Fado em Si Bemol

Most people come in contact with Portuguese only when listening to Brazilian albums, but Portugal also has a thriving music scene. A prime example is Fado em Si Bemol's new release, QB (Vidisco). The quintet consists of guitarists Miguel Silva and Paulo Goncalves, vocalist Pedro Matos, bassist Nuno Campos and percussionist Manuel Santiesteban. This is acoustic music with passionate vocals and an Iberian folk identity. Sample Fado and Matilde. I have no idea what the lyrics mean, but it doesn't matter. The music is fascinating.

~Marc Myers, Jazzwax

Radio:

Intimate, sophisticated, charming, with a variety of fine melodies. This Portuguese acoustic quintet covers pieces from Gilberto, Gil to Chick Corea, with an infectious, understated passion. Three songs by the band's vocalist Pedro Matos.

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Most people come in contact with Portuguese only when listening to Brazilian albums, but Portugal also has a thriving music scene. A prime example is Fado em Si Bemol's new release, QB (Vidisco). The quintet consists of guitarists Miguel Silva and Paulo Goncalves, vocalist Pedro Matos, bassist Nuno Campos and percussionist Manuel Santiesteban. This is acoustic music with passionate vocals and an Iberian folk identity. Sample Fado and Matilde. I have no idea what the lyrics mean, but it doesn't matter. The music is fascinating.

~Marc Myers, Jazzwax

Radio:

Intimate, sophisticated, charming, with a variety of fine melodies. This Portuguese acoustic quintet covers pieces from Gilberto, Gil to Chick Corea, with an infectious, understated passion. Three songs by the band's vocalist Pedro Matos.

~T. Tintle, WRUV VT.

Fado is very special, I really like the music, the group sounds great.

~Joost van Steen, Radio Alphen, The Netherlands

PRI Feature

Jim Wilke "Jazz After Hours"

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#3 Top Jazz adds CMJ issue #1271

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Reviews:

This is quite compelling and hypnotic music! Is it jazz? Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t - who cares? It's music and very appealing. So I don't know a word of Portuguese - in many ways this adds to the appeal! Without the distraction of the lyric Matos' voice becomes an instrument and a fine instrument it is too! I can't get over it! If I was a woman I'd be swooning! Maybe I should learn Portuguese and I'd have the women swooning - dream on Senor Lance! Seriously, it has the appeal of, say, a French chanson with a jazz backing, but, I don't know, there is just that something extra. Love it. The brainchild behind FADO Em Si Bemol is Goncalves who envisioned combining the soft sounds of jazz with the flare of Portuguese music. That he succeeded is proof in this album. Goncalves, as well as providing interesting lines behind the vocals, has his own feature on Armando's Rumba which also gives Santiesteban a chance to work out. There's some nice piano in there too ... Damn it - the disc is finished! No problem - I'm going to play it again Paulo and again and again. Maybe I'll move to Oporto. What a lovely disc to review - and from Portugal! If there were any justice in the world this disc would put that country back in the red!

~Lance, Bebop Spoken Here

Portuguese guitar dominates the sound of some old favorites from this group and they carefully navigate the harmonic tightrope between the contemporary and traditional roots of their music with intriguing results. The musical resume is undeniable with Fado Em Si Bemol having performed with Ivan Lins, Paquito Rivera and Courtney Pine to drop but a few names. The vibe here would be the smooth jazz equivalent of "chill" with standout tracks including "Matilde," "Do Nada O Fim" and "Folhetim." Not speaking Portuguese is simply not a problem here for those that enjoy practising the long lost art of truly listening. The context and lyrical direction of this eclectic quintet tells you everything you need to know further confirming the old adage of music being a universal language. A unique synergy of sound, a balance of color and texture helps propel this release well past the ordinary world music sound into an extraordinary experience for those to share. World music fans should flock to this release in droves and given the almost natural appeal to Latin jazz lovers QB should cut a long path to success with the intoxicating cocktail that is QB!

~Brent Black, Critical Jazz

A delightful record to have handy when cocktails for two on the terrace are in order, this is one of those classy, smart, up market records that’s fun to hear and doesn’t require you to have a Ph.D. in world beat to enjoy. Don’t ask us why, but it works and we dig it.

~Chris Spector, Midwest Record

Fado is a Portuguese quintet featuring vocalist Pedro Matos with Paulo Gonçalves (g), Miguel Silva (Portuguese g), Nuno Campos (b) and Manuel Santiesteban (d, perc). The music has a pleasant feel with bouncy rhythms. The lyrics are in Portuguese ushering a spirit of Mediterranean Latin music.

~D. Oscar Groomes , O's Place Jazz Magazine

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