Barretto Trio, Carlos

Radio Song

Label: Clean Feed Country: Portugal

"It's not a new recording, but certainly this re-release by Clean Feed will be a great surprise to all those in North America, Europe and Japan who are interested in what's happening in the jazz and improvised music scene on this little country called Portugal. With the most inventive cover art we've seen in 2006, signed by Rui Garrido, "Radio Song" is an example of "user friendly" avant-jazz. It's Free but structured, with obvious connections to the most straightahead jazz, a sense of melody influenced by popular Portuguese song forms and a European flavour. In the recent past, double bassist Carlos Barretto had the companionship of the French champion of the baritone, François Corneloup, and now, on three tracks we have clarinetist and saxophonist Louis Sclavis, also from France, as special guest. And of course these tunes have everything to do with Sclavis' love of the "imaginary folk" he invented in the past with the band Workshop de Lyon. And for one more example of the internationalization of Portuguese jazz, you'll find here two other local musicians deserving wider recognition: guitarist Mário Delgado, a Jimi Hendrix disciple who knows his jazz chops, and drummer José Salgueiro, a master of pulsation and tempo who is also concerned with texture. This CD also features a video clip of "Radio Song"."-Clean Feed