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The European Union Quartet is a truly European band: a jazzquartet with a Dutch, a German, a Slovak and an English jazzmusician. Together since 2007, the band brings carefully crafted tunes superbly played by four young masters of the craft.
A strong line-up of saxophone and guitar out in front and double bass and drums as a solid base makes you want to hear more!

From 2008 on, the group has been playing extensively in the UK, Scotland, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands. They played at the Manchester International Jazz Festival, The Lescar (Sheffield), The Jazz Bar (Edinburgh), Limerick Jazz Society (Ireland), Sounds Jazzclub (Brussel), Hopper Jazzclub (Antwerpen), Schouwburg Almere, Jazz in Zevenbergen, Jazz Affairs (Hoorn) and Muziekbibliotheek Utrecht.

The European Union Quartet released their second album 'The Dark Peak' in october 2011 on the independent  O.A.P. Records. Since their debut album the band has been working hard in creating a very distinctive sound of their own.

The Dark Peak offers exiting contemporary jazz compositions that cover a wide range in moods and orchestration. The musicians' urge to play and get the music across gives The Dark Peak an intriguingly strong inevitability.

The title piece (by bassplayer Gavin Barras) has a nearly picturesque quality: one hears a landscape growing in the sheer suggestive lines of sax and guitar. Adventurous music making is what these nine, own compositions have in common. It can be in subtle musings, with a dreamlike feel, like in the beautiful soundscape of ‘House by the lake’. Or in the way the quartet grows together towards a structure in ‘Reddish Vale’. All four instruments are equally important in their improvisations and strikingly together in emotionality.

Press on European Union Quartet's The Dark Peak:

"intense interplay and freedom to express individual ideas" (Jazzenzo.nl)

Press on European Union Quartet's debut album:
“EU4: a great young band with a warm, acoustic sound, a sensitive dynamic awareness and an engaging repertoire of fresh, tuneful, contemporary compositions. The band members have gigged-in their ensemble playing well and it shows: their performance has a relaxed and confident air, yet sounds fresh every time and is destined to reach out to audiences far beyond their continent” (Steve Mead, Artistic Director, Manchester Jazz Festival, UK)

“The melodies played by saxophone and guitar in unison create a dreamy and romantic atmosphere, which is worked out in tasteful improvisations of both soloists and is accompanied by a strong rhythm section” (Muziekwereld Review).

“Elbracht is lovely and limpid; Spaargaren is pure-toned and keeps his power in check. In all, a finely judged mix of freedom and restraint” (City Life Album Review).

Line up:
Iman Spaargaren - Saxophones & Bass Clarinet?
Ulrich Elbracht - Guitar?
Gavin Barras – Double Bass?
Marek Dorcik- Drums

The Dark Peak
Produced by O.A.P. Records?
Producer & Engineer: Barry Olthof?
Graphic Design: Monomonnik?
Photography: Ron Beenen?
www.oaprecords.com/catalog/euq

'Roosmarijn'- Concert European Union Quartet at the beachhut 'De Fuut', The Hague, Netherlands

'Licks 06' - Concert European Union Quartet at 'The Jazzbar', Edinburgh, Scotland

 

'Tonight, Tomorrow, Everyday' - Concert European Union Quartet at 'The Jazzbar', Edinburgh, Scotland

 

 

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