Benedikt Reising was born in the Black Forest in 1978. He grew up playing baroque sonatas on his recorder while listening to German punk music.In his capacity as artistic director of the Jazzwerstatt Bern programme, and as musician, Benedikt has had close contact with South African musicians such as Shane Cooper, Kesivan Naidoo, Kyle Shepherd, Benjamin Jephta, Siya Makuzeni, Mandla Mlangeni and Shannon Mowday to name a few.Reising currently teaches saxophone, organises an international jazz festival and works as a freelance musician