Founded in 1998 by Andreas Fulgosi, the By-Spiel Project has set out to explore the universe of jazz sound using traditional instruments from accross a number of cultures as well as more recent instruments. The Project creates a multitude of contrasts in its original compositions. It walks the line between groove and improvisation and finds inspiration in traditional musical motifs from Australia to Finland, via Africa and the Balkans. The Project has been born of a thirst to communicate in a universal language. 

Over the years, the group has forged its identity from the growing repertoire of its musicians’ compositions and has found an entusiastic audience, particularly in Germany where it recorded its first album « looking outside »  with its guest performer, the avant garde German trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff.

Along with the musicians’ main instruments, the Project uses the conque, the didgeridoo, the Alpine horn, touareg cruches, guitar synthesizer, voices and some instruments created by the musicians themselves.

The group has also played at a number of festivals : the Berlin Jazzfest, the Prague jazz festival, the Ouagadougou jazz festival, the Saint-Louis jazz festival in Sénégal,  the Guinea jazz festival, Accra jazz nights  in Ghana, the Savona jazz festival in Italie. The Project’s tours have taken it to Germany, the Czech Republic, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Ghana, Guinea, Madagascar and Italy. 

Over recent years musicians playing with the group have included the Italian trumpeter Daniel Verdesca, the Swiss saxophonist Joël Musy, the American trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist Bill Holden, the Swiss drummer Philippe Böllenrücher, the French drummer Tobie Langel, the Swedish trumpeter Lars Lindvall, the Swiss saxophonist and clarinettist Maurice Magnoni. All of these musicians have greatly contributed to enriching the work of the Project.

Andreas Fulgosi has been reshaping the group since 2002, creating a space for collaboration with guest musicians. This has promoted exchange, enhanced the Project’s work and provided fertile ground for new concepts. The 2005 Madagascar tour saw the group morph into a septet with Olombelo Ricky on voice and percussion, Thierry Razakamiadana on saxophone and Johnny Razafimanahirana on guitar and bass.

The encounter with Ali Farka Toure and his musicians in 2005 transformed the By-Spiel Project’s compositions and approach to music. From that moment, western Africa’s musical culture became a major influence on the group and interaction with African musicians has increased. During the tour of Mali in 2006, Bassekou Kouyate (on the ngouni), Neba Solo (on the balafon) and Olombelo Ricky collaborated with the group.

The Project members in 2007 are the guitarist Andreas Fulgosi, the drummer percussionist Luigi Galati, the trombonist and multi-instrumentalist Pascal Schaer, the clarinettist Nicola Orioli and the Burkinabe percussionist Baba Konate.

The Swedish trumpeter Lars Lindvall and the Madagascan percussionist and vocalist Olombelo Ricky collaborate with the group for some concerts in Switzerland and elsewhere.