Jazz Articles about Luís Lopes

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Luís Lopes/Jean-Luc Guionnet: Live At Culturgest

by Glenn Astarita
January 7, 2016

Experimental jazz improvisers, guitarist Luis Lopes (Portugal) and Jean-Luc Guionnet (France) align their creative wares for a largely ferocious program consisting of two lengthy tracks, captured live at a Lisbon venue. The respective artists employ surgical deconstruction mechanisms to get the job done with some wily Sci-fi like motifs that may summon an impending Armageddon or something to that effect. But the duo's improvisational processes are also steeped in minimalistic forays and various interludes designed with micro- themes and hushed ...

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Luís Lopes/Jean-Luc Guionnet: Live At Culturgest

by Mark Corroto
November 28, 2015

All great art invokes the imagination. Think of your favorite movie and the two hours of viewing that transported you into a different world. Music can accomplish the same ends. Take this live date at Culturgest in Lisbon. The meeting between Portuguese guitarist Luís Lopes and French saxophonist Jean-Luc Guionnet creates that same cathartic response. The pairing of the two musicians with seemingly different philosophies makes this an interesting session. Lopes comes from a rock and punk background ...

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Luís Lopes Lisbon Berlin Trio: The Line

by Mark Corroto
December 6, 2014

Guitarist Luís Lopes posted the following quote on his Facebook page, “art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable." With that as his mission statement, the question arises: can one listen to his music with a sympathetic ear? Or more importantly, is discomfort the motivation and ultimately the goal? Lopes' approach, like that of Derek Bailey and Sonny Sharrock, is a sort of unbalancing take on the electric guitar. Like Bailey, he has written ...

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Luís Lopes: Noise Solo At ZDB Lisbon

by Mark Corroto
February 8, 2014

If the feedback and heavy distortion segments of Jimi Hendrix's performance of “The Star Spangled Banner" at Woodstock 1969 were your favorite parts, you might be a noise connoisseur. The art of noise first described by the Italian futurists blossomed in the 1960s and was drawn heavily upon for the DIY and punk revolutions of the 1980s. Today, noise operates as its own separate genre but it is drawn upon by jazz musicians from the Brotzmanns (Peter and Caspar) to ...

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Luis Lopes Humanization 4tet: Live in Madison

by Glenn Astarita
October 30, 2013

Respectively, Portuguese artists Luis Lopes (guitar) and Rodrigo Amado (saxophone) are known for aggressive tactics and forward motion at almost any tempo. There's nothing sheepish about this live date, recorded in Madison, WI. And there's no looking back as the band seemingly loaded up on energy drinks for this high-impact set. Lopes' variable use of distortion techniques--among other factors--provide a razor-sharp and stinging soundstage, coupled with Amado's rip-roaring solos. They use space as an equalizer amid snaking time changes and ...

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Luis Lopes: Humanization 4tet

by Mark Corroto
June 10, 2008

Another treasure trove of music is to be found in Clean Feed recording artist Luis Lopes. The guitarist's first recording even surprised label chief Pedro Costa as he artfully explains in the liner notes. Who knew?

Like so many of Clean Feed's discs, American listeners discover new sounds and new musicians with nearly every release. It's somewhat reminiscent of the early exploration into jazz. Instead of Miles and Coltrane leading to Hank Mobley and Johnny Coles, listeners can ...