Born may 23 1938 in Genova, Switzerland, the dean of Europe’s modern jazz drummers, has been one of the international jazz community’s most respected and active musicians since the late 50’s. His three decades of contributions to improvised music were recognised officially in 1986 when he was named « Chevalier des arts et des lettres » and recently « Officiers des arts et lettres » by the Government of France. In 1987, he was awarded the « Grand Prix du Jazz Sacem (France’s music publishing organization) and in 1988 when he received the highest jazz honors awarded annually by the french recording academy (Charlie Parker award) and the Academie Charles Cros (Prix in Honorem, the equivalent of the Grammy). Winning both in one year was unprecedented. Elected European Jazz musician of the year 97 by the « Académie du Jazz » in France.

Daniel Humair began playing drums when he was seven and turned professional in 1955 after winning first prize in three categories at the annual amateur contest in Zurich jazz festival. He then spent several years performing in his native Switzerland and touring Germany, Belgium and Sweden before settling in Paris in 1958 where he began woring with such legendary mainstream jazz artists as Lucky Thompson, Don Byas, Kenny Dorham, Eric Dolphy, Jacky McLean, Oscar Petitford and Chet Baker. In 1959, Humair formed a trio leaded by pianist Martial Solal, the first in a series of collaborations in a musical relationship that continues to this day, and he toured internationally with the Swingle Singers from 1965-67. Then became a member of a trio with violonist Jean-Luc Ponty and organist Eddy Louis. In the late 60’s he joined Phil Woods European Rhythm Machine.

Humair was named Drummer Deserving Wider Recognition in the 1970 Down Beat International Critics Poll, and spent 1970 to 77 freelancing with such artists as Stephane Grappelli, George Gruntz, Franco Ambrosetti, Jim Hall, Herbie Mann, Lee Konitz, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, Anthony Braxton, etc. ...before forming a trio with bassist Henri Texier and saxophonist François Jeanneau, hailed as France’s most adventurous ensemble at the time; which toured Asia and the Middle east under the auspices of the French government. While the trio he formed in 1984 with pianist Joachim Kühn and bassist Jean François Jenny Clark, Humair is the drummer’s main musical interest and challenge at this writing, he continues to lead vrious « Special Occasion » Ensemble of his own (featuring John Scofield, Bob Berg, David Friedman or Larry Schneider as guest soloists) and still collaborates occasionally with longtime associates Solal and Michel Portal. In 1991, Humair took special interest playing with David Liebman in company of Kühn and Jenny Clark, toured with a new co leader’s group « Quatre » including trumpettist Enrico Rava, pianist Franco d’Andrea and bassist Miroslav Vitous.

Late 1991 he started a collaboration with Bostonian tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi touring and recording and we can hear him lately with Richard Galliano, the french accordeon player or with Michel Portal , Louis Sclavis, Martial Solal for special project. Recently, he has been working in New York with Dave Liebman, and in Europa with Franco Ambrosetti, Richard Galliano, George Garzone, and recorded a new trio album. Daniel Humair has been invited to play in almost all of the major international Jazz Festival’s such as Newport, Monterey, New York, Milano, Barcelona, Antibes, Nice, Montreux, Paris, Berlin, Chicago, etc.

His recording career now consists of around 200 albums, as a sideman, some of which have been award winning, and over 15 albums in his name.

Parallel to his musical career, Daniel Humair is a professionnal painter working mainly with acrylic paint on paper since 1962. His abstract work is included in the permanent collections of the City of Paris, the Swiss Government and several public collections in Europe.

He also combines his interest in the visual and aural arts by appearing on the soundtracks of many albums (i,e ...Last Tango in Paris) and is the author of Drum book, an « anti-licks » teaching text with no musical content that presents a revolutionary technique, theory system, in its series of visual exercices. He is now teaching Jazz drumming and advance independance for all instruments at the Conservatoire national de musique in Paris. Elected European Jazzmen of the year by the Académie du Jazz.