Photograph copyright Philipp Hitz.

Born Lucern, 1952; saxophones, composer.

Urs Leimgruber has been active for many years in the areas of contemporary improvisation, composition, jazz and new music. One of his earliest associations was as a member of the electric jazz/free music group 'Om' with Christy Doran, Fredy Study and Bobbi Burri, and he later formed the 'Reflexionen' quartet with Bobby Burri in New York. More recently, his own projects have included 'Ensemble Bleu'; the 'LSM' trio with Patrick Scheyder and François Moutin; as well as a long association with Fritz Hauser: as a duo with the ongoing Music for saxophone and percussion; in the Leimgruber/Roidinger/Hauser trio; a trio with Jöelle Léandre; and a trio with Marilyn Crispell. Urs Leimgruber has also performed extensively as a solo artist and has been involved in mixed media presentations, providing music for dance, radio plays and film.

Urs Leimgruber has undertaken concert tours in Western and Eastern Europe, USA, Canada and South America, and appeared at concerts and on recordings with such musicians as Steve Lacy, Tim Berne, Joe McPhee, Christy Doran, Francoise Kubler, Louis Sclavis, Hans Koch, Bobby Burri, Pauline Oliveros, Ives Robert, Daunik Lazro, Harry Sparnaay, Jacques Demierre, Don Friedman, Herb Robertson, Trilok Gurtu, and Steve Argüelles.

He has been involved in performances of compositions by Walter Fähndrich, Edu Haubensak, Mani Planzer, Maria de Alvear. Though born in Lucern, Urs Leimgruber has been living in Paris since 1988.

Recordings

1974, Montreux live & more, Indian Records. Om

1975, Kirikuki, Japo. Om

1976, Rautionaha, Japo. Om

1976, His Master's Bones, Cuneiform Rune 89. Gary Windo. On two tracks on compilation.

1977, Om with Dom Um Romao, Japo/ECM. Om

Solar plexus, Indian 1002. with Bobby Burri.

1979/1982, Half a lifetime, Unit Records UTR 4068. Two tracks of 'Om and guests'.

1980, Cerberus, Japo. Om

1983, Reflexionen, Timeless SJP 199.

1985, Reflexionen Live, Timeless SJP 234.

1985, Mountain hymn, L + R 45002. Duo with John Wolf Brennan.

1986, An chara, L + R 45007. Duo with John Wolf Brennan.

1987, Reflexionen, Enja 5057.

1987, Reflexionen, B&W 016.

1988, Statement of an antirider, HatArt 6013.

1988/1989, MAP (Music for another planet, L + R 45021. With John Wolf Brennan and Norma Winston.

1989, Polyphyllum, L + R 45013. Duo with John Wolf Brennan.

1990, Ungleich, HatArt 6049.

1990, Linear B, HatArt 6057. Joe McPhee Po music.

1990, Old eyes and mysteries, HatArt 6047. Joe McPhee Po music.

1990, Christy Doran's Phoenix, HatArt 6074. Duo between Christy Doran and Urs Leimgruber.

1990, Lines, HatArt 6149.

1991, L'enigmatique, HatArt 6091.

1992 LSM, BW 027.

1992, Goletter, Unit UTR 4050.

1993, DuHo, Unit UTR 4062.

1994, Behind the night, B&W 049.

1996, No try no fail, hatOLOGY 509. Trio with Joëlle Léandre and Fritz Hauser.

1998, Quartet Noir, Victo cd067. With Joëlle Léandre, Marilyn Crispell and Fritz Hauser.

1998, Live, SR 2. Duo with Fritz Hauser.

1999, Xylem, stv/asm 003. With ARTE Quartet.

1999, Blue log, For 4 Ears CD 1137. Solo.

1999, Screen: festival concepts of doing 1999, concepts of doing cod005.

2000, Nach der stimme, Concepts of doing 006. With Felix Philipp Ingold.

2001, Wing vane, Victo cd079. With Jacques Demierre and Barre Phillips.

2001, Out of sound, Leo LR CD337. Newton/Léandre/Leimgruber.

2001, Timbreplus, ARBE 11. Timbre with Hauser, Léandre, Leimgruber.

2001/2002, The difference between a fish, Potlatch P 302. Doneda/Leimgruber/Rowe.

2002, e_a.sonata.02, For 4 Ears CD 1447. Urs Leimgruber/Günter Müller/Arte Quartet.