Projects
Claude Diallo Situation
The Trio
Claude Diallo Situation (CDS) is the flagship ensemble of Swiss pianist, composer, and bandleader Claude Diallo, dedicated to performing his original music through an ever-evolving collaborative format. Founded in 2007 in Boston at Berklee College of Music, the jazz piano trio first established its identity with electric bassist Laurent Salzard (France) and drummer Massimo Buonanno (Switzerland), who formed the core rhythm section until 2016. Over the years, CDS has featured a variety of exceptional drummers, including James Williams, Louis Cato, Mark Whitfield Jr, Jonathan Barber, Ari Hoenig, Eliot Zigmund and since 2016 counts Andy Bauer and since 2020 Túpac Mantilla to the new core formation, while bassist Luques Curtis became an increasingly important collaborator before joining the group as a core member in 2015. Other bass player collaborations in the past included Martijn Vanbuel (Belgium), Rosario Bonaccorso (Italy), Curtis Ostle (USA) or Lukas Stocker (Switzerland). Today also exists a Swiss youngster formation featuring 21 year old bass prodigy Leon Frei and 23 year old drummer genius Laura Schäfer.
Over the years the trio has featured and recorded with special guests such as tenor sax legend Andy McGhee (Lionel Hampton and Woody Herman), Canadian award winning jazz singer Denzal Sinclaire, New York based harmonica virtuoso Hendrik Meurkens, French jazz singer Anne Evenou, Swiss jazz legend and electronic music pioneer Bruno Spoerri on saxofon, American all-star sax player Brad Leali, Swiss jazz singer Sarah Abrigada, trombone prodigy Sophie Bright, portuguese singer and guitarist Marta Duarte d’Almeida among others and just recently in 2025 recorded a new quintet album with two jazz all stars of the contemporary scene Igmar Thomas (trumpet) and Godwin Louis (saxofon).
With the American record label Dot Time Records the trio released several albums since 2020 of which two albums, I found a new home in 2021 and 11:11 2023 were selected within the ballot of the pre-selection for nomination of the Grammys. Andy Bauer’s Animation’s Contemplation made it into the soundtrack of Jesse Eisenbergs Hollywood director’s debut When You Finish Saving the World. Two records were released accompanying Swiss Jazz legend Bruno Spoerri.
Blending contemporary jazz, improvisation, and global musical influences, Claude Diallo Situation has performed internationally in clubs, concert halls, and festivals, continually evolving while remaining rooted in artistic creativity, collective interaction, and Claude Diallo’s distinctive compositional voice.
Claude Diallo Situation (CDS) ist das Flaggschiff-Ensemble des Schweizer Pianisten, Komponisten und Bandleaders Claude Diallo, das sich der Aufführung seiner Originalmusik in einem sich ständig weiterentwickelnden kollaborativen Format widmet. Das 2007 am Berklee College of Music in Boston gegründete Jazz-Piano-Trio etablierte sich zunächst mit dem E-Bassisten Laurent Salzard (Frankreich) und dem Schlagzeuger Massimo Buonanno (Schweiz), die bis 2016 die Rhythmusgruppe bildeten. Im Laufe der Jahre spielte CDS mit einer Reihe herausragender Schlagzeuger, darunter James Williams, Louis Cato, Mark Whitfield Jr., Jonathan Barber, Ari Hoenig, Eliot Zigmund und seit 2016 Andy Bauer sowie seit 2020 Túpac Mantilla. Bassist Luques Curtis entwickelte sich zu einem immer wichtigeren musikalischen Partner, bevor er 2015 festes Mitglied der Gruppe wurde. Zu den früheren Bassisten, mit denen CDS zusammenarbeitete, zählen Martijn Vanbuel (Belgien), Rosario Bonaccorso (Italien), Curtis Ostle (USA) und Lukas Stocker (Schweiz). Heute existiert auch eine junge Schweizer Formation mit dem 21-jährigen Bass-Wunderkind Leon Frei und dem 23-jährigen Schlagzeug-Genie Laura Schäfer.
Im Laufe der Jahre hat das Trio mit zahlreichen Gästen zusammengearbeitet und Aufnahmen gemacht, darunter die Tenorsaxophon-Legende Andy McGhee (Lionel Hampton und Woody Herman), der kanadische Jazzsänger Denzal Sinclaire, der in New York lebende Mundharmonika-Virtuose Hendrik Meurkens, die französische Jazzsängerin Anne Evenou, die Schweizer Jazzlegende und Pionier der elektronischen Musik, Bruno Spoerri am Saxophon, der amerikanische All-Star-Saxophonist Brad Leali, die Schweizer Jazzsängerin Sarah Abrigada, das Posaunen-Wunderkind Sophie Bright, die portugiesische Sängerin und Gitarristin Marta Duarte d’Almeida und viele andere. Erst kürzlich, im Jahr 2025, nahm das Trio ein neues Quintett-Album mit den beiden Jazz-Stars der Gegenwart, Igmar Thomas (Trompete) und Godwin Louis (Saxophon), auf.
