Irène Schweizer

One of Europe's premier free jazz improvisers, Irène Schweizer started playing the accordion at the age of eight and took up the piano four years later. She was playing hard bop in a student band while in her teens, but by the time she recorded with Pierre Favre’s groups in the late '60s her interest in free improv and more out forms had taken hold. One of the first members of Berlin’s FMP organization, Schweizer released most of her recordings for the next 15 years on its label, many of which featured her in partnership with saxophonist Rüdiger Carl. In 1983 she helped establish the European Women’s Improvising Group (EWIG); she has remained a committed advocate for women’s music ever since.