Resolutely unamplified and powerfully physical, Guillaume Viltard is one of the most interesting musicians to emerge from London's fertile improvised and experimental scene in the last few years. This concert is the second in a series of quartets from Viltard, marking out his eclectic appetite for collaboration across the whole spectrum of improvised music. This quartet sees him with regular foils saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings, trumpeter Nick Malcom and Mark Sanders on drums.

GUILLAUME VILTARD / double bass

Born in 1975 in the North of Ivory Coast, Viltard grew up in the wild countryside with almost no music. Back in France, he played with many artists of the French underground improv scene, including dancers and poets as well as musicians.

After moving to London in late 2007, Viltard has worked with many of London’s best improvisers, forming strong associations with the circle of musicians centred on Eddie Prevost's experimental workshop, becoming a mainstay of the London Improvisers Orchestra, and playing in a great free jazz trio with Tony Marsh and Shabaka Hutchings that was sadly curtailed by Marsh's untimely death.

It is this eclectic appetite for collaboration across the whole spectrum of improvised music as well as his resolutely unamplified and powerfully physical playing that marks Viltard out as one of the most interesting musicians to emerge from London's fertile improvised and experimental scene in the last few years.

Guillaume Viltard website

Photo by Jacques Damez
Video by Helen Petts



SHABAKA HUTCHINGS / Clarinet, Saxophones

Shabaka Hutchings plays tenor sax,bass clarinet, clarinet. Described by the BBC as "one of the most eclectic and musically adventurous instrumentalists on the London jazz scene", Hutchings grew up in Barbados and studied clarinet at the Guildhall School of Music. One of the capitals busiest saxophonists he straddles both the avant garde and jazz orthodoxy leading the trio ZED-U and performing with Jazz Warriors, The London Improvisors Orchestra, The Heights, Louis Moholo, Charlie Hadens Liberation Orchestra, Jack DeJohnette All Stars, as well as Speech Debelle, Gary Crosbys Nu Troop and Red Snapper.

In September 2010 Hutchings was confirmed as a 'BBC New Generation Artist'.

'Shabaka is a veritable cauldron of creativity ... an emerging Brit-jazz star if ever there was one' Jazzwise

Shabaka Hutchings' BBC New Generation artist profile

MARK SANDERS / drums

Mark Sanders has been acclaimed as “the most exciting, original and overwhelmingly powerful drummer alive” (Steve Reynolds, Jazz Corner) and his precise and propulsive drumming has graced projects with, to name but a few, Evan Parker, Jah Wobble, Broadcast, Agusti Fernandez, John Butcher, Roswell Rudd, and Otomo Yoshihde.

"ubiquitous, diverse and constantly creative, drummer Mark Sanders always outdoes himself, whether playing with restraint or erupting like a dynamo." Bruce L Gallenter, Downtown Music Gallery. NY

NICK MALCOLM / trumpet

Nick Malcolm is an original, exciting and heart-felt improviser. His rich, warm sound and sense of improvisational daring inform each and every musical situation and he plays with a total commitment to the music in the moment, whatever the stylistic context.

His own quartet plays original compositions combining the rhythmic and harmonic complexities of contemporary jazz with the intensity and interaction of free improvisation. They made a big impression at The Vortex, Manchester Jazz Festival and Ealing Jazz Festival during the summer of 2011 and toured nationally in June 2012 to coincide with the release of their first album, 'Glimmers', on FMR records. He also plays in an open trio setting featuring world-class rhythm section of Olie Brice and Mark Sanders. Nick has played at the 606 Club, Brecon, Cheltenham, Glastonbury and Oxford festivals, London Jazz Cafe and Ronnie Scotts and with musicians such as Gail Brand, Chris Batchelor, Alexander Hawkins, Emily Wright, Nostalgia 77 and BBC Folk Award Winner Jim Moray.

www.nickmalcolm.co.uk