Stewy von Wattenwyl was born on December 25th, 1962 into a rather musical family. There was also a piano, from which he elicited very intuitive, but all the more persistent noises as a 5-year-old. Later one would say that the sound and expressive possibilities of the piano inspired him from an early age. 

From the age of 8, the worried parents tried to channel this energy in an orderly manner and made it possible for the child, who is still grateful for this, to take classical piano lessons for about ten years at the venerable Bern Conservatory. 

With puberty came the desire for artistic emancipation and the young man found the rhythms and sounds, the energy and the freedom in blues and jazz that he had missed so much with Beethoven and Bartok.

 

Although the training was now mainly self-taught and almost exclusively by ear, the participation in several working groups made it all the more intensive and valuable. 

 

After - or despite? - After studying Phil. Hist. at the University of Bern, von Wattenwyl obtained the coveted diploma from the renowned Swiss Jazz School in Bern in 1998, where he now promotes young talent as a teacher and headmaster.

As early as 1988, Stewy von Wattenwyl founded his piano trio, which was to become his preferred formation for many years, seven CD productions and countless concerts at home and abroad.

 

As an accompanist, he also gained broad experience in many jazz formations between duo and big band: For example, in the 90s he was pianist for three years in the Swiss Jazz School Big Band, which played at many festivals between Montreux and New York played, was a member of Martin Streule's Avantgarde Jazz Orchestra for seven years, played the motunos in his brothers' Latin bands, the Wurlitzer or Fender Rhodes piano in funk ensembles, or was the deputy bar pianist in Bern's nightlife.

 

Since the turn of the millennium, von Wattenwyl can also be heard playing the Hammond B-3 organ, an instrument whose sound has been able to captivate him since visiting fairs in his early childhood. 

Awards: 

- 1998 Citation For Outstanding Musicianship (International Association of Jazz Educators

- 2014 Swiss Jazz Award 

Over the years, Stewy has had the privilege of working with many of the best Swiss jazz musicians: Dominic Landolf,Alex Henriksen,George Roberts,Bänz Oester, Nick Perrin,Pius Baschnagel,Matthew Michel, Daniel Schläppi, Francis Coletta,Charlotte Lang,Tobias Friedli, Kevin Chesham,Thomas Dobler, Lance Beyeler, Martin Streule, Walter Schmocker,Franco Ambrosetti, Daniel Schenker, Mats Spillman, Roman Schwaller, Christian Münchinger, Ganesh Geymeier,Christopher Grab,Sandro Schneebeli, Rolf Haesler,Daniel Aebi, Giorgos Antoniou, Bernhard Bamert,Elmar Frey, Lisette Spinnler, Herbie Kopf, Christoph Schweizer, Samuel Zingg and many more...
 

... but also with a few big ones from the USA and Europe:Art farmer,Clark Terry, Alvin Queen, Bobby Shew,Bob Mintzer,Johnny Griffins, Ryan Kisor,Eric Alexander,Adam Taubitz,Sandy Patton,Ralph Alessi, Dusko Goykovic, John Allred, Adrian Mears, Ed Neumeister,Reggie Johnson, Greg Gisbert,Dany Doriz, Randall Breneman, Rhonda Dorsey, Georgia Ciavatta, Brandy Butler, Sharon Harris,Bert Joris...