Having unexpectedly gathered together in a jazz club located on a Paris barge, these musicians spontaneously found themselves “in orbit” at equal distances around a common sphere. By a happy coincidence their debut was recorded. After listening to the recording Henri Texier decided to release it as an album and to continue working with this group.

The biographies and discographies of the ensemble’s founding members remind a jazz encyclopaedia. However, Vilnius Jazz audience won’t have chance to meet the drummer Louis Moutin – he will be substituted by Gautier Garrigue, a 30 year-old colleague. Thus, the quartet will represent three jazz generations.

The Quartet’s leader double bassist Henri Texier has been fanning the flames of the vortex of jazz for half-a-century. He discovered jazz in his teens – began to play piano but very quickly gave it up for double bass and reached startling professional peeks.

Texier gathered around him hundreds of groups and prestigious creators such as Joe Lovano, John Abercrombie, Steve Swallow, Bill Frisell, Paul Motian, Kenny Wheeler, Bobo Stenson, Richard Bona, Louis Sclavis and many others. He shared the stage with such jazz celebrities as Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke, Lee Konitz, Dexter Gordon, Don Cherry, Art Farmer, Johnny Griffin, Jean Lucas Ponty, Daniel Humair, Michel Portal, Peter Brotzmann, Enrico Rava and Charlie Haden.

His creative energies have concocted the most diverse formations – from trios to septets, produced the most amazing discography and projects with representatives of other artistic expressions. In addition to jazz, he finds inspiration in film and theatre, poetry and photography, even circus art and pyrotechnics; collaborates with their representatives. He has composed and recorded with his groups a number of film soundtracks.

The musician has toured all around Europe and Africa, performed in North and South Americas, Japan, India and Middle East.

Sébastien Texier, a son of the Quartet leader, is one of the leading saxophonists of middle generation in France. One could say, that his jazz career was predetermined.

Sébastien began studying the clarinet at age 10 and discovered the alto saxophone at age 15. He studied improvisation with J. Lovano and L. Konitz.

In 1995, the saxophonist was voted the best soloist in “La Defense” competition where he appeared with Christophe Marguet Trio, which was awarded the prize as the best band. In 1997, Christophe Marguet Trio garnered “Django d’Or” award for their album Resistance Poetique. The saxophonist reaped one more “Django d’Or” award in 2005 – received “New Talent” award for the album Chimères, recorded with his quintet. In addition, the album was merited the Choc Prize from Jazzman magazine.

Considerable part of his vast discography is associated with the projects of his father. Since the beginning of his career Sébastien played in various formations led by his father, recorded film soundtracks. In fact, the saxophonist himself is recognised as a soundtrack composer.

S. Texier has collaborated with a number of jazz luminaries including Glenn Ferris, Laurent Dehors, Noël Akchoté, Gian Luigi Trovesi, Didier Lockwood, Daniel Humair, Marc Ducret, Nguyên Le, Louis Sclavis, Steve Swallow, Richard Bona, Joe Lovano and John Scofield.

Currently, he works mainly with his quintet Toxic Parasite and quartet Dreamers, his father’s Hope Quartet and Sky Dancers Sextet, as well as quintet of the finest musicians For Travellers Only.

François Corneloup is a self-taught saxophone talent. He started in improvisation workshops and gradually became a part of French jazz elite. According to critics, Corneloup plays with tension, not with destruction; he thrusts himself against the limits, to feel their resistance.

His artistic horizons range from duos to orchestras. In his projects he collaborates with such jazz giants as Sylvain Kassap, Hélène Labarrière, Dominique Pifarély, Franck Tortiller, Marc Ducret and Eric Echampard to name but a few.

Currently, in addition to working with H. Texier and his own groups he mainly plays in H. Labarrière quartet and D.Pifarély ensemble Dédales.

Drummer Gautier Garrigue studied percussion and guitar at the regional conservatoire. Since settling in Paris he started teaming up with French jazz luminaries such as Emile Parisien, Michel Portal, Logan Richardson, Chris Cheek, Manu Codjia, Andy Sheppard and Emmanuel Bex among others.

Garrigue is a member of various groups including Yaron Herman and Soweto Kinch quartets.

The drummer appeared in major jazz festivals in the US, Asia, Africa and Europe including North Sea Jazz, Jazz à Vienne, Jazz in Marciac and Radio France as well as jazz forums in Vancouver, Venice and Skopje.