The Squid's Ear Magazine


Johnson, Russ / Christian Weber / Dieter Ulrich: To Walk On Eggshells (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

In a spontaneously assembled 2009 session at Zürich's DRS studio, trumpeter Russ Johnson, bassist Christian Weber, and drummer Dieter Ulrich sculpt a dynamic and intuitive trio performance, threading balladic lyricism with abstract tension in a deft interplay of trust, fragility, and risk that transforms improvisation into captivating and timeless art.
 

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Product Information:

Personnel:



Russ Johnson-trumpet

Christian Weber-double bass

Dieter Ulrich-drums

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UPC: 752156106029

Label: ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd
Catalog ID: ezz-thetics 1060
Squidco Product Code: 36057

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2025
Country: Switzerland
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold
Recorded at DRS Radiostudio 2, Zurich, December 1, 2009 by Martin Pearson; Mixed by Alex Huber; Mastering by Michael Brändli, Hardstudios AG; Liner notes by Ruedi Amstutz; Cover photo by Mircea Sorin Albuțiu; graphic concept by fuhrer vienna; Produced by Christian Weber; Associate producer: Christian C. Dalucas; Executive producer: Werner X. Uehlinger.
Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

Artist Biographies

"Trumpeter Russ Johnson is a recent Midwest transplant after spending 23 years as an important member of New York City's jazz community. He has 7 recordings as a leader or co-leader and performed on more than 75 recordings as a sideman. Russ has worked alongside many of the legendary figures in jazz including Lee Konitz, Steve Swallow, Bill Frisell, and Joe Lovano. In addition, he has recorded and/or performed with a long list of the most prominent musicians currently on the international jazz scene, including Myra Melford, Ken Vandermark, and Tony Malaby. Russ has performed in more than 40 countries across the globe. His groups have recently performed at the Chicago, Winter Jazz Fest (NYC) Hyde Park, (Chicago) and Bergamo, (Italy) jazz festivals.

His most recent recordings, Meeting Point (Relay Recordings) and Still Out To Lunch! (Enja Records) received 4 1/2 & 4 stars respectively from Down Beat Magazine and appeared on many "Best Recordings of 2014/5" lists including Down Beat, the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader, NYC Jazz Record and Magnet magazine. Russ will be releasing a new recording by his "Headlands" Quartet in 2017.

Russ is also active as an educator/clinician, having taught at colleges and universities across the U.S. and Europe. He currently serves as Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Wisconsin Parkside where he won the university wide "Stella Gray" Teaching Excellence award in 2016."

-Russ Johnson Website (https://www.russjohnsonmusic.net/)
10/6/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

Christian Weber: Doublebass, composition, electronics. Born in Zürich/Switzerland

1990 discovery of the Doublebass
1993-96 studies at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts Graz
1995-98 studies at the Bruckner Conservatory Linz with Adelhard Roidinger
1998 studies with Ernst Weissensteiner, Vienna
2000-06 operative and artistic management of the WIM Zürich
2000- music for film & theater, soundinstallations
2001 grant from the city of Zürich; composition commissioned by ProHelvetia
2003 Zürich culture award (Werkjahr)
2004- extensive touring all over the world
2007-13 guest lecturer at the University of Berne
2013- lecturer at the University of Lucerne



regular appearances

Sudden Infant, ensemble für neue musik zürich, Christy Doran's Bunter Hund, Die Welttraumforscher


festivals
Druga Godba (Ljubliana), Jazzfestival Zagreb, Jazz Meeting TelAviv, Jazz-Meeting Jerusalem, Jazzfest Wiesen, Hörgänge Wien, Jazzfestival Schaffhausen, AMR Festival (Geneva), Ice On Fire (Kuwait), Festival de Jazz Grenoble, Jazzfest Wien, unerhört!, Ulrichsberger Kaleidophon, Uncool Poschiavo, Jazzfestival Mulhouse, Wien Modern, Moers Festival, LEM (Barcelona), Jazzherbst Konstanz, Taktlos, Vision Festival (NYC), FIMAV (Victoriaville), Konfrontationen Nickelsdorf, Umbrella Festvial Chicago, Jazzfestival Willisau, Jazzfestival Belgrade, Fri Resonans Trondheim...


