Pedro Molina: A Name I Knew

It is a rare occurrence when multiple jazz skills are executed at such high level that the experience transcends music and becomes a moment of exhilaration and reflection. Such a moment exists with acoustic bassist Pedro Molina's quartet album, A Name I Knew. It balances free improvisation with an impression of careful scoring, mesmerizing personal voices on each instrument with fine-tuned interplay, delicacy with grit, and wordless enjoyment with a heartbreaking overall theme. What is more, the group are just onto their second album with Molina as lead, and all of them are based in Portugal.

The thematic binding of the album comes from the suite of songs reflecting on Alzheimer's disease, a progressive brain disorder that erodes memory, thinking skills and handling of simple tasks. The health disorder is not only captured in the song titles such as "Familiar as a Fog" and "Será que Não Há Mesmo?" ("Is There Really No Other Way?"); rather you can feel the steady attrition of the individual's condition and the strain on their family and friends in the music itself.

Molina has carefully chosen his ensemble: Hugo Ferreira on guitar; Miguel Meirinhos on piano; Gonçalo Ribeiro on drums; and the leader himself on upright bass.  Each brings something unique to their instrument of choice. 

Ferreira plays guitar masterfully whether using distortion, wah/tremolo, or playing cleanly with a touch of chorus. One could enjoyably listen to his contributions to the album standalone. Molina describes the guitarist's influence on the group's feel as "risk-taking, rock energy, at times chaotic..." The distorted tone may remind one of Kurt Rosenwinkel or Bill Frisell, but upon close listening (i.e., the guitar solo at 02:31 on "Valadas") the phrasing is all Ferreira's own.

Meirinhos, when afforded the space to stretch out on piano, intertwines classical and jazz phrasing and harmonies that epitomize sonic sophistication. This is especially impressive given that many of the written song charts by Molina are of the simple lead sheet format, leaving the pianist and colleagues to paint in the colors on top of the supplied canvas. Admire the keyboard work throughout "I'm Not the Same."

Ribeiro can swing, but is arguably at his most powerful when playing quasi-rock drums, pounding the snare and toms and splashing an array of cymbals. His sound demands that the listener pay attention to the entire group. Listen to the drums build in "Valadas" from 03:25 to 05:25.

Molina as bassist is melodic and penetrating. He lays down carefully selected lines and continuously varies the percussiveness of his plucking—the result is a far cry from straight-ahead walking bass in traditional jazz. Note his solo starting at 02:08 on the closing track, "Who Helps Me When I Can't Remember Anything?"

At the same time, the individual band members together are capable of the most engaging and sensitive interplay. After a 10-bar staccato theme, "Sera..." transforms into an inventive, enigmatic, group free-play. During the break on "Who Helps Me..." and ending of "Vai Ficar Tudo Bem," piano and guitar sound like a unified instrument.

As composer and leader, Molina deserves much credit for envisioning the album concept, writing sparse sketches for direction, then letting the band invent. Quotes from Molina are indicative of his fertile approach: "I believe every artist creates work because something touches them personally... I treat this project like a garage band, rehearsing regularly to get to know each other's capabilities better... When I want to correct something, I try to communicate through images or emotions rather than giving musical instructions."

While it may take listening to a few tracks to adjust to the free jazz and rock influences on the album, this poignant, compelling work is deserving of numerous replays.