Personnel:
André Matos (g), Nathan Blehar (ts), Leo Genovese (p, moog), Demian Cabaud (b), Ziv Ravitz (d)
Reference: FSNT-223
Bar code: 8427328422239
PEQUENOS MUNDOS / Small Worlds is guitar player André Matos´ first album. Hes joined by the North-American Nathan Blehar on tenor, the Argentineans Leo Genovese on piano and Demian Cabaud on bass and the Israeli Ziv Ravitz on drums. He presents six of his originals and one composition by Demian, the bass player.
André, born in Portugal, met all this young musicians in the Boston area. Being Berklee College of Music students they got to play a lot together and develop a strong friendship and musical complicity. These guys, who are my friends first of all, took an important role during my staying in Boston, and they happen to be great musicians, says the 23 year-old guitarist.
In Andrés compositions one can hear strong melodies and jazz harmonies, and at the same time a reflection of his Portuguese heritage. I try to write songs, not compositions; most of the time I hear what musicians like Leo and Nathan would play on it, which means I dont have to say much about what I want in a song.
He currently lives in Lisbon where he teaches and performs regularly in the most known venues.
"Though guitarist André Matos uses a minimalist approach dotted with sparse notes and a delicate tone, the music on this debut stands out loud and clear, with compositional bravado. The opening piece Surrealistic Cous-Cous is painted with a moog synthesizer and a funky repeating bass riff which deceptively gives way to music covering a variety of moods like the emotive warmth on Transatlantic Affair. Many pieces have an air of simple melodicism such as Los Pasos with a focus on the group dynamic rather than individual solos. With band members from Portugal, North America, Israel, and Argentina, the music restates the truth that the jazz community is indeed a small world."
- Mark F. Turner, All About Jazz
