Europe's best roots innovators plus the UK's finest from the World on your Street

In recent years, mainland Europe has become a particularly fertile breeding ground for contemporary roots music artists developing new approaches to traditions, yet these artists have tended to get little live exposure in the UK compared to African, Latin and Asian names. They get enthusiastically featured and reviewed in the pages of fRoots and their CDs are played by BBC Radio 3's world music programmes and BBC Radio London's Charlie Gillett, but play here rarely other than at festivals.

Europe In Union was set up to improve this situation. It was a series of monthly concerts at the Union Chapel in Islington, London, showcasing innovative European roots musicians, supported by UK artists from all cultural communities. They took place during winter 2003/2004 and were recorded for broadcast by BBC Radio 3. After that came a final gig in the series, a ceilidh at the Camden Centre because the Union Chapel has had to close its doors as a live venue for amplified music the time being.

The organising team were fRoots in association with BBC Radio 3, and with help from Charlie Gillett, Serious, KAPA Productions, the Union Chapel, Banners On The Hill and others. The concerts were funded by Arts Council England