toured in
Switzerland, Austria, Germany, England, Ireland, Poland, Israel, China, Taiwan, Belgium, Italy, Slovenia, Kuwait, Croatia, Czech Republic, The Netherlands, Serbia, Spain, Japan, Russia, USA, Canada...


works/worked with
Lina Allemano, Bruno Amstad, Tim Barnes, Johannes Bauer, Ludwig Bekic, Han Bennink, Claudia Ulla Binder, Jeb Bishop, Andres Bosshard, John Butcher, Antoine Chessex, Gene Coleman, Collegium Novum, Lol Coxhill, Chris Dahlgren, Tim Daisy, Jacques Demierre, Bertrand Denzler, Robert Dick, Roberto Domeniconi, Michel Doneda, Christy Doran, Paul Dunmall, Markus Eichenberger, Ellery Eskelin, Peter Evans, Kai Fagaschinski, Pierre Favre, Peter K Frey, Charles Gayle, Gegenklang, Michael Griener, Andy Guhl, Uli Gumpert, Boris Hauf, Franz Hautzinger, Stefan Heckel, Gerry Hemingway, Gerhard Herrmann, Charlotte Hug, Ben Jeger, Russ Johnson, Jason Kahn, Vera Kappeler, Mazen Kerbaj, Hans Koch, Ritsche Koch, Jonas Kocher, Tomas Korber, Peter Kowald, Jesse Kudler, Joachim Kühn, Oliver Lake, Joke Lanz, Urs Leimgruber, Tony Levin, Werner Lüdi, Paul Lytton, Rudi Mahall, Phil Minton, Norbert Möslang, Michael Moser, Jon Mueller, Günter Müller, Simon Nabatov, Lucas Niggli, Noid, Evan Parker, Dave Phillips, Simon Picard, Wolfgang Puschnig, Christian Reiner, Wolfgang Reisinger, Paul Rogers, Roger Rotor, Olaf Rupp, Jorge Sanchez-Chiong, Julian Sartorius, Eric Schaefer, Philip Schaufelberger, Matthias Schubert, Willem Schulz, Irène Schweizer, Christine Sehnaoui, Sharif Sehnaoui, Elliott Sharp, Martin Siewert, Markus Stauss, Steamboat Switzerland, Michael Jefry Stevens, Co Streiff, Michael Thieke, Dieter Ulrich, Tom Varner, Colin Vallon, Walter & Sabrina, Matthew Welch, Chris Wiesendanger, Bo Wiget, Michel Wintsch, Stephan Wittwer, Nils Wogram, Christian Wolfarth, Michael Wollny, Nate Wooley, Katsura Yamauchi, Raed Yassin, Otomo Yoshihide, Michael Zerang, Matthias Ziegler, Alfred Zimmerlin, Philip Zoubek...

-Christian Weber Website (http://www.christianweber.org/bio.html)
10/6/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Dieter Ulrich (12 October 1958 in Zurich) is a Swiss jazz and free improvisation musician (percussion, flugelhorn) and art historian.

Ulrich had piano lessons from Irma Schaichet from 1965 to 1980. He learned also playing percussion by self study from 1972. He played at first in several bands with Harald Haerter.

In 1988, he played with his own quintet in the Jazz Festival Zurich. He participated also in Daniel Mouthon's projects. He was a member of the trio AfroGarage with Christoph Baumann and Jacques Siron and appeared in many international festivals."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieter_Ulrich)
10/6/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:
Related Categories of Interest:

Hat Art

Improvised Music
Jazz
Free Improvisation
European Improvisation, Composition and Experimental Forms
Collective & Free Improvsation
Trio Recordings
New in Improvised Music
Recent Releases and Best Sellers
Hat Hut Masters Sale

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