone with Uwe Dierksen (soloist of the "Ensemble Moderne"), then jazz trombone with Albert Mangelsdorff. At the same time, he took composition and arrangement lessons, notably with Dieter Glavischnik. A professional musician at the age of seventeen, he won the soloist prize at the Lower Saxony jazz competition in 1984, then the composition and orchestra prizes with his trio in 1985. His first contact with France was with the "Franco-German Orchestra" of jazz directed by Albert Mangelsdorff and Jean-François Jenny-Clark in 1984 (with Jean-Marie Machado, Jean Rémy Guédon, Claus Stötter, Louis Moutin, Mathias Schubert and Wolfgang Haffner). From 1987 to 1990, he lived in New York and, thanks to a scholarship from the "New School", he studied composition with contemporary composer Hal Smith and jazz pianist Kenny Werner. He also studied trombone with Steve Turre and improvisation with Jim Hall. He performs with Sahib Shihab, Franck Foster, Lester Bowie, Brad Mehldau, Johnny Colon, the "Spindoctors" and his own quintet. After several months spent in Brazil, he moved to France in 1991 where he played in the groups "Unit" by Noël Akchoté, "Trash Corporation", "Le Groove Gang" by Julien Lourau (from 92 to 98), the tentet of Didier Levallet, "Quoi de neuf docteur" by Serge Adam, "l'Orchestre national de jazz". He founded his own quintet "Sound Suggestions" (with Julien Lourau, Bojan Zulfikarpasic, Hélène Labarière, et François Merville) and also plays and/or records alongside Dave Liebman, Glenn Ferris, Archie Shepp, Johnny Griffin, Jean-Marc Padovani, Laurent Cugny, Ricardo Del Fra, etc. and with Andy Shepard, France Gall and Mathieu Chedid.

At the same time, he multiplies his activities as a composer and teacher. He has been in artistic residency in Haute-Saône (managed by ADDIM 70) since 2001, and teaches composition and arrangement. He occasionally gives improvisation courses there. This residency has given rise to the creation of several new repertoires: A trio with Hubert Dupont (double bass) and Frank Vaillant (drums). A quintet with Nicolas Genest (trumpet), Michael Felberbaum (guitar), Stephan Kérecki (double bass), Frank Agulhon (drums). The creation of the first four pieces of his suite "Convergences" (music for string quartet and jazz ensemble) with Jean-François Canape (trumpet), Vincent Courtois (cello), Michael Felberbaum (guitar), Fred Borey (saxophone) and a string quartet. Two trios; with Alban Darche (sax) and Olivier Sens (double bass), with Laurent Coq (piano) and Michael Felberbaum (guitar). An orchestra of thirty musicians who perform the works of his students, written under his direction.

In addition, he leads multiple jazz master classes, organized around concerts (notably with the "Thuillier Brass Trio"), in music schools, conservatories, wind orchestras and as part of jazz festivals.

He also responds to composition orders from several classical music ensembles and soloists, such as the "Ensemble de trompettes de Paris" (suite for trumpets and bugles Beziehungskisten), the string quartet "Ebene" (Quatuor des satellites) and the tuba player François Thuillier (Suite for solo tuba). He is the author of a musical-theatrical piece for CM1 / CM2 children, Les voleurs de rires, created in June 2003 and available free of charge to schools that wish to produce it! In 2003, he wrote a state commission: a concert for trumpet and harmony orchestra, which was created in December 2004 by Bruno Nouvion and „l'orchestre de harmonie d'Héricourt" then recorded by Bruno Nouvion and the Harmonie orchestra of guardians of the peace in Paris. At the same time, he mainly devotes himself to his project Eros & Thanatos (music for string quartet and jazz ensemble), whose CD was released on March 26, 2004.

From 2003 to 2009, he was an artistic expert at the DRAC Ile de France within the commission for musical creation and invention and, from 2006 to 2010, he was a member of the collective of musicians "Yolk". He wrote and produced, among other things, the CD "York en cuisine" with the collective. He also performs in a duo with Michael Felberbaum, and in a quintet with "Wonder-Brass-Factory" (with Nicolas Genest, Philippe Sellam, François Thuillier and Frank Vaillant) and continues his artistic residency in Haute-Saône.

In 2011, he initiated and collaborated on the development of the first Alto trombone fully satisfactory for a contemporary Jazz musician. This trombone, the "Casimir Alto" is made by Josef Gopp, who received the "Deutsche Musikinstrumentenbaupreis 2011", the highest German award for luthiers and instrument makers. Between 2012 and 2014 he lived in Barcelona where he devoted himself mainly to composition. He writes and produces among others the CD "Spaccata" with the saxophone nonet Squillante with which he also performs on stage. He also collaborates with the group Pulcinella from Toulouse and participates in a CD recording.

Since 2015 he lives in Berlin where he has played and/or recorded with among others Einstürzende Neubauten, Udo Lindenberg, Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra, Stefan Schultze Large Ensemble, Sebastian Studnitzky, Matsch und Schnee the Jerico Projekt by Silke Eberhard and Maike Hilbig, etc.

He currently plays in a trio with Silke Eberhard and Gerhard Gschlößl (this trio produced the Bootleg CD in 2022). He also performs with the quartet "Tuba On The Beat" with Gerhard Gschlößl, Julius Apriadi and Laura Robles, then in a duo with the pianist Laia Genc.

He also teaches at the Paul Hindemith Municipal Music School and at the Franco-German Music School of Berlin. In 2023 he also teaches at the Jazz Institute Berlin / UDK where he leads a 10-piece trombone ensemble with his compositions and arrangements.

Daniel Casimir

Biography (En)