Guy Villerd - tenor saxophone
Olivier Bost - guitar
Christian Rollet - drums
Eric Brochard - double bass

“Nowadays, when meanings give way to consensus, when ideology gets weaker and weaker, I would like to take the opportunity of this show to follow into the steps of Albert Ayler. Ayler’s tour-de-force has been to create a whole new vocabulary to express his feelings. I want to make audible a voice both subversive and sealed by love and generosity. Music has the power to magnify our souls; for us, it will be passionate and sincere, strongly anchored in the future”, claims French saxophonist Guy Villerd, the author of the project dedicated to the foremost innovator of jazz, legendary saxophonist Albert Ayler (1936 – 1970).

In his short 34 years Albert Ayler, one of the leading figures of free jazz, uncompromising, emotional and passionate musician, has not only perfected saxophone technique and recorded a number of influential albums, but also sowed the belief, that music can heal the world, which can be decoded from the title of his last album Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe.

“Albert Ayler invented a new way of playing the tenor sax, devoid of compromises or concessions, with an irresistible sound, solid and yet flexible, which comes from the bottom of his soul, from the very source of breath and inspiration. It was for him “god’s voice come forth to re-establish peace and spirituality on Earth, to make people better”. He wanted to play “a new music which beauty no one had heard before” , says Guy Villerd. As homage to Albert Ayler, Guy Villerd formed Villerd-Ayler Quartet presenting legendary saxophonist’s style and Ayler’s unique and passionate music. The project commissioned by Le Mans Jazz Festival 2000 has not lost its relevance to this day. This project is presented by ARFI.

Saxophonist Guy Villerd, the author and leader of Villerd-Ayler Quartet, is praised for his broad and energetic sound, free improvisations and his artistic standards.

The ARFI veteran is brimming with artistic imagination and keeps astounding with his vitality – besides playing in two projects presented at the Vilnius Jazz, he works with his groups La Marmite Infernale, Le Marvelous Band, Palace d’Arfi, E’Guijecri, Emiliano Z., Nuit ARFI, Festin d'Oreille, Les Hommes, Potemkine and plays duo with Jean-Jacques Avanel. In addition, he writes music for theatre and musical spectacles.

Olivier Bost is a new addition to Villerd-Ayler Quartet. A flexible musician, guitar and trombone expert plays wide range of music – from rock and improvised music to electro-acoustic and new music. Olivier Bost appeared in a number of projects including Bomonstre trio, Les Ames Nees Ziques, La compagnie du Facteur soudain, La Tribu Herisson ,l'Ogre, Fanfare La Tulipe; he collaborates with Lucia Recio trio, plays duo with Eric Delbouys, etc. He was a member of Nomades & Skaetera (2000–2004).

Olivier Bost is also a composer. He writes music for his groups Un Mec Une Porte , Up Tight, Trouble Fete as well as electro-acoustic orchestra GMVL. Noteworthy are his electronic experiments investigating links between image and sound in the film Loop.

Double-bassist Eric Brochard enhances the group’s musical fabric not only with rich melodious line, but also unexpected sonoristic effects – purr, mew or mutter. He has collaborated with Jean-Paul Céléa, Bernard Cazauran, Bernard Salles, Jorma Katronen, Claude Tchamitchian, Denis Colin, Fran?ois Raulin, Sylvain Kassap, Scott Rosenberg, etc. Having tried his hand in various styles – from contemporary academic to theatre, dance and circus music – he turned to improvised music. At present he collaborates with leading improvisers such as Peppa Paivinnen, Tim Berne, Jorma Tapio, Xavier Garcia, Ramon Lopez, Didier Petit, Jacques Bonaffé, Vincent Boisseau Trio, Akosh Szelevenyi Trio, leads a quartet.

Villerd-Ayler Quartet involves drummer Christian Rollet,Guy Villerd’s colleague of many years, the veteran of ARFI group. He has learned to play his instrument independently while studying philosophy. But the music has won. Since 1968, Christian Rollet has played in Workshop De Lyon, one of the leading French jazz groups, which has recorded 10 albums, toured around the globe – from Middle East and Africa to the USA and Canada. As a member of this group he appeared in Vilnius Jazz’94. The drummer also plays in La Marmite Infernale , E’Guijecri and Baron Samedi, since 1992 has collaborated with And His Orchestra trio and saxophonist Daunik Lazro’s quintet. In the 70s Christian Rollet got interested in theatre music, has participated in stage and music projects.

© Jūratė Kučinskaitė