Artist.......: Carlos Bica & Azul
Album........: Believer
Label........: Enja Records
Genre........: Jazz
Catnr........: ENJ-9493 2
source.......: CDDA
rip.date.....: Oct-19-2006
str.date.....: Oct-00-2006
quality......: VBR/44,1Hz/Joint-Stereo
Url..........: www.carlosbica.com
track title time
01. Iceland 04:26
02. Alguem Olharß Por Ti 04:37
03. White Wall 02:14
04. P-Beat 02:43
05. Smile 02:06
06. Catch The Cat 02:06
07. Luscious 04:16
08. Marinha Grunge 02:59
09. Portuguese Seaman 02:26
10. John Wayne 04:25
11. Believer 09:43
12. Vergiss Nicht 04:01
13. Through The Mirror 04:12
Runtime 50:14 min
Size 70,8 MB
Release Notes:
"The first real jazz star of the decade"
(Frankfurter Allg. Zeitung), Carlos Bica is both a
remarkable composer and outstanding bass player. He
has the rare ability to write melodies that
essentially are songs without words, haunting and
unforgettable. Inspired by many different sources
-- classical music, jazz, rock, pop, fado, world
music, folk --, Bica's music always possesses a
special atmosphere of poetry and magic. He started
his trio Azul in the nineties incorporating
obstinate guitar genius Frank M÷bus (leader of Der
Rote Bereich) and fascinating drum wizard Jim Black
(of Dave Douglas fame) into a unique ensemble
concept. The three of them go for a fresh mixture
of jazz beats, rock twists and Mediterranean
melodicism and a soundscape repeatedly compared to
Radiohead and Tortoise. "The musicians dare to
leave open spaces -- one of the most obvious
strengths of the trio," says Jazzthetik magazine.
"Southern lightness, highly energetic density,
humorous playfulness, dramatic heaviness -- all
that comes together for a stimulating palette of
blue shades."
"Believer" is Azul's fourth album celebrating this
Portuguese-German-American band's 10th anniversary.
Says bandleader Bica: "The focus is on the songs,
not on the musicians, yet at the same time there is
a lot of space for the musicians' own expressions -
which is what makes this music different from pop
music." As visionary and sophisticated as its
predecessors, the new album in addition features
the turntablism of DJ Illvibe (aka Vincent von
Schlippenbach) who is best known as a member of
Berlin's dancehall projects Seeed and Lychee Lassi.
His participation partly sounds as if 'produced'
but was actually created in a totally spontaneous
studio session. Pushed by DJ Illvibe's scratch
sounds Azul's multi-urban grooves open a bright
window into the future.
The follow-up from Azul, "Look What They've Done To
My Song" (Enja Records) again with Berlin guitar
player Frank M÷bus and New York drummer Jim Black
is Azul's third strike. "The title tune, an
adaptation of Melanie's hippie hymn get's the
stylistic bordercrossing to the point: it's Flower
Power passing Bica's lyrical Portuguese soul and
translated into guitar cries and jazz beats.
Southernish lightness with a touch of downtown
hipness and a twist of rock: this could be an
apropriate description. Definitely one of the
hottest breezes blowing these days." (H.J.S.)
His debut album "Azul", recorded for
Polygram/Emarcy, features guitar player Frank M÷bus
and drummer Jim Black, with singer Maria Joπo and
trombone player Ray Anderson as guests. It was
voted "Best Jazz Record of the Year" in Portugal in
1996.
"Twist" was the follow-up to Bica's "Azul" album,
recorded in 1999 for Enja Records with the original
line-up and portuguese singer and actress Ana
Brandπo as guest. The record was "CD of the Month"
of the music magazine Stereo in February 2000; the
magazine "Jazz Podium" (02/2000) called it "a
masterpiece".
Started by a comission from the Expo 1998 in
Lisbon, Bica embarked upon his project "DIZ"
(meaning "Speak to me") together with the
extraordinary new singer and actress Ana Brandπo.
His fruits of this project were recorded and
released in April 2001 for Enja Records. The album
"DIZ" presents a new development in his music.
Together with Joπo Paulo (piano), Katharina Gramss
(violin) and Mike Rutledge (viola) "DIZ" leaps
across the stylistic borders of chamber music,
Portuguese folk, theatre, jazz and the art of song,
with the entertaining ease and serious intensity of
musical virtuosity. Jazz Podium termed it
"Grandiose Music"; Tip-Berlin: "An elegy of
beauty".
Carlos Bica has also composed for several theatres
as well as dance and film productions. He worked
for many years with renowned vocalist Maria Joπo -
a cooperation that established him on the
international scene.
He has played at the most important jazz festivals
in Europe and Asia and has worked with Ray
Anderson, Kenny Wheeler, Aki Takase, Paolo Fresu,
Maria Joπo, Julian Arguelles, Steve Arguelles, Lee
Konitz, Mßrio Laginha, Mathias Schubert, Joπo
Paulo, Markus Stockhausen, Antonio Pinho Vargas,
Alexander von Schlippenbach among others.
In the traditional music of his native Portugal -o
fado- he performed with singer Carlos do Carmo, the
best known musician of this popular genre, and
recorded several albums with him. Among further
important and inspiring authorities of the
Portuguese musical tradition with whom Carlos Bica
has performed and recorded rank such names as -
JosΘ Mßrio Branco, CamanΘ, Pedro Caldeira Cabral
and Janita SalomΘ.
Enjoy it and remember ... If u like it, buy it !