Ace Ross Wins ZKB Jazz 2025 in Zurich: A New Spark for Swiss Jazz
In a night that underscored the vitality of Swiss jazz, Ace Ross, the Vaud-born drummer-producer whose alter ego is Arthur Routaboul, emerged as the winner of the ZKB Jazz prize 2025 in Zurich. The award spotlights young, innovative Swiss groups, and Ross rose to the occasion with a performance that left the audience and jury in a thoughtful, energized mood as the final notes faded.
Who is Ace Ross?
Ace Ross represents the evolving landscape of contemporary jazz in Romandy. While his real name is Arthur Routaboul, the project under Ace Ross functions as a platform for bold collaborations across the young generation of Swiss musicians. On stage for the ZKB Jazz night, he performed with a quartet that included Arthur Donnot, Natan Niddam, and Yann Maenner, each contributing distinctive voices that fused jazz with modern influences. The promotion and recognition of such ensembles align with Ross’s broader artistic goals: to push boundaries while remaining rooted in strong musical communication.
A Night of Suspense and Skill
The jury’s verdict highlighted the quartet’s ability to maintain suspense from the first chord to the last cadence. According to the panel, the four rising musicians captivated the club with their cohesive storytelling, a trait that resonates with both seasoned listeners and new audiences drawn to the Swiss scene’s evolving sound. The ensemble’s interplay reflected a mature sensibility for rhythm and texture, balanced by adventurous ideas that spoke to the contemporary currents shaping Swiss jazz today.
The Jury, the Prize, and Its Purpose
The panel backing the prize brought together notable figures in Swiss music and journalism. Carine Zuber, former director of Moods, joined the jury alongside practitioners such as Marie Krüttli, Gregory Hutchinson, Christine Stephan, and Hansjürg Kurer, a member of Moods and a representative of the public. Their collective experience underscored the award’s mission: to promote innovative Swiss groups that push the art form forward while nurturing the next generation of talent. The prize not only honors achievement but also provides crucial support for emerging acts eager to define Swiss music on regional and international stages.
The Runner-Up and the Prize Size
In addition to Ross’s triumph, the competition rewarded another promising quartet: alpha-ray from Bern, who claimed the second prize of 5,000 Swiss francs. The acknowledgment of a dual set of acts—one celebrating a nuanced, exploratory voice and another reinforcing a vibrant Bernese scene—reflects the breadth of Swiss jazz today. For both groups, the ZKB Jazz platform serves as a bridge to wider audiences, festival circuits, and future collaborations that may shape the direction of the genre in the years ahead.
What This Means for Swiss Jazz and Romandy
The ZKB Jazz prize has long aimed to nurture young Swiss ensembles with an eye toward innovation. Ace Ross’s win signals a consolidation of Romandy’s increasingly influential role in the national jazz conversation, while the praise for the quartet’s synergy demonstrates how cross-regional collaboration can yield fresh sounds. As woodwinds, percussion, harmonies, and electronics continue to mingle, Swiss audiences can anticipate a wave of new projects emerging from the likes of Ross and his peers, potentially leading to collaborations that blend tradition with the digital era’s bold experiments.
Looking Ahead
Following the Zurich triumph, Ace Ross is likely to press forward with new recordings, live dates, and perhaps further collaborations with Arthur Donnot, Natan Niddam, and Yann Maenner. The jury’s recognition not only affirms his current trajectory but also invites him to shape future performances that challenge conventions while inviting broader audiences into the conversation about Swiss jazz’s evolving identity.
