TRIO + 1
GENRE: Brazilian rhythms such as choro and samba, influenced by jazz and improvisation.
DESCRIPTION: Contemporary instrumental music based on traditional rhythms from Brazil, balancing compositional arrangements and improvisation.
FORMATION: Quartet: piano, double bass, drums and trumpet & flugelhorn
EUROPE TOUR: Aug/Sep 2010 (TBC)
This is the dialogue hidden between the silences of the notes. This is what makes Trio + 1 such an utterly
memorable record. Small group settings are difficult. Still there have been several very successful ones – especially trios fronted by pianists. Paul Bley’s Trios, Keith Jarrett’s Trio, Bill Evans’ Trios (especially the unforgettable one with Scott La Faro), Denny Zeitlin’s Trios… and perhaps somewhat more famously, the small groups of Egberto Gismonti and now Heloísa Fernandes. They have all made an indelible mark in the music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Now comes this superlative group with Taubkin, Reze, Assumpção and Nascimento knocking it around. LATIN JAZZ NETWORK
It’s an intriguing collection of six tunes, three written by pianist Benjamim Taubkin, and all extensively improvised: half are each over 12 minutes long, flowing out of a friendly and relaxed collaboration that could be labeled “free jazz” if it weren’t so melodic. Among the rolling Brazilian beats is a pretty ballad called “Perolas”; other highlights include the well-titled “The Circus Arrived…” and an absorbing take on Baden Powell’s famous “Consolação” that brings out its mystical side. All told, Trio + 1 provides a fabulous journey and shows how today’s Brazilian music goes far beyond your
father’s bossa nova. ALL ABOUT JAZZ
Within a melodic contour determined by minimalist and experimental lines, the Brazilian Trio was able to submerge the public of the Teatro Amadeo Roldán in the irresistible depths of Jazz, with a show that felt like a smooth bus journey along the most spiritual highway of Brazil’s gigantic South. The public experienced all of the sensations in a state near that of nirvana, enchanted by the glowing sound. JORNAL GRANMA
TRIO + 1
The trio – piano, bass, and drums – was one of the most traditional popular musical formations of the 20th century. This far-reaching formation presents certain challenges: while its language became more sophisticated and evolved, it also became diluted and banalized.
The challenge, therefore, is to experiment and create a Brazilian sound from this succinct, yet amply used formation. Renowned musicians Benjamim Taubkin (piano), Sérgio Reze (drums) and Zeca Assumpção (double bass) are up to this challenge. Three years later, the “+ 1” comes to add his acclaimed trumpet and flugelhorn.
Another challenge – and inspiration – is to stay attent to the equilibrium between premeditation – the composed work and arrangement – and improvisation. Not quite in the language of jazz… more along the lines of experiencing the collective composition with the possibility of exploring new roads that depart from the personal experience of each musician.
To complete the task, they search for elements from the classical tradition, from the diversity of Brazil’s culture, and from what arises from within their own dialog. The result is a sofisticated, Brazilian sound with ample breathing room to balance arrangements with the
adventure of improvisation.
After working together for 3 years, the Trio performed at the Salvador Instrumental Festival with trumpeter Joatan Nascimento. The result of this encounter proved so gratifying that the Trio decided to invite him to play for this project. And so TRIO+1 was born.
Trio+1’s repertory consists of choros, Brazilian songs, and original compositions by Benjamin Taubkin and Joatan Nascimento.
In 2007, Trio+1 presented in Brazil and played two concerts in Cuba.
CD TRIO + 1
In 2009, they released their first album in the United States by Adventure Music, and in Brazil by Núcleo Contemporãneo.
The Cd has been receiving great international reviews.
The CD Trio + 1 was released in November of 2009 first by the North American label Adventure Music and then in Brazil by Núcleo Contemporâneo. The album has six tracks between choros, Brazilian songs, and themes composed by Benjamim Taubkin and by Joatan Nascimento.
