Zen Jazz 

'Music that creates a big warm space - for a attentive and quite moment by yourself'.  That's the artist's description for his brand new music Oeuvre 'ZEN-jazz'.  On this musical work Peter Philippe Weiss worked for one and a half years. He co-operated with excellent musicians and refined the arrangements and sounds. ZEN-jazz is tentatively to be situated in the proximity of 'Nu Jazz' or 'Chill-Out', however develops a musical language all its own.  The compositions intentionally differentiate themselves from Chill-Out productions. They go beyond this, for ZEN-jazz is a personal, contemplative type of music.

The compositions and arrangements are clearly structured and essentially focus on three aspects: lengthily meandering tunes almost falling apart, omitting the unnecessary and creating large and warm spaces.  There are no unnecessary elements, no heavy grooves, no vocals or hit tunes, but prolonged instrumental compositions with highly condensed rhythms, special sample sounds, large and empty rooms, minimal melodies somewhere rooted in the culture of Miles Davis, and a lot of tranquility.  Five well thought-out compositions linked by four artificial wind moods as contrast to our loud and hectic world.  The association with the Eastern ZEN philosophy mainly consists of a translation of values such as tranquility, space, moments, and attention into music.  Music that creates a large and warmly welcoming space - for moments spent unabashedly on oneself.
 

Why not visit Peter's own website at:

www.zenjazz.com

Or

Email Peter direct at: 

p.weiss@corporate-sound.com 

History

Composer and producer Peter Philippe Weiss is an experienced music and sound expert, who exhibits a large spectrum of 25 years of work in the fields of film music, sound design and live performances.  Two years ago he decided to bring his musical experiences into a concept music CD. ZEN jazz is the debut CD of a musical personality, that has to tell something. 

Born 1962 in Basel, Peter Philippe Weiss began at the age of 7 a classical violin education of ten years.  However his interest in new musical developments let him learn the instruments guitar, e-bass, drums and keyboards as an autodidact. He played these instruments in different bands and formations:  with Bi-Kids ( bs, key git, viol), with Duure Duure (bs, keys), at Acid jazz sessions (bs) and as street musician (bs) in Europe.  1991 he was a guest musician in the Canadian performance band 'THE LOOK PEOPLE' playing keyboards and violin.  With this Band he was also performing at the St. Gallen Open Air Festival in Switzerland, in the CBGB's Club in New York and at the 'Diamonds' Club in Toronto. 

Peter Philippe Weiss is on the constant lookout for new hearing experiences: for 'A musical journey through the Paris Subway', he dived for weeks deep into the Paris metro system - equipped with digital recording equipment and microphone.  He recorded thundering Subway trains, singing 'clochards' (tramps) and mysterious underground atmospheres on his Tapes.  He arranged the captured sounds into a kind of 'Soundscape-Song-Oeuvre' and received the special price of the national MANOR Award of art competition for this work. 

Musical storytelling pulls like a red thread through the artistic work of Peter Philippe Weiss: In his two-year work at Swiss Radio DRS and later as a producer in a private radio station he produced radio commercials, jingles, radio plays and fairy tales.  For documentary films and advertisement he composed film music.

1992 he started to work on his own as a sound producer and music composer. 1993 he realized a live radio play performance in an old cinema called 'Bistro d' histoires' with a Music Band and an actor.  1995 he formed the Music Comic Band 'Zzzip... ...ooOh?!?' and made a Live tour through Switzerland. 

Peter Philippe Weiss is very active as a composer, sound designer and producer.  At the same time he initiates innovative sound projects and runs a consulting and production company, realizing demanding sound projects in the field of 'Acoustic Branding', film music and sound design for museums, exhibitions, events and product design.

Peter Philippe Weiss means to ZEN jazz: "I wanted to compose a quiet music. A really very quiet music that is calm and relaxing without being banal.  A contemplative and nevertheless exciting and demanding musical expression of quietness and space."