Vincent Courtois & Eric-Maria Couturier France

The concert by French cello stars Vincent Courtois and Eric-Maria Couturier promises an immersive and adventurous journey at the intersection of jazz and contemporary music. Fascinated by improvisation and the exploration of new techniques, Eric-Maria Couturier formed a duo with Vincent Courtois. They have performed on stages around the world, and will now bring their unique sound to Autumn Jazz.

Vincent Courtois’s exceptional approach to the cello, superb technique and evocative style have captivated audiences in many countries. Highly sought after at jazz and contemporary music festivals across Europe and beyond, Courtois is also a renowned composer and leader of numerous new projects. In 2018, he performed at Jazzkaar’s Autumn Jazz with his trio Bandes Originales, featuring saxophonists Daniel Erdmann and Robin Fincker.

Courtois, who received classical music training and developed a distinctive, imaginative style, has performed and recorded with many leading figures in European contemporary music, including Louis Sclavis, Aki Takase, Marc Ducret, Martial Solal, Michel Petrucciani, Dave Holland, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Frank Möbus, Joachim Kühn and others. The cellist has released over 25 albums, including contributions to a dozen ECM recordings. In addition to his work with jazz ensembles, he is also highly regarded as a composer for theatre and film music.

Eric-Maria Couturier is a professor at the Conservatories of Paris and Lyon, and a brilliant virtuoso who regularly performs as a soloist on international stages and in chamber ensembles with world-class musicians such as Maurizio Pollini, Martha Argerich and Juliana Steinbach. Couturier has played as a soloist in some of the world’s finest cello concertos, collaborating with top conductors including Pierre Boulez, Georg Solti, Carlo Maria Giulini and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Notably, he has also composed music for several video games in collaboration with composer Olivier Derivière, including titles such as Vampyr, Plague Innocent Tale/Requiem and Dying Light.