Real time soundtrack to the silent movies of the legendary Harry Langdon.

Cinesclaff'ARFI (France): Guy Villerd - tenor sax  Eric Brochard - double bass Christian Rollet - drums Cinesclaff' ARFI extracts

This project, like Villerd-Ayler Quartet, is presented by Lyon based ARFI (Association a la Recherche d'un Folklore Imaginaire / Association for the Research on Imaginary Folklore). This unique structure, involving a number of various groups, initiates unique and inventive improvised projects rooted in original philosophy and piloted by unconventional objectives. Established in 1977 by a group of like-minded friends, today ARFI has grown to a huge structure encompassing recording company, jazz club, music seminars and concerts. At present ARFI involves 20 regular members and with guest artists expands to about 60. It is a rather substantial bunch of artists sharing artistic ideas and utopias. AFRI members are more than musicians – they are masters of multi-genre projects, ardently dedicated to music and seeing their mission in creating unorthodox projects presented in unusual contexts and formats.

Every project is unique – it could be music and plastic project, musical spectacle or show with theatrical or circus elements, involving clowns, magicians, actors and even cooks; or it could be a real time sound track for a historical silent film. The first “film concert” – real time sound track (1987) for a legendary Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin – kicked-off ARFI series of film concerts that harvested The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Alice, Cinérir'Arfi , etc.

ARFI presents a similar project for Vilnius Jazz audience. Cinesclaff’ARFI is dedicated to Harry Langdon (1884 – 1944), a headliner of silent comedy. Dusting off the history of film, Cinesclaff’ARFI offers a contemporary musical rendition of fragments of Harry Langdon films. Activated by the legendary actor’s sensible and eloquent gestures as well as suggestive mimic, Harry Langdon’s naive and inexperienced character – the sad clown – comes to life again. ARFI’s resourceful improvisers endow him with eloquent inner plastic.

The authors of this project are flexible and versatile musicians, seasoned participants of various multimedia projects, at ease in music of various styles. Veteran saxophonist Guy Villerd is a regular participant of various multi-genre projects including film concert Battleship Potemkin and musical-culinary-stage show Palace d’Arfi created together with Christian Rollet, etc. Double-bassist Eric Brochard often takes part in multi-genre projects that fuse contemporary music, theatre, dance and jazz; Esther Mouche, concerto for woman body and double-bass (2005) is one of his recent works in this vein.

© Jūratė Kučinskaitė