BRAND! 2018 - Day 2

Bassist Hugo Antunes moves effortlessly between scenes, building up a modest but consistent discography since his debut Roll Call appeared in 2010. He lived in Belgium for a while, where he met the pianist Seppe Gebruers: one of the pioneers of his generation who constantly puts free improvisation into new contexts. Along with the legendary drummer Paul Lovens, the pair dive into an unorthodox world of microtonal tensions at BRAND! 2018. This concert also presents their album The Room: Time & Space, recorded right here at nona arts centre.

Slow Is Possible proves that Portugal is a fertile breeding ground for crossovers. The sextet consists of relatively young, unknown musicians, but they have already cornered a special place for themselves on Portugal’s music scene. Their latest album, Moonwatchers, is a voluptuous, cinematic revelation. Their Belgian debut will not only appeal to lovers of improvisation, but to anyone who believes that barriers between genres are at their best when they hit the ground.

Pianist Rodrigo Pinheiro, bassist Hernâni Faustino and drummer Gabriel Ferrandini are master musicians one and all. In less than a decade, Lisbon’s RED Trio has become a famous name in Portuguese music. Their collaboration with John Butcher put the trio on the international map. Other international projects followed, with Nate Wooley, Mattias Ståhl and then a whole series of Polish musicians. RED Trio is also a force of nature all on its own. The formation turns free interaction into a lilting, lively art, obliging its guests to give it all they’ve got without shying away from the new input they receive. With Susana Santos Silva on board, the sky is the limit.

It is no exaggeration to call Rodrigo Amado the backbone of Portuguese improvisation. After a rich early career, he made his definitive mark on the international map at the turn of the millennium as one of the founding fathers of the Clean Feed label. The saxophonist has since grown to become a key figure in Portuguese jazz. Amado is a prime example of a musician who continues to refine his art in recording after recording. He has brought out two celebrated albums with Joe McPhee, Kent Kessler and Chris Corsano. Not to mention his working band in Lisbon: the Motion Trio with cellist Miguel Mira and drummer Gabriel Ferrandini (see RED Trio) has developed a highly idiosyncratic synergy rooted in free jazz: an open, sultry and soulful sound. The ideal closing act for BRAND! 2018.