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Composer, producer, arranger and performer born in Pamplona, Angel Unzu moved to San Sebastián (Basque Country) where he studied classical guitar and qualified as a guitar teacher. As a teacher he gave classical and modern guitar classes for ten years in Music schools in the Basque Country. He studied Modern Harmony applied to the guitar at the Athenaeum of Music in Madrid with Félix Santos. He has taken part in advanced courses with highly prestigious guitarists and composers such as Leo Brouwer, Ralph Towner, Egberto Gismonti, Pat Metheny, Sergio Asaad, Jorge Cardoso, and Juan Falú among others. As a session musician, to date he has helped to make a hundred albums with various artists, and has not restricted himself to performing (guitar, percussion etc.).
In the early 80s he co-founded the folk group Ganbara who he stayed with for eight years. They took part in a lot of national and international festivals and recorded five albums.
He made his debut at the III Guitar Festival in Zarautz (1994) with pieces by various composers in a repertoire close to folk, classical music and jazz. After giving numerous concerts for two years with this programme, he prepared his most personal work. He was invited by the JAZZLE music school to record his album «13 SOLOS» (1996). Thirteen of his own compositions for solo guitar which he promoted in a variety of settings and at jazz and guitar festivals. He performed it for the first time at the San Sebastián International Jazz Festival (1996) and it is especially worth mentioning his tours in Argentina (Buenos Aires and its province) as part of the International - Guitars of the World- Festival (1999 / 2004).
A few years after «13 Solos» he composed his second album «MELODÍAS DE PIEL» (2003): Nine of his own compositions played on the nylon guitar in a style close to jazz and orchestral music, as well as a version of the piece -Memoria e fado- by Egberto Gismonti. Composed and arranged by Unzu, it features the guitar accompanied and enriched on this occasion by various formations ranging from a solo format, to duets, trio, string quartet and chamber orchestra.
«TIEMPO DE BUSQUEDA» (2010): It's the quest itself that drives the musician in his striving for melody, tone and expression. In his current album, the outstanding Basque guitarist proves this point perfectly by spotlighting his «search time». Backed by the experience of over 100 albums and productions, including three of his own CDs, Unzu presents compositions arising from the fusion of the Mediterranean tradition, Latin American music and contemporary classical. «Tiempo De Búsqueda» («Search Time») is an auditory experience of the first water, with unusual chord sequences, unexpected harmonic turns and experimental sound installations.
At the moment, after arranging and producing his latest album «Nere Ekialdean», he plays on a regular basis with the Basque singer-songwriter Benito Lertxundi's group. He also currently forms part of the new band of the jazz double bassist Gonzalo Tejada in his group Gonzalo Tejada New Quintet where he contributes to some of the compositions.
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