Label: Carimbo Porta-Jazz, 2021
Personnel - João Guimarães: alto saxophone; Joaquim Rodrigues: piano; Miguel Angelo: bass; Marcos Cavaleiro: drums.
Miguel Angelo, who is based in Porto, has been an active bassist in the Portuguese jazz scene, spreading his musical evolution across a variety of personal and collective projects. Dança dos Desastrados marks his third outing - following Branco (2013) and A Vida de X (2016) - with a quartet that features João Guimarães on alto sax, Joaquim Rodrigues on piano and Marcos Cavaleiro on drums. Composed solely of original compositions, the 10-track album is based on possible traditional dances, whether real or imaginary.
Particularly strong moments are found on pieces such as “Era Uma Vez…”, whose compelling storytelling is imbued with a notable harmonic intensity and tight bass-drums-piano interlocking, and “Valsa do Solitário”, whose mordant sophistication mixes lucid and dreamy perceptions with a newfound warmth. The sinuous saxophone lines of Guimarães gain a special expression in this last-mentioned tune.
Initially propelled with a marching snare drum and climaxing with a vamp that comes immediately after the solos, “Caminho dos Perdidos” leans on the pop/rock universe as well as folk, contrasting with “Vira do Avesso”, where the group steps into more rhythmically accented territory. On the other hand, the title cut suggests something rock’n’roll-ish in its quasi-Latin groove before the post-bop-inflected solos take place.
Three short improvised pieces - “Capítulo I”, “Capítulo II and “Capítulo III” - very much pleased me with their pastoral quality and reflective mood. Strong melodies peek from the quiet textures at the core of these chapters, the last of which denotes interesting rubato playing and intriguing exotic sounds delivered with a loose posture.
Miguel Angelo creates amiable environments, hanging on solid frames to be colored with both crisp and curved brushstrokes in the company of his bandmates.
Grade B
Favorite Tracks:
02 - Era Uma Vez… ► 06 - Valsa do Solitario ► 08 - Capitulo III