HÉBERT, THIELEMANS, DUCRET, ATTIAS

Hébert, Thielemans, Ducret, Attias

A New Collective of Sonic Interventions.

This is the birth of a formidable new force in creative music. This quartet brings together four of the most singular and respected improvisers on the international stage—Michaël Attias (US/DE) on alto saxophone, Marc Ducret (FR) on guitar, John Hébert (US) on bass, and Eric Thielemans (BE) on drums. More than a mere meeting of talents, this ensemble is a true composer’s collective, dedicated to exploring and deconstructing new works penned by each of its members.

John Hébert, a bassist of profound depth and harmonic intelligence, has long been the anchor for visionaries like Andrew Hill, Mary Halvorson, Kris Davis, and Fred Hersch. His compositions are known for their intricate beauty and structural innovation. He is met with the explosive, textural genius of guitarist Marc Ducret, whose work with Tim Berne and his own ensembles has defined the cutting edge of jazz guitar for decades, capable of both ferocious energy and delicate lyricism.

Penetrating with intervallic overtones is the evocative alto saxophone of Michaël Attias (Aruán Ortiz, Nasheet Waits, Satoshi Takeishi, Paul Motian, Anthony Braxton, Michael Formanek, Tony Malaby), a leader praised for his “sharp-edged poise” (The New York Times) and a compositional voice that blends gritty New York abstraction with a haunting melodic sensibility. Providing the crucial rhythmic nexus is Belgian drummer Eric Thielemans (Cinema Paradiso, A Snare is a Bell, Talking About The Weather with Billy Hart), a percussive philosopher whose playing is both grounding and wildly inventive, building complex, propulsive patterns that are as thoughtful as they are dynamic.

This is not a band with a single leader but a group of unparalleled improvisors. Their performances promise a journey through a labyrinth of composed forms, each piece a unique world built by one member, then fearlessly explored and expanded by all. Expect a conversation of immense power, nuance, and surprise—a dialogue where composed elegance collides with the raw, unpredictable moment of collective improvisation.

This brand new project is the sound of four master architects building something new.

Photo credit: John Hébert: © Russ Rowland / Eric Thielemans: © Bache Jespers / Marc Ducret: © L.Poiget / Michaël Attias: © Russ Rowland