Sarah Chaksad and Lea Gasser

Foto: Laura Pleifer

Sarah Chaksad, born in 1983 in Lucerne, is a versatile artist with a wide range of musical activities. She works as a saxophonist, composer, producer, bandleader, manager and curator in various musical contexts. In 2016, she released her first album with the Sarah Chaksad Orchestra entitled ‘Windmond’. In 2017, the album was presented as part of performances at the Schaffhausen Jazz Festival and the Offbeat Jazz Festival Basel. In 2019, the orchestra released its second album, ‘Tabriz’, which won international acclaim. In 2021, her septet released their debut album ‘Songlines’, which also received international praise. From 2017 to 2019, Sarah Chaksad was responsible for the Schaffhausen Jazz Talks. In 2018, she was awarded a grant from the Aargau Board of Trustees, followed by a work grant in 2020. In 2023, she released the album ‘Together’ with the Sarah Chaksad Large Ensemble and played an extensive tour of Europe with her ensemble in 2024. Sarah Chaksad currently runs the unique Focusyear programme at the Jazzcampus Basel together with guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel. She also founded the management and booking agency Esteam Music GmbH and, together with Patrik Zosso, the label Clap Your Hands. As part of her founding and co-management of the Kulturstunde project, she is committed to promoting access to culture and art for primary school pupils.

Foto: Kris Madejski

Lea Gasser (*1992 in Zurich) is a freelance accordionist and composer. After completing a bachelor's degree in classical music at the HKB in Bern, she graduated in 2021 with a Performer/Composer Master’s in Jazz at the HEMU in Lausanne. Since 2020, she has been leading her Lea Gasser 5tet, performing her own jazz compositions. The group released its debut album "L’Heure Bleue" in 2022 and won the prestigious ZKB Jazz Prize in 2024. A second album by the band is set to be released in fall 2025, in collaboration with the Neuklang label. Recently, Lea has been working on a solo project, enriching the accordion with electronic effects. From 2020 to 2025, she performed in the duo OXEON, which released its album "Somewhere Far" (nominated for the Edison Klassiek 2024) with SONNA Records and ANUK Label. Lea is also the co-leader of the improvisation quintet The Optics and a sidewoman in the Thomas Dürst Trio and the Tzupati Orchestra.