José Gobbo Trio: Confluence

Guitarist José Gobbo brought his background in Brazilian music and jazz to Iowa City in 2011, when he began a master's program at the University of Iowa. Since then, he has honed a compelling voice on his instrument, fusing the danceable rhythms of Brazilian folk forms with a more contemporary guitar sound. One of his central creative outlets involves his trio with bassist Max Beckman and drummer Jay Ferguson. The group released its promising debut album, Current (Self Produced), in 2024. For its follow-up, Confluence, Gobbo has chosen to work with Calligram Records, a smart move given the label's strong support for other emerging guitarists like Scott Hesse and Kenny Reichert. With six nicely-crafted compositions and plenty of close interaction among the musicians, it is a sparkling release worthy of repeated encounters.

Whereas Gobbo's strengths as a vocalist were showcased on Current, he has opted to put his emphasis here solely on his instrumental talents—although one can hear his humming at the outset of the album's enticing opener, "Wait," a slow-building piece that finds its intensity as it winds its way to its stirring finish, with Ferguson's animated drumming sparking Gobbo's energized chords. "Northeast" is another track which begins in a contemplative vein, with a subtle strolling tempo. But midway through it transitions into a hard-swinging burner, along with some bracing time-signature shifts, and Gobbo's quicksilver runs provide an exhilarating burst of momentum.

Gobbo's subtle Brazilian influences are evident on "If the Sun Could Stay a Little Longer," fueled by Ferguson's nimble use of the toms to harness the beat and Beckman's lithe rhythmic flourishes. But on the whole, this release has a less pronounced Latin feel than its predecessor, with grooves that tend to find their origins elsewhere. A case in point is the album's affecting closer, "One Out of Many." A re-formulation of "My One and Only Love," Gobbo's lyricism shines through his unaccompanied solo opening, and it continues as the trio once again builds its energy gradually in a rock-inflected mode, eventually reaching a hard-hitting climax that is only slightly attenuated by a lamentable fade-out.

It is clear that Gobbo has found enticing chemistry with this trio, and one hopes that future installments will soon be on the horizon.