... plays Piano

The Swiss pianist Mike Goetz was born on February 25th in Unterseen. He attended school in Bern, where he also went through formal musical education (Conservatory, Swiss Jazz School, degree in musical science). Mike was leading his first Jazz combo at the age of 13 and also gained experience in “non-jazz” styles. Apart from playing in concerts and in studios Mike is also teaching, and he is running a record label, Downtown Records, on which he has not only been releasing his own recordings, but cds with other Swiss jazz musicians, such as Buddha’s Gamblers, Heinz Bigler, Hot strings or J.M. Rhythm Four.

As a soloist Mike can mostly be considered an exponent of the Harlem Stride school, but he is much more versatile. Particularly as a band pianist he is incorporating influences from Jelly Roll Morton to Bill Evans. Some of his (many!) favourite piano players are Wellstood, Nat King Cole and Hank Jones. Mike is also leading two professional formations, the Mike Goetz All Star Sextet and the Michel Weber-Mike Goetz Swinget.

Mike has recorded around 40 albums, among them two solo cds and recordings with Charly Antolini, Dan Barrett, John Allred, Harry Allen and many others. The cd “Mike Goetz Quartet: Swingin´ after midnight" was voted into the „Golden Apéro Dozen 2000” by the Swiss radio DRS.