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Winner of the 2019 European Jazz Award and the 2021 Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll in the "Rising Star Trombone" category, Samuel Blaser is a 21st-century trombonist. Born in 1981 in the town of La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, he emerged professionally after graduating from conservatory in 2002. Over the next five years, he developed collaborations with the Vienna Art Orchestra and the European Radio Big Band, received a Fulbright Scholarship, pursued graduate studies at the Purchase College Conservatory of Music, State University of New York, and recorded his first album as a leader, "7th Heaven" by the Samuel Blaser Quartet (Between The Lines).
After 13 years in Berlin, where he studied composition with Tiziano Manca and Oscar Strasnoy, Blaser has returned to his hometown. The foundations of Blaser's art lie in the breadth of his influences, his technical fluency, and the clarity with which he applies these assets. He grew up learning classical music and Swiss folk music as well as jazz, and his projects include jazz-informed explorations of operatic, rock, and blues music. He understands that growth is relational and has sought out and maintained relationships with veteran and senior musicians such as Pierre Favre, John Hollenbeck, Gerry Hemingway, Marc Ducret, Paul Motian, Oliver Lake, and Daniel Humair—each of whom has helped him develop his own artistic identity.
He explores the full range of possibilities offered by the trombone, including fluid melodic statements, emphatic rhythmic punctuations, earthy interjections, and abstract sound effects—all with a clear sense of purpose. He approaches each project as a leader and collaborator with a precise vision of what he wants to achieve and what each musical situation requires from him. Blaser's responsiveness is particularly evident in his solo performances, where his bold sound highlights both architectural and environmental qualities.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced all musicians to suspend their tours. However, Blaser's response illustrated another aspect of his resourcefulness. While off the road, he set up an internet label called Blaser Music, which released its first four projects during the spring and summer. As soon as Europe began to reopen, he returned to the stage to perform concerts with the Samuel Blaser Quartet, Humair Blaser Känzig, and as a sideman for Michel Portal and Marc Ducret.
