Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin

Ronin

Since 2001, Ronin has been the missing link between minimal music, jazz, Zen meditation, and Eastern martial arts. Swiss pianist Nik Bärtsch has meticulously crafted a consistent oeuvre beautifully captured by ECM Records. Using 'modules,' numbered compositions, he creates intricate structures with surprising rhythms and grooves reminiscent of minimal techno and electronic music.

Ronin has seen few personnel changes over the years. The newest member is Jeremias Keller on bass (since 2020), joining Sha on bass clarinet and contrabass clarinet and Kaspar Rast on drums.

"The music of Ronin, named after a samurai warrior without a clan, can shift styles and atmospheres like a chameleon. In a seamlessly integrated collection of pieces, which bear no names but numbered modules, it transitions from minimal music with repetitive rhythmic patterns to full peaks of funk" (NRC).