Isabel Rato

João Paulo Esteves da Silva - Pianist and composer “Isabel’s music is full of words, those not yet spoken, or those spoken and forgotten long ago, or then those that were never or could never come into existence; With this I want to say “poetry”, Isabel’s music is full of poetry. Not in the vague sense when someone says that the songs are very beautiful and played with sensitivity (which is also true, here) but in an almost technical sense, albeit always somewhat obscure, which is that there is language within the music itself, language is present in her music, at that stage when words are still only music. And then, music does not necessarily need words to be what it is as music, for some, music is even a moment of escape far from this problem, replete with meaning, of things we meant to say, of potentially disturbing things. There are other musicians for whom words are necessary, vitally so. I think that these could be called poet-musicians. Isabel is one of them.”  

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João Paulo Esteves da Silva - Pianist and composer “Isabel’s music is full of words, those not yet spoken, or those spoken and forgotten long ago, or then those that were never or could never come into existence; With this I want to say “poetry”, Isabel’s music is full of poetry. Not in the vague sense when someone says that the songs are very beautiful and played with sensitivity (which is also true, here) but in an almost technical sense, albeit always somewhat obscure, which is that there is language within the music itself, language is present in her music, at that stage when words are still only music. And then, music does not necessarily need words to be what it is as music, for some, music is even a moment of escape far from this problem, replete with meaning, of things we meant to say, of potentially disturbing things. There are other musicians for whom words are necessary, vitally so. I think that these could be called poet-musicians. Isabel is one of them.”  

Nuno Catarino - Jazz Critical, in the Público newspaper “Although this is her debut, the pianist immediately reveals well defined ideas. There are seven original songs, one of them accompanied by the words of Pessoa, plus two traditional songs, one Portuguese, the other Basque — these with particular arrangements. On a stable base more connected to jazz, Rato tries to inject a certain Portuguese flavour in her music (...) In instrumental terms, besides the quite strong pianist, again Desidério’s saxophone stands out. The group overall is cohesive, responding well to the challenges of the composition.”

Nelson Cascais – Double bass player and composer "Isabel’s album is absolutely beautiful. There is lots of music to discover here. Every time we hear it we find something new that makes us come back again and again. Everything is right, the composition, the musicians, the solos, the sound. You don’t make an album like this without plenty of passion, much reflection, lots of work and immense inspiration. All of this in a first album. Brilliant.”  

Nuno Rogeiro - Journalist, in “Sábado” "...Superlative albums made in Portugal: Isabel Rato, with Para Além da Curva da Estrada (Sintoma) and Lisboa, by the LST. The first part of the ideas, of the piano and the voice of the creator, around a melodic, almost big band jazz, with erudite touches and ethnic research, as if Carla Bley were to land on the peninsula."  

Filipe Melo – Pianist and Composer “Upon hearing the captivating opening ostinato of "Moonsteps" we see that "Para Além da Curva da Estrada" is not just another album. Isabel Rato shows a rare maturity for a debut album. It is an intelligent and well-conceived work, in which the excellence of the performers is used in the best way – they are the actors of an introspective, melancholic and passionate narrative. There is an enormous difference between being a good musician and being a good artist, in the true sense of the word; someone who seeks, through art, to convey something greater, more important and universal. Isabel proves, with this album, that she can be both of these. It would therefore be very reductionist to classify her music with a genre or style: it is free, sincere and profoundly Portuguese music. Our musical tradition is honoured here in a fresh and honest way, and boldly interwoven with jazz in the soloists’ sophisticated improvisations. The irrefutable quality in the writing of the arrangements is also impressive. A good arranger lives from good taste, from transmitting images and sensations, from the capacity to build an aesthetic and achieving a group sound.”     Filipe Raposo – Pianist and Composer "Para Além da Curva da Estrada" is the first step on a beautiful and consistent compositional journey that the composer and pianist Isabel Rato takes us on here. This journey in fact started many years ago, and long before she could even imagine that after this “bend in the road”, where she now travels, there would be many more that would take us to new poetic places. On this journey, there is a sound that we recognise and that makes us feel at home, sonic landscapes with influences that are so intimate, like the ancestral pulse of a pagan melody - a voice that Isabel seems to know so well. It is important to mention the musical sensitivity of her travelling companions who perfectly reveal the subtleties of the compositions.  We will continue along this road, immensely curious to hear what lies ahead.”  

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