Atlantis Sampler mit Elsie Bianchi !!

This 10" sampler is one of the rarest Swiss Jazz records. It is impossible to be found anywhere: ATLANTIS AL 4800 with Pierre CAVALLI TRIO  -  Diana MILLER TRIO  -  Elsie BIANCHI Trio  -  Charles WILSON  -  Rodolfo D'AMICO  
Were presented in this blog Don GAIS Trio (No 1) -  Trio Enzo NESTASIO (No 2). Similar records are:  Audrey GARIN (No 3) -  Elsie BIANCHI Trio (No 4, 6)  -  The NIGHTSINGERS / FRANCO (No 5)  -  Los TREBOLES (No 7)   
The cover shows the original house dating of the Middle Age, in which the Atlantis is located.


Elsie Bianchi Brunner spielte zuerst Akkordeon, bevor sie mit zehn Jahren zum Klavier wechselte. Gelegentlich wirkte sie als Pianistin bei der Saxophonband von Harry Pfister mit, während sie eine Ausbildung zur kaufmännischen Angestellten machte. Auf dem Jazzfestival Zürich trat sie mit grossem Erfolg von 1951 bis 1954 als Pianistin, Jazz-Akkordeonistin und Sängerin auf und erhielt mehrere Auszeichnungen. 1956 heiratete sie den Saxophonisten und Bassisten Siro Bianchi, mt dem sie als Berufsmusikerin arbeitete, wobei sie das Duo mit Schlagzeugern wie Daniel Humair - another great Swiss drummer -, Fritz Stähli oder Kenny Schmidt zum Trio erweiterten. 1958/59 waren sie auf Gastspielreise in den Vereinigten Staaten, wo Howard Rumsey sie im Hermosa Beach Lighthouse Cafe aufnahm. 1959 kamen sie zurück in die Schweiz und spielten vor allem im Basler Atlantis (im Trio mit Alex Bally). Seit 1962 verbrachten sie als Musiker jeweils den Sommer in Nordamerika und die Wintersaison in der Schweiz. 1968 übersiedelte das Paar in die Vereinigten Staaten. 1978 gab sie wie auch ihr Mann den Musikerberuf auf und übernahm von ihren Brüdern die Sportartikel-Fabrik K-Swiss. 1987 zog sie sich mit ihrem Mann auf eine Farm in Georgia zurück.

Elsie Bianchi Brunner first played accordion before the age of ten moved to the piano. Occasionally she appeared as a pianist in the band of saxophone Harry Pfister, while she made a commercial apprenticeship. On the Zurich Jazz Festival she performed with great success from 1951 to 1954 as a pianist, jazz accordionist and singer and has received several awards.In 1956 she married the saxophonist and bassist Siro Bianchi, MT where she worked as a professional musician, taking the duo with drummers such as Daniel Humair - another great Swiss drummer - Fritz Stähli or Kenny Schmidt expanded to a trio. 1958/59 they were on tour in the United States, where she recorded in Howard Rumsey Lighthouse Cafe Hermosa Beach. In 1959 she returned to Switzerland and played mainly in the Basel Atlantis (in a trio with Alex Bally). Since 1962, they spent as musicians each summer in North America and the winter season in Switzerland. 1968 the couple moved to the United States. In 1978 she gave her husband as well as the professional musician and took over from her brothers, the sporting goods factory K-Swiss. In 1987 she moved with her husband back to a farm in Georgia.

Don GAIS Trio - Atlantis, Basel

The Don Gais Trio were:  Don Gais, piano;  Paul Girard, bass;  Pierre Favre, drums


Wow: Young Pierre Favre on this early Ex Libris record. By the way he was not so young at this time. Born 1937 his career began in the early 50ies at the age of 17. And his discography does not mention this Don Gais record! May-be he forgot, or he did not like his play so much.


The tracks are:  Perdido  /  Jorda  /  Once in a while  /  Don't got around much anymore  -  Tenderly  /  Sophiticated Lady  /  Tangerine  /  Take the A train.


Great piano play! Can easily compete with big names! 
Recording: This record was recorded live in the Atlantis. It appears more balanced and harmonious than the Enzo Nestasio. There is more bass. Beautiful sound, beautiful music! Great!

Newspaper advertisement (1958/09): Von Don Gais erscheint die Platte GC-658, 25cm LP, "Jazz at the Atlantis Nr.1" mit Paul Girard (b) und Pierre Favre (dr)  

By Don Gais appears the record GC-658, 25cm LP, "Jazz at the Atlantis No. 1" with Paul Girard (b) and Pierre Favre (drums)

Enzo NESTASIO Trio - Jazz at the ATLANTIS

Rare Swiss Jazz. Atlantis is an old jazz club in Basel, where you could hear rock bands and many jazz greats. Here were made in the 60's early jazz recordings. They appeared on the label of Atlantis, and later as early EX LIBRIS pressings. One of the first was Enzo Nestasio Trio. He played many time in the Atlantis. The members were: Enzo 'Sir' Nestasio (piano), Paul Girard (bass), Shorty Staell (drums). The 10" record is called: Jazz At The Atlantis No. 2.  Side 1: I got rhythm / Our love is here to stay  /   Takin' a chance on love  /  makin' whopee    Side 2:  But not for me  /  Have you met Miss Jones  /  Body and soul  /  If I had you 
The group plays very relaxing music! Great music experience. But this recording is not well balanced. This becomes clear when you play the record with a mono pick-up. In the 50's and also later Jazz was recorded with one microphone only. If a musician played a solo, he stepped closer to the micro. In this recording, the piano is the most important instrument, it appears louder compared to the other two instruments. The bass line could only be recorded, by turning up the mic strongly. So that the music overrides when Nestasio played loud. 

Another strange Swiss pressing

Hi all.  We are spezialised in Swiss vinyl records. We have just another one very rare pressing. It is called Zweites Programm and released by 'Quartett Johannes Kobelt' . This is a group of four musicians: guitar, cello, violin, horns and many more, playing acoustic music of different kinds: Jazz traditional style, Swiss Volksmusik, Classical music and also Russian and Gipsy tunes. The four members play technically very well, with a lot of heartful sounds. This record was released in 1973. That was a time when many musicians trying to do recordings. Some were not always good music, but for commercial success, other better musically, but she wanted to hear any ... This group belongs to the second. Has anyone heard of these musicians? Thanks columbia.sax.