Playing with this ensemble feels like arriving somewhere cozy its a new departure point for me as a musician. Rarely have I felt such a common sense of identity, or has direction come so naturally, as it has with this group. This album was recorded live, in three days. Each day we worked on two songs, recording three takes each. The take that made it to the disc was the one that best showcased the sound of the whole group. The project began as we played a few concerts, and little by little, we began to recognize a unique language that had emerged. This language established our style of play, which involves a lot of spontaneous creation and more elaborate pieces. Benjamim Taubkin
1. The Desert is here (Benjamim Taubkin)
2. Pearls (Jacob do Bandolim)
3. Baianinho (Joatan Nascimento)
4. Sabiá flew (Benjamim Taubkin)
5. Circus arrived (Benjamim Taubkin)
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6. Solace (Baden Powel e Vinicius de Moraes)
Check more here.
VIDEO
Musicians
Benjamim Taubkin – piano
Brazilian music has been the playing field for this instrumentalist, arranger, composer, and producer. He has participated in several formations, ranging from solo work to symphonic orchestras – presented in Brazil and abroad.
In 1997, he released his first album A Terra e o Espaço Aberto, which was nominated by two important awards in Brazil: Sharp and Movimento. His current projects as musician and director include: the Latin American collective América Contemporânea, the Orquestra Popular de Câmara, the choro ensemble Moderna Tradição, his work with the traditional music group Abaçai and his jazz project Trio + 1.
In his solo career he recorded his second CD in New York at Fazioli Salon, one of the most prestigious piano house nowadays. With this work, Benjamim has been performing in important venues and festivals, such as The Vortex Jazz Club, in London, and at Ruta del Cister, in Spain. And he did in 2009 an artistic residence in Austria, invited as composer and instrumentalist in Krems.
Zeca Assumpção – double bass
The bass player studied music, arrangements and composition at Berklee College of Music, in Boston. He has performed or recorded with the most prestigious artists in Brazil, such as Nelson Ayres, Joyce, Wagner Tiso, Elis Regina, João Bosco, Elizete Cardoso, Chico Buarque, Edu Lobo, Michel Legrand, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, Toots Stileman, Benny Carter, Dorival Caymmi, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jaques Morelembaum, among others. Zeca is the founder of the project “Grupo Um” with Lelo Nazário and Zé Eduardo Nazário. For four years Zeca worked with Hermeto Pascoal. In 1982, the national Jazz Society considered him the best bass player in Brazil.
He participated in Egberto Gismonti’s project for more than 20 years. And has recorded several albums and performed in many tours around the US, Europe, South America, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.
Sérgio Reze – drums/percussion
Graduated with distinction by the Musicians Institute in the US, the percussionist Sérgio Reze, since his return to Brazil has performed and recorded with artists such as Mônica Salmaso, Paulinho da Viola, Zélia Duncan, João Bosco, Dominguinhos, Orquestra Popular de Câmara, Arnaldo Antunes, Ney Matogrosso, Ivan Lins, among others.
His drum performance is highlighted by its pronounced identity, where he amplifies the edges of the instrument, using different tones. In 2001 he was nominated as best instrumentalist in the Visa Award.
He has been performing in Europe and Latin America. Currently, he also works with artists such as Ná Ozzetti, Dante Ozzetti e Ceumar; José Miguel Wisnik; Benjamim Taubkin, Zeca Assumpção e Joatan Nascimento (Trio +1); Ana Luiza; Arthur Nestrovski and André Mehmari.
Joatan Nascimento- trumpet/flugelhorn
With a background coming from street bands and popular and traditional groups, he also stands out as a symphonic musician and member of the Symphonic Orchestra of Bahia since 1989.
Graduated in trumpet at Federal University of Bahia, he is currently attending PhD course at the same institution.
For years he has performed with prestigious popular musicians such as Carlinhos Brown, Caetano Veloso and Daniela Mercury; and build a consistent career performing or recording for many projects in Bahia.
