Bio

Nicole Aravena

is a Swiss session drummer who successfully completed her studies at the Luzern Musikhochschule in June 2008.

She has played with several artists including Guillermo Sorya, Stefan Kormann, Lisa Catena, and in projects such as The 10 Drummers with Andy Pupato & Mario Caspar as well as TV appearances with the Sugababes on SF1. Nicole has also played at many festivals including the Coolart Jazz Festival in Melbourne, Australia; the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland and the Jazzin Festival, St Gallen. Nicole is currently working on various jazz projects with, among others, Urs Eigenmann’s Q-tet, Meliah Nana and Don Li.

Rodrigo Aravena

is a Chilean-born, Australian bassist. He studied at the Victorian College of the Arts conservatorium in Melbourne.

Rodrigo has performed all over the world with various musicians such as Jamie Oehlers, Scott Tinkler, Paul Grabowsky, Men At Work, Daniel Merriweather and Ricky Martin (Jaleo Australia tour). He moved to Switzerland in 2007 and since then he has played, toured or recorded with William White, Lea Lou, Emel, Steff La Cheffe, Heidi Happy, Dodo & the Liberators, the Biasotto Symphony Orchestra, the Dani Felber Big Band and The Lucerne Jazz Orchestra.

Melly Reden

began exploring the world of music in her childhood by playing guitar and saxophone. It is only in her teenager years that she realized what her real passion was: singing.

Since then she has regularly performed with various gospel and classical choirs, has sung in musicals, as well as in jazz and pop bands. She has shared the stage with artists such as Brandy Butler & The Fonxionaires, Alina Amuri, Maxim Essindi and keeps working on her own project as singer and songwriter Meliah Nana.

Jessica Hirschi

Swiss Singer-Songwriter Jessica Hirschi (aka Yakaree) is a graduate from the FeMale Funk Project Vocal Performance School and also from the IME Music Academy in Zurich.

Well known for her soulful voice and her impeccable showmanship, she has distinguished herself for many years now by performing with a myriad of soul, pop, jazz & blues bands. As a backing vocalist she has toured with numerous bands, including Swiss reggae legend Dodo & The Liberators and Guillermo Sorya.

More recently, she has appeared on several studio productions, such as Swiss rap artist Dabu Fantastic and on the debut album of rising star Steff la Cheffe. On her own solo project YAKAREE, she has collaborated with many renowned Swiss artists to create what critics have called a “soulful, heart-warming and sometimes melancholy pop songs.” Jessica Hirschi has also been part of “The Voice of Switzerland” and joined the Marc Sway Team.

Adriano Regazzin

is a Swiss session keyboardist and a graduate of the Luzern Musikhochschule.

Adriano ‘Rega’ Regazzin has been regular fixture on the Swiss music scene for many years now and as such he has performed with artists such as Steff La Cheffe, William White and Eliana Burki, with whom he has toured all over the world. He has played at most of the major festivals in Switzerland and throughout Europe.

Philippe Häfliger

Born in Switzerland, singer and guitarist Philip Haefliger grew up in France where he discovered the guitar at thirteen.

Philip studied at the Musikhochschule IACP in Paris and from early on he was quite active in the local music scene. With the ‘Swing Gigolos’ he toured France, Belgium, Holland and Switzerland. He made the move to Switzerland in 1998 and founded the soul band ‘The Soul Maniacs’ which is still going strong.