Helios Quartet
The members of the quartet met while studying at Berklee College of Music, in Boston.
From the first time these young musicians played together, an unusual, fascinating energy vibrated from their interaction. They decided to keep this experience by founding a quartet, borrowing the name of of the Greek God of the sun to symbolize their burning energy.
The HELIOS Quartet offers the uniqueness of featuring a jazz oboist as a leader, the only one in the history of jazz. Thanks to its international setting and due to the mix of European and American personalities, it also provides a rich palette of musical ideas and colors.
The HELIOS Quartet builds its reputation with exclusively original compositions and arrangements that embrace the different styles of swing, straight eights jazz, funk, rock, avant-garde, Eastern European folk's odd meters, and collective improvisation. Thus music is fresh, lyrical, passionate, dynamic, surprising, and constructive.
During the summer of '96, the quartet, as an international ambassadors of its experiences and art, has been premiering in Europe. The group recorded a CD recording and made several tours in Europe and the U.S.A...
Roland GEBHARDT (Germany):
Born '65, started playing guitar at age 13, classical & electric, also studies piano for 3 years. Won the German Jazz/Rock Competition in '87. In '90 studied guitar at the Luxembourg conservatory and Musikhochschule, Hamburg, in '91.
In '93 received double award for completing a Performance studies Diploma at Berklee. Roland toured and performed with prominent German jazz musicians and now teaches and tours on both continents, as leader and sideman. "His conception, sound, touch, time feel and jazz vocabulary put him in the top 5% of all students with whom I have worked.
(Rick Peckham, Guitar chair of Berklee College of Music).
Daniel DUNLAP (USA):
Born in '74 and started playing sax at high school through chance. At age 15 he volonteered to leave his alto chair and started practicing bass and during the following years has performed with many of Pittsburg grates.
He pursued his musical education in berklee where he left, in '95, for a year tour in mexico, Central America and the caribbean.
He returned in '96 to complete his studies and graduated with honors. His awards include the berklee U>S> Tour scholarship, four time recipient of the Berklee Achievement Scholarship and John Dankworth Award for outstanding film composition.
In '96 he was selected to work in Los Angeles on film music. Aside from his work in the studios, he regularly tours North & South America and Europe.
Jarrod CAGWIN (USA.):
Born '74, started drumming at tender age and by highschool time had gigs with jazz and rock ensembles throughout the Midwest.
In '92 he was awarded a scholarship for Berklee. His honors include participation in the '92 National High school Jazz Ensemble and the Berklee Outstanding Percussion Award in '95 and '96.
He graduated Cum Laude from Berklee in '96.
Jarrod is pursuing a master degree in Performing arts and specializes himself in Indian and eastern African percussion.
Emmanuelle SOMER has her own WEB SITE : http://www.emmanuellesomer.com/
which offers, in English and French : biography, discography, infos on her bands, photos, music samples and more. You can also order her albums via the site.