In 2001 he was regional curator for Itaú Cultural project Rumos.
Celebrating 20 years in 2002, he recorded the album Eu choro assim, released by Maianga, which brings choro themes written specially to the trumpet. Awarded three times with the Troféu Caymmi, he was nominated in 2003 to the TIM Music Award in the revelation category.
Press
Within a melodic contour determined by minimalist and experimental lines, the Brazilian Trio formed by Benjamim Taubkin (piano), Zeca Assumpção (bass) and Sergio Reze (drums), was able to submerge the public of the Teatro Amadeo Roldán in the irresistable depths of Jazz, with a show that felt like a smooth bus journey along the most spiritual highway of Brazil’s gigantic South.
With this feeling, they explored the melodies of choros, a genre representative of Brazil’s roots, made known principally through the rigorous compositions of master Heitor Villa-Lobos.
The public experienced all of the sensations in a state near that of nirvana, enchanted by the glowing sound.
Michel Fernàndez (set/2007)
(Cuban Newspaper)
Perlas brasileñas
MICHEL HERNÁNDEZ
Jornal Granma – setembro de 2007, Havana, Cuba
Dentro de una línea melódica signada por los ambientes minimalistas y la experimentación, el trío brasileño formado por Benjamim Taubkin (piano), Zeca Assumpcao (bajo) y Sergio Reze (batería), logró zambullir a los asistentes al Teatro Amadeo Roldán, este último fin de semana, en el irresistible mundo del jazz para realizar un concierto que fue como un viaje en autobús por la ruta más espiritual del gigante del Sur.Cuando aparecieron los músicos sobre el escenario, el teatro quedó en silencio, salvo la respiración entrecortada del público dispuesto a entregarse por completo a estos enviados de la cultura brasileña.
Y como no podía ser de otro modo, dieron de beber las sustancias de su obra a partir de la interpretación de El desierto también es aquí, título que abrió las puertas de la percepción hacia pasajes de profunda amplitud conceptual, transidos de lirismo y de recursos infinitos que dejaron ver por momentos las células de la llamada world music.
En ese sentido exploraron la melodía de los choros, género representativo del repertorio popular brasileño, difundido principalmente por el rigor de las composiciones del maestro Heitor Villa-Lobos.
El sabiá voló fue la excusa perfecta para que Taubkin, cuyo manejo de los climas es más que reseñable, mostrara su vena más melancólica, robándole al piano notas tan íntimas como susurros que atraviesan las sombras de la noche.
En esta atmósfera envolvente continuaron fijando su autoridad jazzística a través de la ejecución de Perlas (no apta para personas con estrechez de corazón) y Miranda, desgranadas mediante formas sumamente creativas, asentadas en un pujante universo estético, credenciales originales del lenguaje musical de este trío.
El público procesaba todas las sensaciones en un estado próximo al nirvana, embriagado por esta cálida sonoridad.
Más aún cuando tomaron el relevo los instrumentistas cubanos Harold López Nussa (piano), Ruy López Nussa (percusión), Jorge Reyes (contrabajo), Yasek Manzano (trompeta) y Javier Zalba (flauta y saxofón), quienes le imprimieron a esta descarga una nueva intensidad.
Se entrecruzaron orgánicamente para invocar a los dioses del panteón de la música cubana como si se enfrascaran en el legendario ritual de ofrecerles un trago de ron para traer buenos augurios. Y proclamaron, además, sus habilidades en la línea improvisatoria sin asomo de fisuras.
Si bien los locales desplegaron una fuerza casi telúrica, se debe subrayar el talante de Zalba, capaz de arrancar fuertes emociones, y Manzano, empeñado en prender fuego al mismo aire, objetivo que completaron todos los virtuosos al unirse en el trayecto final de este espectáculo.
- 20 October, 2009 | LATIN JAZZ NETWORK
- Brazilian Buffet: Trio + 1, Patricia Talem… August 23, 2009 | ALL ABOUT JAZZ
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