Matthias Spillmann

Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Composition

*15.04.1975

Matthias Spillmann studied trumpet and composition with Bert Joris at the Swiss Jazz School Bern and with Jimmy Owens, Reggie Workman und Richie Beirach at the New School For Social Research in New York City.

In 1999 he founded his band MATS-UP which plays mainly Spillmanns original music. Throughout the years, the quintett has developed their intense interplay and unique band sound to the highest level. MATS-UP has released seven albums and played hundreds of concerts on three continents.
Spillmann also leads a trio together with danish bass player Andreas Lang and german drummer Moritz Baumgaertner.

Other active collaborations include Grünes Blatt (Romanian folk songs and improvisation), Bubaran (Jazz inspired by Gamelan music), Lukas Mantel Sextett and Urs Vögelis flyOut. Spillmann appears as soloist, performer or composer of larger ensembles, such as Gianluigi Trovesis „BergHeim“, Ensemble für Neue Musik Zürich, Lauer Large, Lucerne Jazz Orchestra, Zurich Jazz Orchestra, Freie Oper Zürich or Steamboat Switzerland.

He has played with Franco Ambrosetti, Bob Berg, Malcolm Braff, Randy Brecker, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gary Burton, Peter Evans, Joe Lovano, Pablo Held, Benny Golson, George Gruntz,  Joe Haider, Sophie Hunger, Nduduzo Makhathini, Jojo Mayer, Bob Mintzer, Chris Potter, Tyshawn Sorey, Clark Terry, Gianluigi Trovesi, Colin Vallon, Nils Wogram and others.

Matthias Spillmann teaches at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and was a board member of the Swiss musicians union SMS (2004-2017) and SONART - Musikschaffende Schweiz (2018-2020)