Half Swiss, half Barbadian William White arrived in the German part of Switzerland 20 years ago to study at university. But thanks to the mix of Bob Marley, Dionne Warwick, Nashville and country ballads that formed his musical DNA, engineering got the elbow for song-writing and playing his guitar in bars and bands instead. Celebrating ten years as a solo Swiss recording artist, William White spoils us with his 4th studio album, “Open Country”, a double CD featuring ten new studio tracks recorded in Jamaica last year, plus a live album recorded at Das Welt Winterthur in 2012.
A star-studded production
Compared to his previous albums constructed in solo mode, this is a star-studded production featuring the imput of Devon Bradshaw (former Burning Spear bassist) and Ian Coleman (Ziggy Marley guitarist), not to mention the distinctive legendary voices of Bushman and Toots & The Maytals. It’s a colourful and varied collaboration which hints appropriately at the title. “Open Country”: an invitation for White’s work to be interpreted and moulded by others, paying homage to his Caribbean roots and above all tipping his hat in the direction of free spiritedness, the love of nature, the wild and the organic backyard setting of the simple life.
The sound is refreshingly pure and authentic
Hugely radio-friendly, there are welcome country, folk and pop nuances that are woven throughout the reggae textures. The occasional syrupy moments (the new single ‘For Your Love’) are well contrasted with forceful, emotionally charged protest songs where White’s vocal ability is always convincing and sensitive (as in ‘Power Reggae’ or in the Marley cover of ‘Caution’). In keeping with all good reggae albums, the production is unfussy and organic, the sound is refreshingly pure and authentic. An album that exudes sunny joyfulness and the clear euphoria of mixed cultures. Listen barefoot, preferably with the sun on your back whilst planting something fabulous in your garden, (“Money for the strong man and the earth for the wise”). The album is out on 7th March 2014, launched live at Les Docks (Lausanne). A tour throughout Switzerland till April follows.
Forthcoming William White gigs:
7/03/14: Les Docks, Lausanne
8/03/14: Chollerhalle, Zug
13/03/14: Rete 3, Studio 2, Lugano
14/03/14: Rössli, Stäfa
15/03/14: Casino Theater, Winterthur
28/03/14: Hotel Murten, Murten
29/03/14: TonArt Festival, Altdorf
03/04/14: Kofmehl, Solothurn
04/04/14: Schüür, Luzern
05/04/14: Eintracht, Kirchberg
25/04/14: Nordportal, Baden
26/04/14: Mühle Hunziken, Bern
Christophe Calpini and Franco Casagrande are two busy, genre-defying, musical pedigrees who play around with styles as they play around with projects. With CVs as long as their arms, their musical journeys are both peppered with collaborations that read like the Swiss Who’s Who of the electro-jazz, indie-folk, reggae and hip hop scenes. Calpini – a veteran drummer, knob twiddler, arranger and producer, who made his mark back in the 90s with Silent Majority, then continued via Eric Truffaz, Alain Bashung, and set up cult underground projects in the shape of 
Soraya Ksontini est une chanteuse tunisienne née en Suisse. Elle n’a sorti qu’un EP 4 titres, mais le buzz autour d’elle s’intensifie. La preuve, elle vient d’annoncer
Spontaneous cameraderie and a deeply felt musical intention are what unite this group and deliver an immediate, powerful jazz punch. Tonight at Lausanne’s
jumping as he scats, sings and cajoles it into action, rolling out the pretty melodies and interplaying beautifully with the often darker hues of the sax. Shame there’s no microphone, I’m curious to hear more of his singing voice but am later informed that his vocalese is not an imitation of Keith Jarrett, just a special way of entering into communication with a foreign piano that is ever-changing whilst on tour.
emotional fire as well as delicate spaciouness. Whether building up a frantic storm as in “The Elevator” à la 60s Blue Note soundtrack or hinting at the sinister grey fog in the traditional Swiss-German folksong ‘Wie di graue Näbel schlyche”, his sound carries a weight of emotion and accompanies the listener into a spiritual musical dimension.
Le disque de
Le Chaux-de-Fonnier
I’m tempted to describe 
Cet automne paraissait en Suisse Vestry Lamento, le troisième opus du pianiste Marc Perrenoud, un disque brillant, inspiré, fluide, lyrique…..
Les Allemands ne sont pas en reste qui affirment dans le dernier numéro de
« Notre musique est instrumentale, mais chaque morceau raconte une histoire, et nous jouons l’atmosphère, l’ambiance de l’histoire. Là, comme le titre l’indique, c’est l’histoire d’un personne qui rentre à 5 heures du matin, qui veut s’endormir et qui n’y arrive pas. On a utilisé un rythme drum’n’bass parce qu’on imagine la personne sortir d’un club avec cette musique de danse dans sa tête. Le personnage est en complet décalage entre ce qu’il a dans sa tête et ce qu’il souhaite faire : dormir. » Lukas Roos, clarinettiste de PommelHORSE, Berne