Fazer

Fazer is a techno group made up of Gregor Dietz and Raymund Beyer. The name also appears in connection with a jazz ensemble from Munich, Germany, formed by musicians who study together at the Academy for Music and Performing Arts in Munich and work with a sound drawn from jazz, Western African polyrhythms, classical Indian music, dub techno and post-rock.

Music

The Munich-based group uses an unusual lineup designed to create space for rhythm and harmony. Two drummers shape layered rhythmic patterns, while the absence of a pianist or keyboard player leaves room for the other musicians to work between soloing and comping. The music features trumpet, guitar and drums, with an emphasis on improvisation, tension and immediacy.

Albums

Fazer’s debut album, Mara, is recorded over nine months and presents the group’s evolving process across pieces such as “Woody,” “Asante,” “Glow” and the title track “Mara.” Their album Plex follows and is issued in January 2022.

Background

The Munich jazz scene is associated with labels such as ECM, ACT and enja, and the group is based in that city while developing its own approach by crossing genre boundaries.