Drummer/percussionist and bandleader Peter Giger was born Hans Peter Giger in Zurich, Switzerland on April 12, 1939. He began his life as a professional musician in 1958 when he toured Europe with Swiss Dixieland band the Tremble Kids. Moving to Paris, France in 1960 and began playing in Claude Bolling’s sextet. He toured and recorded with such musical luminaries as Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Stéphane Grappelli, Memphis Slim, and many others. While he still kept busy as a musician, he taught at the Swiss Jazz School in Bern from 1969 to 1972. He moved to Frankfurt, Germany in 1972 to join the Albert Mangelsdorff Quintet. He also joined the German jazz rock outfit Dryzan, recording three albums with them between 1972 and 1974. Peter Giger released the album Family of Percussion in 1976, which was followed by Beyond (1977), which was a collaboration with Eddy Marron (guitar) and Günter Lenz (bass). In 1977, he formed the Family of Percussion, a percussion-only quartet that also featured Trilok Gurtu, Doug Hammond and Tom Nicholas. The group released the albums Message to the Enemies of Time (1978), Sunday Palaver (1980), Here Comes the Family (1981), For Drummers Only (1982), Mozambique Meets Europe (1992), Family Jewels (1993) and A Drum Is a Woman (2006). Peter Giger has remained busy over the decades, continuing to perform live and collaborate with other artists.
