Oliver Tabeling’s musical talent was spotted and encouraged at an early stage. When he was 16, he entered the City of Basel Music Academy as a Jungstudent, a junior student who follows a special course of studies, and began studying classical music under Jean-Jacques Dünki.

His interest in and gift for jazz and improvisation, in which he was initially self-taught, took him to the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston thanks to a full scholarship.

Here, he took part in a number of masterc...

Oliver Tabeling’s musical talent was spotted and encouraged at an early stage. When he was 16, he entered the City of Basel Music Academy as a Jungstudent, a junior student who follows a special course of studies, and began studying classical music under Jean-Jacques Dünki.

His interest in and gift for jazz and improvisation, in which he was initially self-taught, took him to the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston thanks to a full scholarship.

Here, he took part in a number of masterclasses led by figures such as Hal Galper, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Christian Jacob and others. Tabeling thus gradually developed his “own” style, in which influences from classical music can often be heard.

He then toured North America and Canada several times with different bands, before living for a time in New York in order to make a name for himself in what is probably the most difficult – but also the most inspiring – jazz scene in the world.

Returning to Basel, Tabeling formed his own trio to play arrangements and his own compositions. Entitled “Slightly different”, the first CD he recorded with the trio caused quite a sensation. Tabeling now works as a freelance musician and lives in Basel.