MARIE KRÜTTLI
TRIO
Photos: Iveta Rysava, Palma Fiacco
MARIE KRÜTTLI
Marie’s piano playing and music opens onto an inner universe of infinite richness -
Jazzmagazine France
Marie Kruttli’s musical journey began in the heart of a family steeped in classical traditions. Raised by classical musicians,
she was surrounded by the timeless sounds of Renaissance music and the profound works of Bach from an early age. These formative years instilled in her a deep reverence for classical music, setting the foundation for her own artistic voice.
As classically trained pianist, Marie has always had a strong connection to the piano, an instrument that became both her musical home and her primary means of expression. As she grew older, her curiosity expanded, leading her to the world of jazz. Captivated by its improvisational nature and the freedom it offered, she pursued formal studies in jazz piano at the universities of Lausanne and Lucerne, earning both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. Through her academic training, she gained a deep understanding of harmony, composition, and the art of performance.
Her musical evolution took a significant turn when she began producing her own music using Ableton. It was here that Marie discovered her passion for songwriting, blending her classical background with the cutting-edge possibilities of electronic music production. This newfound skill allowed her to experiment with sound in ways that were uniquely her own, eventually leading to her first compositions and the start of a prolific career as a bandleader and producer.
Marie has released ten albums as a leader, each one showcasing her growth as an artist and a producer. From jazz and experimental to electronic-infused compositions, her music has consistently pushed the boundaries of genre and style. Her ability to seamlessly blend the old and the new, the classical and the contemporary, is a hallmark of her work. Along the way, she has garnered multiple awards for her performance and composition, earning recognition for her distinct voice in the musical world.
Throughout her career, Marie has always known that she was an artist. “I’ve always felt that I had a unique sensibility,” she reflects. This deep inner knowing has been the guiding force behind her work, allowing her to trust her creative instincts and develop a sound that resonates with authenticity.
Currently, her biggest influences are Meshell Ndegeocello and Benjamin Biolay. Ndegeocello's ability to blend genres with a fearless sense of vulnerability and Biolay’s poetic and cinematic style have both profoundly impacted Marie’s music. These artists' ability to cross musical boundaries while embracing emotional depth has inspired Marie to further explore the intersection of jazz, electronic music, and songwriting in Dragon Life.
As a live performer, Marie is best known for her jazz trio, where her prowess as a pianist shines. The trio allows her to explore the intricacies of improvisation and group dynamics, but it is her project Dragon Life that has become the most personal and vulnerable aspect of her work. “With Dragon Life, I feel much more exposed,” Marie shares. “It’s a space where I’m able to push myself further, especially because I sing. Singing has opened a new dimension of vulnerability for me, and I’m drawn to exploring that. I want to put myself in danger creatively—to challenge myself and grow.”
In the past eight years, Marie has made Berlin her home, where the city’s vibrant music scene has inspired her to continually evolve. While she remains deeply connected to her Swiss roots, Berlin has provided her with the creative environment to take risks and push her artistic boundaries even further.
Marie Kruttli’s music is an ongoing exploration of sound, emotion, and artistic vulnerability. From her classical upbringing and her work as a jazz pianist to her ventures as an electronic producer, she is an artist unafraid to challenge herself and her listeners. As she continues to develop Dragon Life and expand her creative horizons, there’s no doubt that Marie will continue to captivate and inspire with her unique, genredefying sound.
PROJECT
Featuring Lukas Traxel and Gautier Garrigue
LINE UP
Marie Kruttli, piano, composition
Lukas Traxel, upright bass
Gautier Garrigue, drums
CH Marie Kruttli Trio - BALTHAZARD
MARIE KRUTTLI TRIO @ Jazzdor Festival | LIVE FROM BERLIN
RECENT PRESS
Marie’s piano playing and music opens onto an inner universe of infinite richness
Stéphane Ollivier at Jazzmagazine France
Krüttli’s trio possesses a rhythmic and sonic freedom capable of shocking listeners in North America.
There Stands the Glass magazine
this album conveys a delicious tension ... I can sense a touch of the multivalent comportment of Paul Bley — at once deeply melodic and emotionally fraught—but more often I detect the direct emotionalism of Bill Evans
Peter Margasak
Scoria is complex, rich in textures and constantly oscillating between sobriety, lyricism and a touch of mystery. between sharp and blur.
