Benedikt Reising is an alto saxophonist, composer, and co-founder of the musicians’ collective Jazzwerkstatt Bern, a vital force in the Swiss contemporary music scene.

His main gig is co-leading the “Swiss Avant-Gutbucket Quintet” Le Rex, a brass-heavy powerhouse that sounds like a party where the Art Ensemble of Chicago crashes a Balkan wedding. The band is known for wrangling a beautiful chaos of intricate compositions and spontaneous improvisation, spitting out fiery grooves and muscular solos. As a key composer, Benedikt is the mastermind behind a sound that’s as adventurous as it is fun.

When he’s not busy with one of his bands, Benedikt is basically the musical equivalent of a Swiss Army knife.
He’s an in-demand sideman who has toured with everyone from the Swiss Jazz Orchestra to the rock band King Pepe.

His creative curiosity knows no bounds, taking him from the hip-hop and soul grooves of Die Pilze to the gamelan-inspired sounds of his own band, Bubaran.

He’s even collaborated on an upcoming Swiss-South African album, Echoes of Marabi, and works as a studio musician for dance and drama, proving his artistic footprint is as wide as it is deep.