Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » André Santos: Ponto De Partida

3

André Santos: Ponto De Partida

By

Sign in to view read count
André Santos: Ponto De Partida
This album is exactly what it says it is: a Ponto de Partida, or "Starting Point" for André Santos, a young jazz guitarist from the island of Madeira, and his band.

What's on offer here is pretty sparse and minimalist but hints at greater things to come. The band has already won a prize in the 25th Portuguese Premio Jovens Musicos awards.

The opener, "Zion" consists of a rather basic guitar- based groove that sometimes promises to open up into something more substantial but never really does.

The reflective ballad, "Reverso da Medalha," The Other Side Of The Coin, takes matters further, with the leader's guitar work more relaxed and adventurous. The piece is marred by some heavy handed drumming by 19-year-old Joao Pereira, though bassist Joao Hasselberg saves the day with a nice solo before close of play.

"Siso," Wisdom Tooth, is... well, a bit of a pain, the jagged, nerve-jangling guitar and tortuous saxophone evoking a visit to the dentist... with no anesthetic.

The title song is easier on the ear, opening with melodic Mediterranean guitar supported by bass before some excellent, laid- back saxophone. Santos' solo, at the difficult end of the fretboard, is impressive.

"Avo Joao ," Grandfather Joao, is lilting and nostalgic but could have done with a tighter arrangement. "QWERTY" pays funky, repetitive tribute to the Anglo-Saxon keyboard system, which only the French still obstinately resist. "Viagem de Olhos Vendados," Blindfolded Trip meanders dreamily, hampered by unsubtle drumming.

If not a fado, then certainly fado-ish, "Mutantes" features the combined voices of Joana Espadinha and Margarida Campelo over a simple but effective guitar accompaniment. Fado means "fate" and, with lyrics that deal with the harsh realities of everyday life, the song form is sometimes likened to a Portuguese version of the blues.

It provides welcome relief from the youthful, self- consciously artistic endeavors that have gone before and that follow in the portentous closer "Pressagio," Omen.

Track Listing

Zion; Reverso da Medalha; Siso; Ponto De Partida; Avo Joao; QWERTY; Viagem De Olhos Vendados; Mutantes; Pressagio.

Personnel

André Santos: guitar; Ricardo Toscano: alto saxophone; Gianni Gagliardi: tenor saxophone; Joao Hasselberg: bass; Joao Pereira: drums; Joana Espadinha, Margarida Campelo: vocals.

Album information

Title: Ponto De Partida | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Tone of a Pitch Music

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.