These musicians have performed in Vilnius Jazz in other projects: Courtois as a soloist (2018), Corneloup in the quartet of the French double bassist Henri Texier (2017). Now, prominent French jazz personalities will unite their talents in a duo.

The artists believe that this is the most essential form of musical collaboration. Courtois’ cello and Corneloup’s baritone saxophone perfectly complement each other in a spontaneous musical journey full of transformative moods and surprises.

Vincent Courtois is one of the few cello authorities in jazz. He has been playing the instrument since the age of six and studied classical cello at the Paris Conservatoire. In the late 1980s, he discovered jazz and improvised music while playing with Didier Levallet, Dominique Pifarély and Christian Escoudé.

His classical education provided the cello virtuoso with excellent professional basics and impeccable playing technique. Courtois’ music making paradoxically combines freedom with uncanny precision and attention to detail.

In 1990, the cellist formed his own quartet. Later he also joined Pendulum Quartet, Turkish Blend and Zebra 3, played in François Corneloup Septet, various trios as well as in Rabih Abou-Khalil’s bands. In 2006, he initiated a new jazz quartet with Jeanne Lagt, Marc Baron and François Merville, in 2010 – a new group WAT. He has regularly collaborated with clarinettist Louis Sclavis, trombonist Yves Robert, pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and saxophonist Michel Portal.

Courtois has been performing solo for several decades and has been releasing solo albums since 1990. They form a significant part of his extensive discography.

The cellist does not limit himself to jazz. He composed the original score for Ernest and Célestine, a César winning and Academy Award nominated animation movie, recorded the soundtrack to Bertrand Tavernier’s film Holy Lola with Texier, participated in film and theatre projects with Louis Sclavis, collaborated with writers and photographers.

He shared jazz stage with a number of luminaries including Pierre Favre, Jim Black, Tomas Stanko, Dave Douglas, Joachim Kuhn, Dave Holland, Michel Petrucciani, Gérard Marais, Rita Mitsuko, John Greaves, Marilyn Crispell, Joëlle Léandre, Gerald Cleaver, Ikue Mori.

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 likes to push himself dangerously close to the limits of his abilities in his music, as if he were wrestling with himself.

His artistic horizons range from duos to orchestras. He formed his first quartet in 1986, and a few years later he helped to form the Incidences ensemble, led several other quartets, formed his own trio and The Calligraphers Orchestra, played in the quartets of H. Texier and Hélène Labarrière, and in Pifarély’s Dédales ensemble.

In his projects he collaborates with Sylvain Kassap, Hélène Labarrière, Dominique Pifarély, Franck Tortiller, Marc Ducret and Eric Echampard to name but a few.

In 2010, the artist was awarded the Odre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture for his services.