Cécile Verny Quartet is a German-French jazz band based in Freiburg im Breisgau. The ensemble was formed in 1987 in Strasbourg by the singer and songwriter Cécile Verny who was born in the Ivory Coast and raised in France. The group has been based in Freiburg since 1989 and includes the bassist Bernd Heitzler, the keyboardist Andreas Erchinger and the drummer Lars Binder. The band’s musical style incorporates elements of jazz, French chanson, scat singing, rock, blues and African music. The ensemble released its debut studio album, Oazoo, in 1992. Their subsequent recordings included the studio albums Got a Ticket (1998), Métisse (1999) and The Bitter and the Sweet (2006). In 2005, Verny issued the recording European Songbook with an expanded lineup. The quartet has received several honors during its career including the Prix des Concours Vocal du Festival de Crest in 1992 and the Grand Prix of the Jury at the Jazz à Juan festival in 2003. In 2006, the record The Bitter and the Sweet was included on the best album list by the German Music Critics Award. The ensemble has performed international tours in countries including Morocco, Kenya, South Africa and Sudan with support from the Goethe-Institut.
