Christoph Irniger and Mario Mauz
Foto: Gian Marco Castelberg
Christoph Irniger, born in 1979, is a Swiss saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. Over the past years, he has established himself in various ensembles spanning jazz, rock, and related musical genres. He leads the bands Pilgrim as well as a trio, and his work is documented on numerous recordings. Concerts and tours have taken him across Europe, Asia, and the USA. From 2000 to 2006, Irniger studied music education at the Jazz School Zurich and performance at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. He has collaborated with artists such as Ohad Talmor, Loren Stillman, Ben van Gelder, Ziv Ravitz, Nasheet Waits, Dan Weiss, Stefan Rusconi, Marc Perrenoud, and Don Philippe (Freundeskreis). Irniger was a member of the Lucerne Jazz Orchestra for over seven years and co-leader of the prog-rock band "Cowboys from Hell." Since 2022, he has composed two programs for the Swiss Jazz Orchestra. www.christophirniger.com
Foto: Mario Mauz
Mario Mauz (1994) is a Swiss guitarist and composer whose style moves between jazz and metal. His first compositions were created with the band “Atomic Symphony,” in which Marc Friedrich (Illumishade) was the drummer and co-composer at the time. Among other things, Mauz played a key role in their most successful song, “Before the Abyss.” In 2020, his first solo album was released, with Mauz as composer, lyricist, and guitarist, under the title “A Bigger Plan.” It was a kind of fusion of the two musical passions that beat in his chest: jazz and metal. Mauz studied at the Zurich University of the Arts with Theo Kapilidis and further refined his skills with Ben Monder, Dave Gisler, John O’Gallagher, and Ben Eunson. He is planning to release his first album as a bandleader in autumn 2027.
Project
The modern jazz project “Lines between Shapes” is about exploring—or even crossing—boundaries. At its core is the vibrant interplay of the band (guitar, trumpet, double bass, drums), where new colours and shapes emerge, all within the framework of the instrumental compositions by guitarist Mario Mauz. In close collaboration with Christoph Irniger, an album will be developed over the course of the mentorship, and a tour will be planned. The concerts and the release are scheduled for autumn 2027.
Beyond the release itself, the project also aims to build a solid infrastructure, establish a presence in both social and print media, and cultivate a sustainable audience. Irniger supports Mauz in artistic matters, in planning and carrying out the production and tour, and in public relations.