Articles

Felipe Salles Interconnections Ensemble: The New Immigrant Experience

By Jack Bowers

Is it mere coincidence, or does the rise in the number of “concept" albums by jazz big bands signal that the trend is here to stay? Trumpeter Brian Lynch won a 2020 Grammy Award for his Journey Through Literature in Music, and there have been other tenet-based enterprises within the past year by Dan Jonas, John Bailey, Eric Weiss, the WDR Big Band, Marcus Shelby, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Chris Jentsch and others. Now comes The New Immigrant Experience, ...

Felipe Salles Interconnections Ensemble: The Lullaby Project

By Jack Bowers

The five profound and picturesque lullabies on Brazilian-born, Massachusetts-based composer-arranger Felipe Salles' new CD, The Lullaby Project, are followed by three tango-inspired themes whose texture mirrors the bright and rhythmic musical landscape of his native country and southern neighbor Argentina. Salles' concepts are brought vividly to life by the nineteen-piece Interconnections Ensemble which has no trouble navigating his often intricate scores, whose essence ranges from Baroque to modern classical motifs, and from jazz to Brazilian folk music. ...

The Reunion Project: Varanda

By Dan Bilawsky

If ever there was a gathering that's true to name and a misnomer, this is it. The Reunion Project isn't a glimpse at a band reformation or a grand comeback statement, but rather an expression of shared experiences, influences, and actions. It's both a look back to earlier times and the dawn of a new adventure. Saxophonist Felipe Salles and guitarist Chico Pinheiro grew up together in São Paulo, absorbing the same sounds and making parallel yet ...

Felipe Salles: Uganda Suite

By Dan McClenaghan

In 2008 saxophonist/composer Felipe Salles offered up the superb South American Suite (Curare Records). The highly rhythmic ode to his home continent seemed a natural for Salles, who hails originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil. He now moves his focus to the east, across the Atlantic for the gorgeous Ugandan Suite, a collection brimming with surging rhythms and fluid reed work. The use of the “geographical suite" in jazz, going back to composer/band leader Duke Ellington with his suites ...

Felipe Salles: South American Suite

By Elliott Simon

Rapidly changing rhythms, crisp ensemble playing, a broad sonic feel and unique voicings define South American Suite, an adventurously composed look at Brazilian music from multireedist/flutist Felipe Salles. While he draws on Brazilian music, Salles eschews the breezy bossa beats that are typically associated with that country's jazz intercourse. Instead, he utilizes lesser-known styles such as choro, frevo and baião to inspire new extended compositions and advanced arrangements for a distinctive take on Latin jazz. In addition ...

Felipe Salles: South American Suite

By Jay Deshpande

Modern jazz is a virtuoso's art. More often than not, it's the capacity of the soloist that we listen for. And even though jazz is fundamentally about communication and the assemblage of sounds that forms a band, listeners get caught up in what the single voice can accomplish, whether it's a sax, guitar, or vibraphone.

As a result, it's sometimes a true pleasure to fall into a lush fabric of sounds. It's what Duke Ellington does ...

Felipe Salles: Mind Motions

By Mark F. Turner

Saxophonist Felipe Salles’ sophomore recording, Mind Motions, continues on the melodic theme of dynamic material and strong musicianship. A native of Brazil, his sound blends music from his homeland as well as Latin persuasions into a contemporary feel. His debut recording Further South showed his effectiveness in composing as well as performing. The new recording gives further insight and exploration into music that continues to have a fresh outlook.

Mind Motions features Salles in a variety of settings from quartets ...