13th EUNIC Jazz Festival: The Charis Ioannou Quartett (CY) / Kevin Saura Quartet "Ahead" (FR)

13th EUNIC Jazz Festival

The Charis Ioannou Quartett (CY)

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The Charis Ioannou Quartett

Charis Ioannou – sax
Christos Yerolatsitis – piano
Kyriacos Kesta – double bass
Marios Spyrou – drums

Contemporary Jazz

 

Charis Ioannou has been leading his own quartet on and off over the last 20 years and has included some of Cyprus’ most exciting jazz musicians.  Their sound is an exuberant Jazz blitz combining the dept of the saxophone backed by the power of rhythm section.
The quartet will perform mostly original compositions that feature the distinct and unique influences of each of the quartet members. Program well mixed with a few famous standards.

The latest version of the quartet finds Charis playing Tenor and Baritone saxophone which gives a unique twist to the sound of the quartet. The quartet is completed by the long-time associate and exceptional jazz drummer Marios Spyrou, the multifaceted contemporary  sounds of Christos Yerolatsitis on the piano and the latest addition to the quartet, the talented Kyriakos Kestas on the double bass.

Links from a performance by the quartet (previously also called Workin’ Quartet) :

Charis Ioannou was born in Cyprus in 1976. He earned his Bachelor Degree in Saxophone Jazz performance and Jazz Composition from Berklee College of Music and his Master Degree in Jazz from New York University.
Charis performed as a leader and as a side man in various clubs and festivals around the world such as performances in the U.S.A, England, Germany, Spain, Poland, Serbia, Greece, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, Senegal and
various other countries and with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra.

Charis has been teaching Jazz music in the University of Nicosia since 2006 where he holds the Assistant Professor title and has also performed various workshops about jazz music in Cyprus, Greece, Lebanon and Italy.

 

Botschaft der Republik Zypern in Berlin, Kulturabteilung 

https://www.christosyerolatsitis.com

 

 

Kevin Saura Quartet „Ahead“ (FR)

Kevin Saura: guitar
Romann Dauneau: bass
Philippe Ciminato: percussion
Félix Joveniaux: drums

Jazz blended with Modern Funk Grooves / Blues-Rock  

 

Kevin Saura is a French guitarist and composer based in Nice. Saura is a bold guitarist navigating between jazz, rock and free improvisation! His distinctive style blends virtuosity, subtlety and fearless creativity. He delivers a strong and inventive musical identity, a rising voice in the contemporary jazz scene. His “Dirty Talks Quartet“ won first prize at the Musik Jazz Contest in Juan les Pins in 2019.

AHEAD!, the Kevin Saura Group marks a new stage in its journey. The album lives up to its name: it is a forward-looking manifesto, where jazz tradition blends with modern funk grooves, free jazz freedom, blues-rock colors, and melodic lines inherited from bebop and West Coast jazz.
The aesthetic is that of a collective in motion, favoring interaction, contrasts between composition and improvisation, and rich timbres. The music retains the lively energy of live performance, while revealing a maturity in the construction of the pieces.
The line-up brings together Kevin Saura on guitar and composition,The line-up brings together Kevin Saura, Romann Dauneau (bass), Félix Joveniaux (drums), and Philippe Ciminato (percussion). This core group of solid and close-knit musicians gives the project its cohesion, where each instrument finds its place in the collective dialogue.

To bring AHEAD! to the public, the group gave a series of concerts in France, notably in clubs and festivals (Sunset Sunside, Festival Lead Guitars, Nice Jazz Festival Off…) as well as a showcase at Fnac Nice, affirming their desire to bring jazz fusion to a variety of audiences. These warm and
energetic performances confirmed the album’s stage dimension: music that draws its strength from the moment, nourished by sharing with the audience and the freedom of improvisation.
« AHEAD! » has received excellent media coverage. In France, specialist media outlets such as Paris-Move, Jazz Radio, L’Éclaireur Fnac, and Guitare Xtreme have praised its aesthetic blend of jazz fusion, funk, and blues-rock, while highlighting the maturity of the project. The album was
also featured in showcases and concerts broadcast by Jazz Up, Paris Jazz Club, and Cultura. Internationally, it found an audience on All About Jazz, where the track Snake Banquet was included in a playlist in May 2025, marking its first recognition on the global jazz scene.

 

Sacem Auto production, Institut Français Berlin

https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/album/5EaQKe9BQSYBMcN2SExX0d

 

TICKETRESERVIERUNG

Reservierte Karten müssen eine halbe Stunde vor Beginn der Veranstaltung abgeholt werden!
Reserved tickets need to be picked up 30 minutes before the beginning of the event!

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