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Moody Blues photo by Chris Lester-

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Patrick Moraz

Known as Patrick Philippe as Moraz is perhaps best known for tenures as a Keyboardist in the rock bands Yes and The Moody Blues.

He is a swiss musician, songwriter, and film composer. He was nurtured in a musical family and at a young age, he was exposed to learning music and studied at Lausanne Conservatory.

He was vibrant during the 1960s when he began his career as a Jazz Musician performing with his quartet and quintet, who performed across Europe winning several awards.

Moraz has a rich personality that draws many fans to his soul and music though an introvert he connects well with his audience in a charming way.

Here are the top 10 amazing facts about Patrick Moraz.

1. He was born on an airplane

Moraz had a peculiar entrance to this world he was born on June 24^th, 1980, on an airplane. Though Morges, Switzerland had been cited as his hometown.

His upbringing was pro music and his family was a musical one, his father worked for a Polish pianist and composer, Ignacy Jan Paderewski. During his childhood, he played the violin and piano and by the age of five, he was writing compositions for the piano.

He played and studied Jazz but this was sadly halted at thirteen after he broke his four fingers in a roller-skating accident.

2. He was the youngest to receive the Best Soloist award

What might come as a surprise to many of his fans, is that originally Moraz’s wish was to be an anthropologist he even learned Greek and Latin to aid this dream of his.

The universe had other plans for the musician as he was soon led to the school of Lausanne Conservatory, where he studied music.

Just at the age of sixteen, he became the youngest person to receive the best Soloist Award at the Zurich Festival.

His talents earned him quite a several awards at the festival, whether it was as a soloist or in his jazz groups amazingly for five consecutive years.

He later went on to increase his collection of achievements, at seventeen he played as a jazz soloist at a music festival which earned him a prize for a collection of albums and he had the privilege of learning some lessons with the French Jazz Soloist, Stephane Grappelli.

3. He was once a cook

Dreams aren’t fuelled by empty pockets and when young Moraz left Switzerland for England he had to make ends meet as he pursued his dream.

His father offered him work as a chef in Switzerland in one of his kitchens, where he was the manager.

Moraz was put to use and he cooked at a school for a £2.88 salary. He described his experience as horrific, “it was one of the hardest jobs I have ever had “.

Despite such hurdles, he still found time to perform the piano in a local pub and tea room to earn more money.

Unfortunately, luck wasn’t smiling his way and soon he was kicked out of the Music’s Union because he took up employment as a bar pianist, which was termed as an incorrect type of work Visa.

He was a Jack of all trades when it came to making ends meet, even working by selling encyclopedias’ in Geneva.

His troubles came to a halt when in 1965, he won a quartet award at the Zurich jazz festival, and soon he was invited to be the opening act for a European tour headline by the saxophonist, John Coltrane.

4. He was interviewed for the Moody Blues in 1978

The_Moody_Blues photo by National Archief, Den Haag-

While attending a convention held by the Audio Engineering Society in Los Angel’s, Moraz received a call that will alter the course of his life.

He was called to audition for the band Moody Blues after Mike Pinder left the band. He proceeded with an audition in London on July 1978. The audition was successful and he got a position that same day he auditioned.

He began a new adventure with Moody Blues and completed many solo projects. He toured with his team from Brazil and even recorded with Chick Corea, going as far as releasing two albums with drummer Bill Bruford.

By 1991 his wings of opportunity had taken form and he felt that the Moody Blues music was just too confined and he experienced a feeling of stagnation in his career in the group. His negative comments landed him in trouble, he was soon fired from the band.

Moraz did not leave quietly, in September 1991, he sued the group for $ 500 000 as well as accusing them of wrongful dismissal, claiming that the group decided to split their profits four ways instead of five.

His wish was to be paid royalties which he felt were owed to him as a full-time member of the band for almost 15 years.

His case was aired on Court TV on 28^th December 1992, he was awarded 77,175 from the defendants.

5. He has ventured as a soloist

After his dismissal from the Moody Blues, Moraz decided to focus on solo projects. He released his first of three albums, Windows of Time which was first recorded in a studio at Full Sail University in Florida.

He spent the next four years creating hundreds of pieces of music for all instruments as well as orchestras and choirs and even completing work for the Conference of World Affairs, for which he is an official delegate.

6. He was the founder of the Moraz Alban Project

As a solo artist Moraz took part in an annual progressive rock-themed cruise voyage in April 2014.

Along with Drummer Greg Alban, he formed the Moraz Alban Project and released a studio album, The M.A.P Project (2015).

Moraz and Alban’s friendship dates back to 1983 when Alban played drums on Morazs album Time code (1984).

7. He has reunited with the band Yes

Yes, live performance in Montreal, Canada, June 19, 1998 photo by P199-

After many years, Moraz was able to reunite with his old teammates from the band Yes in July 2018.

The team was brought together during the 50^th Anniversary tour, Moraz performed with Yes at two shows in Philadelphia, respectively July 20 and 21.

He also participated at the Yes Funfest, he performed a 70-minute solo piano show and took part in an interview with the rest of the Yes band members.

8. He has a net worth of $5 to $10 million

Moraz is still actively keeping up with his music career, he has been working as a musician for the last 54 years.

Considering how long his career has hovered around the earth his fans would be curious to find just how much the Swiss musician has accumulated over the years

According to Forbes, Wikipedia, and other various reliable online sources, his network is estimated to be $ 3 million and$ 10 million.

It’s believed he collected most of his wealth from his Yeezy sneakers and the money he had accumulated in his professional life is enough to rank as one of the biggest celebrity shouts of all time.

9. He has married twice

Moraz resides with his second wife, Phyllis, and spends much of his time in his native Switzerland. He was previously married to Diane and has one son, David, and a daughter, Rana.

 10. He has an introverted nature

Patrick Moraz enjoys solitude and works better alone. He is believed to be a lone wolf and an individual who lives by his own rules. Moraz enjoys research and fitting pieces of the intellectual Jazz puzzle together.