Niklas Wandt at SWR Kultur
HIGHLIGHTS SHOWS
Switzerland – Langnau Jazz Nights, Schaffauser Jazz Festival, AMR Festival, Jazz No Jazz, Jazz Onze Plus, Cully Jazz Festival, Generation Festival, Label Suisse Festival, Unerhört Festival
France – Forum Jazz St-Etienne, Purple Jazz Festival Paris, Biarritz Piano Festival, Jazzdor
Festival Strasbourg
Germany – Enjoy Jazz Festival Heidelberg, Jazz Ahead Bremen, Jazzdor Festival Berlin
Europe – Jazz & The City Salzburg Salzburg AU, 12points Festival Aarhus DK, In Jazz Rotterdam NL, Handelsbeurs Concert Hall Gent BE, Gneration Festival Braga PT, Bray Jazz Festival IR
DESCRIPTION TEXT
ENG
Marie Kruttli's trio crafts a soundscape that evokes vivid, cinematic imagery, traversing through diverse sonic
terrains. Their music flows seamlessly between contrasting textures—at times fluid and serene, like water,
and at others, arid and stark, reminiscent of a desert. The trio’s compositions rise into towering, cathedrallike
structures, yet also delve into introspective depths. Inspired by love, time, nature, and birds, Marie's
songwriting blends dreamlike passages with grounded, telluric rhythms. Their latest album, Scoria, embodies
this duality—fierce and resilient, yet capable of holding life-giving water.
GER
Auf ihrem neuen Album Scoria (benannt nach dem Lavagestein), das im Oktober bei Intakt erscheinen wird,
erschafft das Trio um Marie Kruttli eine musikalische Landschaft, die lebendige, filmische Bilder hervorruft
und durch verschiedene Klangwelten führt. Krütlis Kompositionen bewegen sich nahtlos zwischen
kontrastierenden Texturen. Mal sind sie fliessend und ruhig wie Wasser, mal trocken und karg wie in der
Wüste. Dann wieder bauen sich die Stücke zu gewaltigen, kathedralenartigen Gebilden auf, um kurz darauf
wieder in introspektive Tiefen abzutauchen. Inspiriert von der Liebe, der Zeit und der Natur vermischen sich
in Maries Stücken traumartige Passagen mit urwüchsigen Rhythmen. Das Album Scoria verkörpert genau
diese Dualität - feurig und unverwüstlich, aber auch fähig, lebensspendendes Wasser aufzunehmen.
FR
Le trio de Marie Krüttli façonne un paysage sonore qui évoque des images cinématographiques
saisissantes, traversant des terrains sonores variés. Leur musique se déploie gracieusement entre des
textures contrastées—tantôt fluide et sereine, comme l'eau, tantôt aride et dépouillée, rappelant le désert.
Les compositions du trio s'élèvent en structures monumentales, semblables à des cathédrales, tout en
plongeant dans des profondeurs introspectives. Inspirée par l'amour, le temps, la nature, et les oiseaux,
l'écriture de Marie mêle des passages oniriques à des rythmes telluriques et enracinés. Leur dernier album,
Scoria, incarne cette dualité—ardente et résiliente, mais capable de retenir l'eau, source de vie.
*please mention Intakt Records as our label.
*the new album SCORIA is out on October 18th 2024!
*photo credits, Palma Fiacco
BIO
Marie Kruttli is a Swiss pianist, composer, producer who lives in Berlin. She was born in a village in Switzerland, in a family of musicians and started playing the piano at the age of 6. She first learned classical music and then switched to jazz (obtaining later on a bachelor and master at HEMU Lausanne and HSLU Luzern academies). Marie received numerous prizes for her performance and composition work. The band that she has performed the most with so far is her trio but the artist is working also on a project called Dragon Life which was born from her producing work. It is a sextet where she also uses her voice and synthesisers.
Swiss bassist Lukas Traxel played with big players like Colin Vallon, Elina Duni, Lionel Loueke, Kurt
Rosenwinkel and many more. He also released a successful album as a leader with his trio One Eyed
Daruma (with saxophonist Otis Sandjö and drummer Moritz Baumgärtner).
French drummer Gautier Garrigue played with big players like Henri Texier, Seamus Blake, Uri Caine…He
also was elected numerous times as “drummer of the year” in France. He recently released an album as a
leader which was very well received by french press.
WEBSITE
CONTACT
MANAGEMENT & BOOKING
ESTEAM MUSIC GMBH
Sarah Chaksad
sarah.chaksad@esteam-music.com
+ 41 79 427 82 66
Jonas Winterhalter
jonas.winterhalter@esteam-music.com
+ 49 176 931 480 32