Fredy Studer - Drum Solo Artist

Fredy Studer

Fredy Studer was born in Lucerne, Switzerland where he still resides. He is a self - taught drummer and percussionist, who's experiences as an active musician since the seventies are as various as playing with musicians from "A" like Abercrombie to "Z" like Zorn.

In 1972 he was a founding member of the group "OM" (along with Christy Doran, Urs Leimgruber and Bobby Burri). From 1977 on Dom Um Romao was occassionally the percussion - player of the band.

Fredy Studer has been a member of the "Franco Ambrosetti Quartett", the "Franco Ambrosetti / George Gruntz Quintett" (with Joe Henderson and Miroslav Vitous or with Larry Schneider and Dave Holland) and the project "Percussion Profiles" (with Jack DeJohnette, Pierre Favre, Dom Um Romao, David Friedman and George Gruntz).

During the eighties he was the drummer in the trios "Brüninghaus / Stockhausen / Studer" and "Red Twist & Tuned Arrow" (with Stephan Wittwer and Christy Doran), the percussion ensemble "Singing Drums" (with Pierre Favre, Paul Motian and Nana Vasconcelos), the "Charlie Mariano - Jasper van't Hof Group" and the trio "Bourquin / Francioli / Studer".

Studer has also been in the percussion ensemble of Robyn Schulkowsky, performing compositions of Charles Ives, Steve Reich, John Cage and Edgard Varèse.

During the nineties he was involved with groups like "Doran / Studer / Burri / Magnenat" (later "Doran / Studer / Gerber / Magnenat"), "Doran / Studer / Minton / Bates & Ali (later "Doran / Studer / Minton / Ali & Cora) play the music of Jimi Hendrix" and "Doran / Studer / Tacuma / Jenny-Clark".

Current groups include the hardcore chambermusic trio "Koch - Schütz - Studer", the quartets "Koch - Schütz - Studer & Saadet Türköz" and "Koch - Schütz - Studer & Christian Uetz" and the project "Roots and Wires" ("Koch - Schütz - Studer" plus DJ M. Singe and DJ I-Sound). Other bands and projects are the percussion-trio "Schulkowsky - Studer - Baron" (with Robyn Schulkowsky and Joey Baron), "Magnoni / Sordet / Studer", "Earth Bound" (with Bonnie Barnett and Hermann Bühler), the duo "Drum Orchestra" with Pierre Favre, The Drummers", the trio "Amstad / Burri / Studer" and the drum-quartet "Four in Time" (with Pierre Favre, Fritz Hauser and Daniel Humair).

Studer is also developing his series of duo recordings with female musicians (so far with Robyn Schulkowsky, Jin Hi Kim, Joëlle Léandre, Dorothea Schürch and DJ M. Singe). He also plays solo-concerts, works as a freelance drummer and gives workshops.

Fredy Studer has toured and played concerts, gave workshops, has recorded for radio and TV, created music for dance-performances, made the music for theatre and film in Europe, Africa, Japan, Southamerica, the Caribbean, Taiwan, India, Russia, the U.S. and Canada.

He is one of the few drummers who incorporate open improvisation as well as straight beats into his style. Fredy Studer plays GRETSCH drums, PAISTE cymbals / sounds / gongs and uses DW hardware plus VIC FIRTH sticks.