Daau

Antwerp, Belgium. 10 years ago, 4 young lads with a classical music education started making music together in a rather unconventional way: using clarinet, accordion, violin and cello, the foursome produced a dynamic blend of Beatles, eastern-european music, Zappa, even dEUS, folkmusic and classic music. Soon they became a live band much in demand: everyone in the Benelux countries wanted to see the hyperkinetic foursome and hear their unconventional music. The band shared stage with hip rock- and popbands, playing in front of young and 'hip' people. Every time, the Abendunterhaltung surprised their audience with their instrumental, long compositions who combined the energy and spirit of punk with the virtuosity of classic musicians, the dance-ability of folk-music, the variety of jazz. DAAU anno 1992 Buni Lenski (violin) - Simon Lenski (cello) - Han Stubbe (clarinet) - Roel van Camp (accordion). The band played a lot and built up a renowned live-reputation. Soon they recorded their independent debut-CD live in a small studio. It became a great success in the low countries, and even on export the album sold well. Soon after that, they were offered a lucrative record deal by Sony Classic, who believed the band was a pioneer in a new kind of 'modern classicist movement' and were promised world-wide distribution. By the end of 1997, the second album was recorded in Ronda, Southern Spain, but much to the surprise of the record company people, little was left of the classical element. Instead, the musicians had discovered contemporary music, and were now blending their original DAAU music with digital technology, vocals, electronic rhythms and percussion. This troubled the dialogue between the new, corporate record company and the band, who each had different perspectives of musical evolution in mind. The clouds between them would never clear up. Sony sent the masters to an engineer who had worked with Peter Gabriel but who had no feeling with the band. They spent ridiculous amounts of money sending the tapes out to Los Angeles to record drumtracks with an American drummer, and mixing the album in the Realworld Studios in Bath. The band stood, watched, listened to the result and did not approve. "We Need New Animals" was released in Europe but clearly, Sony Classic had problems marketing it as they were used to work with more conventional material. The album sales barely matched the sales of the first album. Meanwhile, the band was invited to tour France and Italy with artists such as Bjork and 16 Horsepower, and the live act evolved into an intriguing programme spanning acoustic classical parts and heavy electronic dub sessions. Intensive touring followed the release of the second album. Apart from the Benelux, the band played in Spain, Switzerland, Austria and Germany with positive critical acclaim. Matt Johnson of The The heard DAAU-music, decided to become a fan and asked the band to make an interpretation of the first single of his come-back album. Then, it was time for a third record: Adrian, the eldest brother of the Lenski family and virtuoso pianoplayer and composer, now joined his younger brothers and their colleagues, and a new dimension was added to the DAAU sound. At Sony, they decided to move the band to the Columbia label rather than insisting on marketing in a classical circuit. "Life Transmission" was recorded at the DAAU home studio and mixed at Dan Lacksman's in Brussels. The result was much more to the likings of the band, and in a certain way contained more 'commercial' elements such as the vocals of Ya Kid K. ('Technotronic') and a sunny reggae tune. For the first time in history, the band got airplay on popular radios and even scored a minor hit in Belgium. The whole album however, remained an eclectic gathering of influences from all kinds of music, displaying the band's virtuosity with both classical and modern elements. Sony released the album in April 2001 only in Benelux and Switzerland. Again, the band had a successful live-year. To be able to perform the sound produced on the album, they added a live-drummer (Janek Kowalski) and after a sold-out club tour, they were invited to play the biggest summerfestivals in Benelux and Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. In October it was clear that album sales were disastrous and Sony and Daau split up, both relieved. Meanwhile, the band has recorded a new EP, 32 minutes of original music that was written especially for a piece of Modern Dance by Choreographer Thierry Smits and Compagnie Thor: "Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain". Each initial representing a colour, a mood in the act. This recording was released on May 6 and was the first release on DAAU's own label: Radical Duke Entertainment. It contains three video tracks of the dance performance of Compagnie Thor. This release marks the beginning of a new era for the band, in which the return to the original roots and the independent spirit will be emphasised. DAAU anno 2002 Buni Lenski (violin) - Simon Lenski (cello) - Han Stubbe (clarinet) - Roel van Camp (accordion) - Adrian Lenski (piano) - Janek Kowalski (drums)