NIKOLAUS GERSZEWSKI

German composer/conductor, Nikolaus Gerszewski, played two concerts in Lisbon. ‘Ordinary Music for Mixed Ensemble & Live-electronics’ was played live at Fabrica Braço de Prata, with a group of Portuguese musicians (including Italian drummer Gabriel Ferrandini), with Ernesto Rodrigues assisting in the conducting chair.

Nikolaus Gerszewski – composition, conduction, piano
Ernesto Rodrigues – conduction, violin
Guilherme Rodrigues – cello
Bruno Parrinha – alto clarinet
Nuno Torres – alto saxophone
Eduardo Chagas – trombone
Armando Pereira – accordion
Hernâni Faustino – double bass
Pedro Castello Lopes – percussion
Gabriel Ferrandini - drums
Carlos Santos – electronics

(recorded live at Fabrica Braço de Prata, 23 Feb. 2008 by AM)

RED TRIO

RED Trio: One of the first trios to hit the Lisbon improvisation scene in 2008. ‘Swing’ starts off as an almost satirical approach to the traditional piano trio repertoire, only to subvert that same idiom with RED’s personal approach.

Rodrigo Pinheiro – piano
Hernâni Faustino – double bass
Gabriel Fernandini – drums

Recorded live at ZDB, Lisbon, 02 Feb. 2008

A PARTE MALDITA

listen at: http://lumpenmusic.podomatic.com/

Abdul Moimeme: Sax Tenor
António Chaparreiro, Nuno Rebelo: Guitarras
Hernani Faustino: Contrabaixo
Jorge Serigado: Baixo Eléctrico
Rui Alves: Bateria
Miguel Sá, Fernando Fadigas: Eléctronicas

Recorded Live at Fabrica Braço de Prata, 10 January 2008
(ilustration by Mazenm Kerbaj: "621 (did you hear something?)")

GEORGE HASLAM / ABDUL MOIMÊME

British baritone master George Haslam came to Lisbon to play at the “Livraria de Artes” and “Bar o Século”. After a solo concerto at the “Livraria de Artes” the saxophonist and tarogato player was joined by Abdul Moimême for two more performances. This was the 4th piece played during the first night.

George Haslam – tarogato
Abdul Moimême – clarinet

for George Haslam: http://www.georgehaslam.com

Recorded live at Bar O Século, Lisbon, 01 February 2008
(illustration by: António Jorge Gonçalves, “Lisboa”)

GEORGE HASLAM / ABDUL MOIMÊME

After 3 solo pieces by George Haslam, this was the first duo performance of the second night.

George Haslam – baritone saxophone
Abdul Moimême – tenor saxophone

Recorded live at Bar O Século, Lisbon, 02 February 2008
(illustration by: António Jorge Gonçalves, “London”)

RODRIGO AMADO TRIO

2007 was definitely a very prolific year as far as new Lisbon based ‘improv’ groups where concerned. The Rodrigo Amado Trio appeared on the scene just as the year was ending, with Lisbon based, Brazilian saxophone player, Alipio C. Neto joining in on the fun. The rhythm section, composed by 'fatum' bass player Miguel Mira and drummer Luís Desirat, where also a highlight amongst the many novelties the year had to offer.

Rodrigo Amado – tenor saxophone
Miguel Mira – fatum bass
Luís Desirat – drums
+
Alipio C. Neto (guest) – soprano saxophone

Recorded live at Bacalhoeiro,18 December 2007.
(photos by Cristina Cortez)

THE NIGHT OF THE PURPLE MOON

“The Night of the Purple Moon” is one of the most recent projects that have derived from the Variable Geometry Orchestra’s activity. The members of the present group met, last October, at the orchestra’s concert in the town of Porto, and decided to join forces in an improvisation unit, thus reinforcing the Porto-Lisbon musical axis. The members of the rhythm section, who live in the northern city, participate in numerous other musical projects, where “F.R.I.C.S.”, an improvisation collective and “Let’s Go to War”, an independent CD label, are only two of many examples. This group's first gig was played at “Casa Viva”, a collective that heavily promotes social intervention.

