Label: Self released, 2021
Personnel - Andre Matos: guitar, effects w/ Guests - João Lencastre: drums; Andre Carvalho: double bass; Dov Manski: synth; Sara Serpa: vocals; Gonçalo Marques: trumpet; Noah Preminger: tenor sax; Demian Cabaud: double bass; Richard Sears: piano; Jose Soares: alto sax; Leo Genovese: piano; Nathan Blehar: tenor sax; Julian Shore: piano; Aaron Krusiki: bass clarinet.
After finishing his solo tetralogy with Casa (Robalo, 2021), the Portuguese guitarist/composer Andre Matos, who is based in New York since 2008, creates another four volumes, this time consisting mostly of short duo tracks that explore diverse perspectives of texture and space. Recorded last April, On the Shortness of Life has the guitarist working on top (and around) improvised segments sent by colleagues of long standing, guiding us across vast planes of music whose essence can be folk-like, experimental, avant-garde or ambient, and, in certain cases, a combination of some of these elements. All of this is delivered with a sensitive awareness of the frequencies of the two instruments involved and where they each fit.
The resolute direction taken by the pianist Richard Sears on “Sunrise” is shrouded by the beautiful soundscapes of Matos. This pair is responsible for a more mysterious collage of sounds on the concluding “Sunset”.
Two other pianists were called to participate in the experiment, namely Leo Genovese and Julian Shore on the warped “Quieter Pursuits” and the wistful “Dentro de Água”, respectively. Both titles evoke sounds of nature whether through cinematic effects, white noise or bubbly complementary ornaments. They usually follow quiet yet intriguing routes.
“Invested in Something” denotes hopeful guitar drippings that agglomerate around a long, crying note delivered by trumpeter Gonçalo Marques who unfolds it patiently without losing a bit of that tormenting beseech.
The nimble keyboardist Dov Manski deliberately embraces dark pitches on “Do Além”, with the tension being appeased by smooth layers of electric guitar. In turn, the tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger infuses both sheer melody and momentary outside playing on “Walking Around”, emphasizing the Americana influence in its concluding melodic part. The guitar comping is phenomenal.
“Vindima” is struck by muscular distortion and a folk-tinged slide guitar, which turned up as a consequence of the apt underpinning offered by the Portuguese drummer João Lencastre. The latter brings out his commanding touch of cymbals and toms on “Mucifal”, where Matos oozes a lustrous sound. Yet, the space between them gets strongly rooted in the American sound on “Colares”.
While finding the right feel for each track, Matos shows how subtly brilliant and spaciously melodic his guitar playing can be. “Smalls” and “Antidote”, both with saxophonist Nathan Blehar, and “Flowers” with bassist André Carvalho, convey a wise tranquility, whereas the vocalist Sara Serpa pushes things a bit more into the edgier side on three tracks. With “Remembrance”, it’s the circular breathing of Aaron Krusiki on bass clarinet that motivates a wonderful, in-depth guitar processing.
This is a lucid improvisatory work by a guitarist with a strong identity who decided to donate all sales of the record to the International Rescue Committee.
Grade B+
Favorite Tracks:
15 - Invested in Something ► 18 - Mucifal ► 19 - Walking Around