[2] The Swiss Jazz Orchestra has worked with Anders Bergcrantz, Jerry Bergonzi, Buddy DeFranco, Torun Eriksen, George Gruntz, Joe Haider, Bert Joris, Pepe Lienhard, Jim McNeely, Adrian Mears, Bob Mintzer, Sandy Patton, Chico Pinheiro, Paquito D'Rivera, Claudio Roditi, Alex Sipiagin, and Phil Woods.
The series has a rotation of different themes (Latin, Tribute, Gala, and Groove Night), which give the orchestra the opportunity to practice its skills in different styles.
The Monday Big Band Jazz Nights form the backbone and help realize other advanced projects that include CD productions and touring in Switzerland and abroad.
[9] The program of the Monday Big Band Jazz Nights contains a rotation of four different themes: Groove-Night focusses on tricky and unusual rhythms.
Philip Henzi explains the reasons for that as follows: "Why there is not only one musical leader goes back to the early days of its foundation: The orchestra has been founded by three people.
Furthermore, the large number of tasks (concerning the preparation of programs, the communication with guest-soloists and also the coordination of the rehearsals) makes it almost impossible for one person alone to manage it.
"[12] Different musical leaders contributed to the making of different albums, ranging from live concerts conducted by the Swiss Jazz legend Pepe Lienhard (Live mit Pepe Lienhard, Mons, 2005) to collaborations with pop singers with a nationwide reputation, such as Sina, Polo Hofer and Kuno Lauener (I schänke dir mis Härz on Buebetröim, 2007/2009).
The compositions were inspired by the drawings and paintings of the Bern-based artist Paul Klee and the CD gained national and international appreciation.
Concerning all the recordings, it is important to draw attention to Philip Henzi: Each and every CD of the Swiss Jazz Orchestra contains arrangements, most of the albums also compositions of his.
[18] The committee especially honored the success story of the SJO, which is founded on the Monday Big Band Nights at the venue Bierhübeli in Bern.
The SJO wants to increase its offering of being a platform for the very best young Jazz-musicians, so that they can demonstrate their abilities as artists in a segment, that has gained a higher reputation by the modern system.