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José Soares
Carlos Bica: 11:11
by Mark Corroto
For Carlos Bica, ugly was never an option for his quartet release 11:11. Much like American guitarist Bill Frisell does in his music, the Portuguese bassist and composer draws on his experience with his country's folk heritage. For Bica, that tradition is contained in the song genre fado. The music is often about fate or longing, in other words, the blues. Like the blues, this music is not just about sadness, but the beauty of the human condition.
Continue ReadingFederico Calcagno Octet: Mundus Inversus
by Neri Pollastri
Nato da importanti e profonde ispirazioni extramusicali, costruito attorno a un ensemble multinazionale, basato su composizioni estremamente complesse e raffinate nelle quali si fondono in un orizzonte di ricerca la tradizione eurocolta e quella jazzistica, l'ultimo album del clarinettista Federico Calcagno è senza dubbio un lavoro di grande interesse. Calcagno vi guida un ottetto che amplia la formazione del suo precedente Liquid Identities (Aut Records, 2020) e che riunisce musicisti di differente provenienza nazionale: dalla Spagna il violoncellista ...
Continue ReadingCarlos Bica: 11:11
by Alberto Bazzurro
Ottimo quartetto, felicemente amalgamato e coeso, lungo trame che, stante il particolare assetto strumentale, si sdipanano lungo traiettorie tutt'altro che usuali, quello diretto dal contrabbassista Carlos Bica, sessantaseienne di Lisbona, in questo suo nuovo lavoro (dovrebbe trattarsi del dodicesimo a suo nome in poco meno di trent'anni), inciso a Oporto nel marzo di questo stesso 2024. Dodici i brani totali, per larga parte a firma dello stesso Bica, ma, per esempio, con un'autentica chicca come “A Noite," in cui la ...
Continue ReadingAndré B. Silva: Mt. Meru
by Troy Dostert
Those unfamiliar with the esoterica of the Hindu or Buddhist religious traditions may not know much about Mount Meru, a mysterious metaphysical destination said to be at the center of the world, either geographically or spiritually (or both). There is a Mount Meru in Tanzania as well, but Portuguese guitarist André B. Silva clearly has the former concept in mind on this enigmatic, meditative septet release. Six winding, patiently-unfolding pieces create an inviting space for reflection and rumination, a valuable ...
Continue ReadingAndré Carvalho: Lost In Translation
by Jerome Wilson
Bassist Andre Carvalho conceived this album around the concept of “untranslatable words"—words for concepts that have no equivalent outside of their native language. He has used this idea to create a cycle of amorphous composition, realized here by a trio of bass, guitar and saxophone with the occasional addition of trumpet. The words come from languages such as Dutch, Urdu, Japanese and Sanskrit and can describe states of mind, grand philosophical concepts or something as mundane as a mark left ...
Continue ReadingPedro Melo Alves: Lumina
by Mark Corroto
If the title was not already taken by author Dave Eggers, Portuguese drummer and composer Pedro Melo Alves might have titled this recording A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. During a brief reprieve from the global pandemic, in November 2020, Melo Alves presented the 22-piece Omniae Large Ensemble at the Centro Cultural Vila Flor in Guimarães, Portugal. He expanded his Omniae Ensemble with vocalists, electronics, tuba, clarinets, flutes, bassoon, cello, and classical guitar to present this commissioned work.
Continue ReadingPedro Melo Alves: Lumina
by Karl Ackermann
On the burgeoning Portuguese jazz scene, drummer Pedro Melo Alves is becoming one of the more prolific artists. The multiple award-winning composer has accumulated international praise for four unique recordings in the space of a year. On Lumina he has extended his existing ensemble and assembled the Omniae Large Ensemble of twenty-two musicians for a project commissioned by the Guimarães Jazz Festival. Melo Alves' Clean Feed Records debut was a quartet outing (with vocalists), In Igma (2020), a ...
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