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hugo alves quartet given soul
Synopsis:
The most recent project by Hugo Alves (http://hugoalves.com), one of the most important trumpet players in the portuguese jazz scene, was debuted very sucessfully in September 2006 at the Albufeira Jazz Festival. The debut was followed by the Early Fall Tour '06 which was composed of four concerts in Spain and Portugal. The quartet went into the studio and recorded the CD in November of that same year and the CD was finally released in 2007. The quartet is made up by musicians Pablo Romero (ESP) on electric piano, Rodrigo Monteiro (POR) on double bass, Michael Lauren (EUA) on drums and of course, Hugo Alves on Trumpet. Once again Hugo Alves introduces original themes with a mainstream atmosphere and special melodic cuts. Hugo Alves shows his qualities, as a composer and as a soloist, for which he has been recognized by Portuguese and International press many times. José Carlos Santos (Artitic Director for the BragaJazz Festival) wrote the following in the liner notes: "Hugo Alves is a "self made musician", made from that which real jazz musicians are made. "Given Soul" is his third project that not only shows him to be an exceptional trumpet player but also his effort to brave new pathes in a quest for originality and sounds with his eyes laid firmly on the future. Merit must also be given to his colleagues in this venture...".
The press and media about the CD Hugo ALves Quartet Given Soul:
"... As in the case of trumpeter Hugo Alves, whose CD Given Soul is a real breath of fresh air in the new Portuguese jazz. Not because he is going for new grounds as others, or representing a new facet of a certain Portuguese jazz. For years Hugo Alves comes across our path as a soloist, an orchestra musician, and a teacher. What he presents in all this humility is music well rooted in jazz, expressed safely, with melodic invention, vivacity and absolute sense of jazz. Accompanied by a sympathetic trio with it's concepts, especially the drummer Michael Lauren, Hugo Alves, once again, affirmes to be a trumpeter of international call." (classified with ****) Raul Vaz Bernardo, Expresso - Revista Actual, 09.Fev.2008
Hugo Alves Given Soul among the "Best National Jazz CDs". António Rubio, Magazine Jazz.pt, Jan/Fev.2008
Hugo Alves Given Soul among the "10 Best National Jazz CDs ". António Branco, Blog Improvisos Ao Sul, 03.Jan.2008
Hugo Alves Given Soul among the "8 Best National Jazz CDs". Manuel Jorge Veloso, Blog O Sítio do Jazz, 01.Jan.2008
Hugo Alves Given Soul among the "Best National Jazz CDs". Raul Vaz Bernardo, Website JazzLogical Jan.2008
Hugo Alves Given Soul among the "Best National Jazz CDs". Leonel Santos, Website JazzLogical Jan.2008
Hugo Alves Given Soul as background music on the "Entre Pratos" program on channel RTP2 (national TV), presented by: Henrique Sá Pessoa, 08.Dec.2007
"Hugo Alves is a type of lone wolf in the national Jazz panorama. He is Algarvian, he was part of the Ze Eduardo Unit, he's the Lagos Jazz Orquestra director and the Taksi Trio mentor. Hugo Alves is a bopper, with all which can be said of boppers both good and bad: the boppers were the best musicians in the world and their technique in many cases continues to be insurpassable. Esthetically we can classify his playing as being unsurpassable . All all one has to do is go to a concert performance to understand that his music seems to have always existed and must never stop existing. Hugo Alves is a jazz musician that likes his Jazz pure and hard: his last CD, without a harmonic instument, was truely "raw" (I believe it easier to listen to it in live concert) while on Given Soul Pablo Romero's electric piano seems to have polished the edges and helped it become more balanced. A CD that one can listen to with pleasure." Leonel Santos, Site http://www.jazzlogical.net , "30 CDs for Christmas", Dec.2007
Hugo Alves Given Soul classified with**** (out of *****) by http://www.jazzportugal.ua.pt José Duarte, JazzPortugal, Jun.2007
“Alves has once again made evidente his credentials not only as an inspired instrumentalist but also as a gifted composer. With his clear and structured sound he has put together a CD filled with a sunny, warm, laidback atmosphereand includes an elegant swing... "Given Soul is a sober and honest CD by a musician that cannot seem to stop surprising us and still seems to have a lot to contribuite to tha national jazz scene. This is just the beginning..." António Branco, Blog Improvisos Ao Sul, 22.Jun.2007
“Hugo Alves, an important figure in the national jazz scene, confirms all of his inate talent on trumpet. The evolution which lead to this CD is probably the most imporant of his carreer. The crystal clear sound of his trumpet and the fluidity of the notes that come out of him can only be produced by a mature musician that is completely aware and in control of the secrets hidden within his instruments and therefore is able to produce all the melody and harmony needed to show in such an exemplary form what can be found here. A milestone" António Rubio in Correio da Manhã(national newspaper), Êxito / CDs of the week, on 09.Jun.2007 Class. **** (out of *****)
“Hugo Alves affirms himself as one of the sure things in the national jazz panorama. We particularly appreciate the honest way he presents his originals... with an extreme sobriety, capable, above all, of joining with a sensibility which has very little if anything to do with jazz. The freshness of the music, always a bit mainstream allowed him to conquer a space which has no doubt been waiting for him: the esthetics of jzz is painted with a palet of many colours and it is necessary that the spectrum have as many different tones as possible... Hugo Alves' world of sound grabs us at first listen." Rui Branco in Jornal de Notícias (national newspaper), Culture / CD, on 02.Jun.2007 Class. 7/10
Audio Samples (mp3): Given Soul | 66 Exchange | Pequenos Momentos
Noteworthy live performances (2007): Plaza Mayor (Salamanca, Spain), Jazz Club (Mérida, Spain), LethesTheatro Lethes (Faro).
Musicians: Hugo Alves (trumpet, flugel horn, composition); Michael Lauren (drums), Pablo Romero (electric piano), Rodrigo Monteiro (double bass);
Concert Crew: 4 musicians, 1 sound technician.
contacts
Tel. / Fax: 309919022 Cell: 913469025 Cell: 919950921 email: booking.music@gmail.com