ABOUT
Unai Olabarri Varela began playing drums at the age of seven. After studying in Astrapalea and MrJam CMM with Blas Fernández, he obtained the 8th Grade of RockSchool Music. Between 2012 and 2016, he studied in Musikene with Jo Krause, where he obtained the diploma of "Jazz-Drums Performance".
He finished in 2018 the "New York Jazz" master of the Prince Claus Conservatorium in Groningen.
In 2019 he got a full scholarship by the Fulbright Commission with the Spanish Education Ministry to study his second master in the Aaron Copland School of Music of Queens College in New York, where he studied with Dennis Mackrel, Tim Armacost, Michael Mossman, David Berkman and Peter Calandra.
During his stay in New York he enjoyed lessons with: Carl Allen, John Riley, Rafael Barata, Dan Weiss, Nate Smith, Ali Jackson, Johnathan Blake, Adam Nussbaum, David Gibson and Guillermo Klein.
Over the years he has attended master classes with Bill Evans, Robben Ford, Jorge Rossy, Jeff Hamilton, Paquito D'Rivera, Steve Nelson, Eddie Henderson, Robin Eubanks, Michael Kanan, Charles Davis, Gene Jackson, Joe Magnarelli, Tom Harrell, Todd Coolman, Jonathan Kreisberg, Freddie Bryant, Triez, Anye Bao, Nduduzo Makhathini…
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He has played with outstanding musicians as: Perico Sambeat, Albert Sanz, Román Filiú, Ariel Bringuez, Hugo Astudillo "Escandaloso Xpósito", Dave Glasser, Andrzej Olejniczak, David Pastor, Dani Pérez, Mariano Díaz, Joaquín Chacón, Víctor Merlo, Ben Besiakov, Deborah Carter, Iñaki Salvador, Maikel Vistel… And he had the chance to work with different bands: The Half Nelsons, Kuttune, Swingpapers, Skytrain, European Quintet, Reunion Big Band, PCC Big Band, Lara Vizuete Quintet, El Consorcio, Iñaki Uranga Big Band & BOS, Half Quartet Plus Two, Kass & The Gingerbread Boys, Ramba, Aneika Ara, Mariano Díaz & The Message, North Coast Quintet…
In 2014 he won the prestigious Special Prize of the Jury of Vth BBK Jazz Show with the project Swingpapers. In 2022 he won First Prize of the band contest in Folkez Blai Folk Festival (Ermua) with Kuttune.
Currently he lives in Basque Country and works as a musician for several projects as Xahu and Gozategi.