Mit dem amerikanischen Plattenlabel Dot Time Records veröffentlichte das Trio seit 2020 mehrere Alben, von denen zwei – „I found a new home“ (2021) und „11:11“ (2023) – für die Grammy-Vorauswahl nominiert wurden. Andy Bauers „Animation’s Contemplation“ schaffte es auf den Soundtrack von Jesse Eisenbergs Hollywood-Regisseurdebüt „When You Finish Saving the World“. Zwei Alben entstanden in Zusammenarbeit mit der Schweizer Jazzlegende Bruno Spoerri.
Claude Diallo Situation verbindet zeitgenössischen Jazz, Improvisation und globale musikalische Einflüsse und tritt international in Clubs, Konzerthäusern und auf Festivals auf. Die Band entwickelt sich stetig weiter, bleibt dabei aber ihrer künstlerischen Kreativität, dem gemeinsamen Musizieren und Claude Diallos unverwechselbarer Kompositionssprache treu.
Claude Diallo Piano · Luques Curtis Bass · Andy Bauer / Túpac Mantilla Drums
Line-ups
One trio, two formations. Select a card to hear and see each one.
Video
Audio
The Album
The trio album
I found a new home
Dot Time Records
- Released in 2021 on Dot Time Records
- Selected within the ballot of the pre-selection for nomination of the Grammys
- One composition, Animation’s Contemplation, appears in a Hollywood movie
The Album
The trio album
11:11
Dot Time Records
- Released in 2023 on Dot Time Records
- Selected within the ballot of the pre-selection for nomination of the Grammys
- Showing a more latin jazz side of the trio
Press
What the Press Says
Swiss pianist Claude Diallo got his jazz pedigree from studying at Berklee in Boston and living in New York for 11 years. But he’s also soaked up myriad influences in his worldwide travels over the years. On his seventh Situation recording, and 16th overall as a leader or co-leader, he joins stalwart bassist Luques Curtis and Columbian drummer-percussionist Túpac Mantilla on a program of tricky, odd-metered piano trio music inspired by rhythms from Africa, South America and Eastern Europe.
The buoyant opener, “African Roots,” jumps back and forth from 7/8 to 4/4 while carrying a hint of Abdullah Ibrahim in the joyful bridge. Curtis’ uptempo swinger “Phinish” (dedicated to the birth of his son Phineas) is a “Rhythm”-changes romp underscored by Mantilla’s slick brushwork and featuring a commanding bass solo. Diallo demonstrates a strong left hand on the driving, Brazilian flavored “Goodbye Blanche Neige.”
“Bona,” dedicated to the Cameroonian bassist Richard Bona, and the title track are both intricate rhythmic puzzles, while the restful ballad “I Remember JSL” was composed by Swiss jazz legend Bruno Spoerri and is dedicated to Swiss journalist and music critic Jan Slawe.
Curtis’ “La Finca” is a bomba-fueled nod to his Puerto Rican roots, while Diallo’s jaunty, blues-drenched medium-tempo swinger “Ray Santisi” is a nod to his Berklee piano professor and mentor. And for a change of pace from the program of originals, they cover the standard “Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered” with a 7/8 twist.
Bill Milkowski, DownBeat, August 2023
News
Special Projects
Beyond the trio: two projects growing out of the Situation.
Special Project
Two Pianos: Zaccai Curtis x Claude Diallo Situation
On April 25 2026 two fans of Claude Diallo suggested inviting the Grammy winner for Best Latin Jazz Album 2026: Cubop Lives!, US jazz pianist Zaccai Curtis to join Claude Diallo Situation for a concert including two grand pianos. Zaccai is the older brother of bassist Luques Curtis and at first the idea seemed unreal, but together, they made it happen. With the addition of Cuban star percussionist Keisel Jimenez this special project was born. On Claude Diallo's Youtube Channel you find several tunes from this unforgettable concert, which took place in St. Gallen, Switzerland at the venue KultBau.
Am 25. April 2026 schlugen zwei Fans von Claude Diallo vor, den Gewinner des Grammy für das beste Latin-Jazz-Album 2026, Cubop Lives!, den US-Jazzpianisten Zaccai Curtis, zu einem Konzert an zwei Flügeln mit der Claude Diallo Situation einzuladen. Zaccai ist der ältere Bruder des Bassisten Luques Curtis, und zunächst schien die Idee unwirklich, doch gemeinsam haben sie es möglich gemacht. Mit dem kubanischen Star-Perkussionisten Keisel Jimenez kam dieses Spezialprojekt zustande. Auf dem YouTube-Kanal von Claude Diallo finden sich mehrere Stücke aus diesem unvergesslichen Konzert, das im KultBau in St. Gallen stattfand.
In 2027 Dot Time Records releases the first Claude Diallo Situation Quintet Album
Claude Diallo went back to Tedesco Studios in New Jersey to record his first quintet album featuring two contemporary jazz stars Igmar Thomas (trumpet) and Godwin Louis (sax). The Berklee College of Music connection came together and recorded new original music.
In production · Coming Soon