"The Berlin-based clarinetist/composer/performer Michael Thieke is equally at home across a broad range of musical environments, such as experimental song forms, collectively composing projects, improvising collectives, and music on the fringes of jazz. He is exploring the minutiae of sound, timbre and noise, with a particular interest in microtonality and related sound phenomena, and with a preference for long-term collaborations and collective work.

Some of his current Projects are: The International Nothing (with Kai Fagaschinski cl, CD on ftarri), The Magic I.D. (with Christof Kurzmann, Kai Fagaschinski, Margareth Kammerer, CD/LP on ErstPop and staubgold), The Pitch (with Boris Baltschun organ, Koen Nutters b, Morten Olsen dr, LP on gaffer), Der lange Schatten (with Håvard Wiik p, Antonio Borghini b), Voutchkova/Thieke (with Biliana Voutchkova vl), Splitter Orchester, Toulemonde/Thieke (with Olivier Toulemonde acoustic objects), Hotelgäste (with Derek Shirley b, Dave Bennett g, CD on schraum, LP on self), Michael Thieke Unununium (with Luca Venitucci acc/p, Martin Siewert g, Christian Weber b, Derek Shirley b, Steve Heather dr, Eric Schaefer dr, CD on charhizma), motif (with Atle Nymo sax, Håkon Mjåset Johansen dr, Eivind Lønning tp, Ole Morten Vågan b, Håvard Wiik p), Porta Chiusa (with paed Conca cl, Hans Koch cl), Spirit Songs (with Mike Cooper voc/g, Elio Martusciello el, Fabrizio Spera dr, Luca Venitucci acc/el.), Roman Tics (with Burkhard Beins, Luca Venitucci, CD on Cathnor), Cowards Bend The Knee (Live Music in different setups with the film Cowards Bend The Knee by Guy Maddin), Gebhard Ullmann's The Clarinet Trio (with Gebhard Ullmann bass clarinet, Jürgen Kupke clarinet) and Uli Gumpert Workshop Band."

"Guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader based in Winterthur, Switzerland. After graduating as a jazz guitarist from the Zurich School of Music and Drama (Hochschule für Musik und Theater Zürich), Beat Keller obtained a Master of Arts in composition from the Lucerne School of Music (Musikhochschule Luzern). Among his current projects are Keller's 10, Beat Keller & Reza Khota (CH/SA, guitar duo), Gunfire Orchestra (CH/NO/SA), Bowee/Keller, Peckinpah Trio (CH/USA) and Animate Repose (DE). His compositions have been played and recorded by NDR Bigband, Lucerne Jazz Orchestra, Ballbreaker Ensemble, Composer's Group Ensemble, Keller's 10 and the Haiku String Trio. Beat Keller has given concerts all over Switzerland, in neighbouring Europe, the United States and South Africa.

Record releases on: Unit Records, Alpinechic (both CH), Edition Wandelweiser Records (DE) and Silken Tofu (BE).

He has won the following grants and awards: "Best Debut Release 2008" (worldwide) awarded by AllAboutJazz, New York, for "Keller's <10>"; "Förderpreis 2010" from the City of Winterthur; "Artist Residency" in Cape Town, South Africa, 2012, awarded by the Pro Helvetia Foundation; "Moods Jazz & Blues Award 2013", 2nd prize for "Keller's 10"; "Artist in Residence" in Berlin, Germany, 2014/2015, awarded by the Canton of Zurich."