Abdul Moimême – tenor saxophone
Henrique Fernandes – electric double bass
Gustavo Costa - drums

for F.R.I.C.S. see www.myspace.com/fanfarraimprovisada
for “Lets Go To War” see: www.letsgotowar.com

Recorded live at Casa Viva, Porto, 16 December 2007.
(photos by Casa Viva, water colours by Miguel Mira)

VARIABLE GEOMETRY ORCHESTRA

The VGO close their musical year at the new cultural centre of ‘Ler Devagar’ in Braço de Prata.

Musicians same as in track #80.

Recorded: live at ‘Ler Devagar’, Lisboa, 10 December 2007
(photos: Rui Portugal)

VARIABLE GEOMETRY ORCHESTRA

The VGO close their musical year at the new cultural centre of ‘Ler Devagar’ in Braço de Prata.

Ernesto Rodrigues - conduction
João Camões - viola
Guilherme Rodrigues - cello
Pedro Sousa, Guilherme Leal - electric guitar
Daniel Marques - acoustic guitar
Johannes Krieger, Pedro Portugal - trumpet
Eduardo Chagas - trombone
Gil Gonçalves - tuba, euphonium
Jorge Lampreia flute, soprano saxophone
Fernando Lyra - soprano saxophone
Nuno Torres, Lizuarte Borges, José Pessoa - alto saxophone
Alípio C. Neto, Abdul Moimême - tenor saxophone
João Pedro Viegas - bass clarinet
Peter Bastiaan - melodica
Armando Pereira - accordion
Rodrigo Pinheiro - piano
João Silva, Travassos - electronics
Nuno Moita - turntables
Hernâni Faustino, Diogo Palma - double bass
Monsieur Trinité - selected objects
Pedro Castello Lopes - percussion
Gabriel Ferrandini - drums

Recorded: live at ‘Ler Devagar’, Lisboa, 10 December 2007
(design: Travassos)

SOUNDSCAPE

It is no secret that Freemusic has a particular liking for the music played by Dallas’ great, Dennis Gonzalez. This ‘soundscape’ tries to portray the crystalline clarity of Dennis’ sound by way of this cannon created from material extracted from track #63. The end result was only possible thanks to the space given to the trumpet player by the remaining group.

Soundscape: AM
(‘Book of Spells’, 2006 by AM)

LUCAS / MIRA

This duo is a long lasting musical partnership that now last for well over a decade. The setting for their musical adventures has been exclusively Miguel’s living room, converted into an open door studio. Her the pair explore some free improve that eventually took them towards Miles’ Solar.

João Lucas – upright piano
Miguel Mira – fatum bass

Recorded: 22 November 2007
(oil on canvas by AM, “Two Mimes”, circa 1982)

TRINITÉ / MAGGI / MIRA / PINTO

David Lynch’s eerie 1970s film, “The Grandmother”, was displayed at one of Lisbon’s new clubs, where the sound was totally reinvented, using live instruments which where juxtaposed against the original track.

Monsieur Trinité - various objects
Marcello Maggi – synthesizer
Miguel Mira - fatum bass
João Pinto – electronics, mixing

Film credits:
Written, directed, filmed and animated by David Lynch, 1970
Music and music effects: Tractor
Sound Editing and Mixing: Alan Splet
Sound Effects: David Lynch, Margaret Lynch, Robert Chadwick and Alan Splet
Recorded live

Recorded live at Bacalhoeiros, 04 October 2007
Composed by: Trinité, Maggi, Mira, Pinto

POTLATCH

Jorge Lampreia – soprano saxophone, flute
João Viegas – alto saxophone, bass clarinet
Marcello Maggi – valve trombone, synthesizer
Abdul Moimême – prepared electric guitar
Filipe Sousa – piano, prepared piano
Miguel Mira – fatum bass
Monsieur Trinité – various objects
Luís Desirat – drums, paiste cymbals

Recorded: 09 November 2007, at Fabrica Braço de Prata
Composition by Potlatch

(graphic design: Miguel Mira)

MARCELLO MAGGI / ABDUL MOIMÊME

A new improv duo that will be present at the Creative Fest #1:

Abdul Moimême - prepared electric guitar
Marcello Maggi - roland synhthesizer

Recorded: 07 November 2007
Composition: Marcello Maggi, Abdul Moimême

(photo:AM)

MOIMÊME / MIRA

Abdul Moimême – tenor saxophone
Miguel Mira – fender fretless bass

Recorded: 30 Oct. 2007, Lisbon
Composition: Mira, Moimême

(Illustration: António Jorge Gonçalves, Cairo)