About Pierre SCHIRRER


Pierre SCHIRRER plays all saxophones (tenor, alto, soprano, baritone),
all flutes (C-Sharp, piccolo, alto, bass), and all clarinets (B-Flat,and bass).
Born in 1952 in Alsace, France, he began his music studies at the CNR n Mulhouse  at the age of 13.

He learned jazz music as a real autodidact.

In 1974 he found his own direction with the French-German jazz orchestra
EXPRESSION with whom he played in jazz clubs in Suiss & Germany.

His taste for musical experience led him to play several times with the
American pop group DELIVERANCE.

In 1981, pivotal encounter with the celebrated pianist and band leader
Claude BOLLING. He joined the saxophone section of Claude Bolling’s Big
Band of which he is the lead tenor sax solo. A long history unfolded,
with tours the world over. 25 years of friendship and musical collaboration.
 

In 1983 at the Salon du Jazz in Paris he formed a quintet with Kenny
Clarke and Roger Guérin. During this period he also took part in the
line-up of Dany Doriz and he accompanied the American singer Spanky Wilson.
In 1990, he modernised the line-up of Pierre SCHIRRER Expression which
became the Pierre SCHIRRER quartet.
Charles Bellonzi the cult drummer with Claude Nougaro came onboard for
this experiment, likewise Alby CULLAZ on bass and Philippe Duchemin on
piano among others.
In his music career he has had the privilege to play with some of the
great mythical figures of jazz : Stéphane GRAPPELLI, Dizzy GILLESPIE,
Didier LOCKWOOD, Buck CLAYTON, Al GRAY, John HENDRIX and CO, Roy
HARDGROVE, Michel LEGRAND…
Equally, he’s had the pleasure of accompanying various marvellous
performers and singers like Sacha DISTEL, Guy MARCHAND, Gloria GAYNOR, Jerry LEWIS, Jeanne MANSON, Michel LEEB with Gérard BADINI’s Big Band, Johnny HALLYDAY, Brigitte BARDOT, Gloria LASSO, Danny BRILLANT, Daniel LEVY, Jean-Loup Longnon.

In his capacity as multi-instrumentalist, he has played on several film
and TV soundtracks, even cartoons, under the batons of Claude BOLLING,
Didier VASSEUR, Jean-Claude VANNIER, l'Orchestre de Paris headed by
Hubert BOUGIS, Gabriel YARED, Roland ROMANELLI and many others.

Marc GOLDFEDER, the celebrated “Téléthon” orchestra leader called him in
for this charity TV show and his TV programmes, notably Grains de folie.
He also accompanied celebrity singer Dany BRILLANT on his 2004-2005
recordings. A rich experience, dotted with a number of television
appearances.
He is also a member of the orchestra of crooner Samy GOZ who only
performs to the international Jet Set and entertains the crowned heads
of the world with his great friend Roger BONILLO who was the star drums
and percussion in the famous group of this type Les Machucambos.

Since 1993 he is a member of the international troupe BROADWAY
MUSICAL COMPANY which performs regularly in Japan.

        NEXT JAPAN TOUR IN NOVEMBER 2006

 In 2001,He played the 1st sax alto lead in the famous musical "SINGING IN THE RAIN",which was performed at the" Theatre de la porte Saint Martin" in Paris.