Darrifourcq / Hermia / Ceccaldi is a French-Belgian “brutal jazz” trio founded in 2012 by drummer Sylvain Darrifourcq, saxophonist Manuel Hermia, and cellist Valentin Ceccaldi. Since the release of their first album GOD AT THE CASINO in 2016, the trio has chosen to pursue its research over the long term.

United around a shared vision of free jazz, improvisation in the service of narrative, and temporal elasticity, the three musicians draw on anything that allows them to explore the extreme dynamics of music. Free jazz, rock, noise, contemporary music, and world music thus become vehicles for the singular and exuberant expression of a universe where stripped-down, motionless landscapes meet the most violent sonic storms.

KAIJU EATS CHEESEBURGERS, their second album, marked a clear tendency toward extended, increasingly cinematic forms. Today, with UNICORN AND FLEXIBILITY, the trio digs even deeper into the vein that has earned them recognition across Europe: the raw energy and striking intensity deployed by the three musicians continue to serve a distinctive temporal experience, now more than ever shaped by rhythmic rupture. Slow developments are disrupted by abrupt changes in timing, tempo, and sonic texture.

• Sylvain Darrifourcq drums
• Manuel Hermia saxophone
• Valentin Ceccaldi cello