An exquisite album of chamber-oriented free improvisation that naturally merges contemporary and jazz forms while underpinned by swinging grooves, each player expressing passion and abstraction to create unique sonic combinations, from Jose Lencastre on alto saxophone, Carlos Zingaro on violin, Clara Lai on piano, Goncalo Almeida on double bass and Joao Sousa on drums.
Out of Stock
Quantity in Basket: None
Log In to use our Wish List
Shipping Weight: 2.00 units
Sample The Album:
Jose Lencastre-alto saxophone
Carlos Zingaro-violin
Clara Lai-piano
Goncalo Almeida-double bass
Joao Sousa-drums
Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist.
Label: Phonogram Unit
Catalog ID: PU10CD
Squidco Product Code: 34183
Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2022
Country: Portugal
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold
Recorded at Namouche Studios in Lisbon, Portugal, on November 20th, 2021, by Joaquim Monte, assisted by Bernardo Pastor Centeno.
"Phonogram Unit is a Lisbon musicians' label that over the past two years [published July 5, 2022] has released a series of often brilliant recordings, notable for their thoughtful conception, recording quality and design as well as frequently excellent musical results. The two latest releases from the label present special groups, both cross-generational, taking what may be diametrically opposed approaches to collective improvisation, one simultaneous, the other synchronous.
[...]
Saxophonist José Lencastre's Common Ground (it may be both album title and band name) is a similarly multi-generational quintet, but with an avowedly different aim: "the musicians are looking to find unity in language and sound within their different approaches and backgrounds."
I am always slightly astonished when a five-member band that includes a saxophone, a drum kit and a grand and/or electric piano conjoined with a violin and a string bass manages to interact constantly, quietly and subtly, but Common Ground, true to its name, manages to do just that, the result of numerous choices, individual and collective, including Lencastre bringing his alto rather than his tenor, pianist Clara Lai playing pianos in a way that is almost miraculously subtle and elusive, and drummer João Sousa largely avoiding rolls and, even more so, cymbals, which can eat the high frequencies of other instruments and bury the leftovers. Violinist Carlos Zingaro and bassist Gonçalo Almeida are both masters of presence, and all are aided by Namouche Studios's acoustics and master engineer Joaquim Monte who has sensitively recorded hundreds of sessions of free improvisation. He is a crucial and essential member of the Lisbon free music scene that has exploded in the past 20 years.
Common Ground's achievement is one of transparency, evident everywhere here most stunningly when it combines with tremendous lyric intensity, a longing toward expression. It can be heard from the outset in the alien, quavering, bowed pitches of Zingaro and Almeida, dovetailing with Lencastre's pure alto tones on "Revolutionary Periods", in the highly selective placement of Lai's electric piano tones on "Unbroken Flow", and the entire group's passionate and somehow quiet momentum climaxing in the extraordinary keening, lyric, turbulent forward movement of the final "Common Ground" (it's also a track title), achieving a kind of romantic tension that can rival Scriabin. [...]"-Stuart Broomer, The Free Jazz Collective
Get additional information at The Free Jazz Collective
Artist Biographies
• Show Bio for Jose Lencastre "José Lencastre, also known as Zé Lencastre, is a Lisbon, Portugal saxophonist, composer and arranger. He studied at the Hot Clube de Portugal, Chichester College of Arts(England), and Eastman Community Music School ( Rochester, NY). He Has played several festivals and venues in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Eslovakia, Hungary, Brasil, Morroco. TSUKI - Looking For Principles In Others (2006)/// TSUKI - I Wish That Mountain Had An Eye (2007)///TSUKI - Sea Snail (2009) ///THE MOST WANTED- The Most Wanted EP (2008) ///CACIQUE97 - Colectânea Novos Talentos Fnac (2007) - EP (2007) - Cacique97 (2009) ///BA MBO - Colectânea Intolerant? Me? (2008) ///POTLATCH - Live at Fabrica (2009) ///THE GRASSPOPPERS - DUB INNA WEEK (2010)/// SOCIAL SMOKERS - MAGNETIC POETRY (2011)/// THE GRASSPOPPERS - LOVERS ROCK INNA WEEK (2011)/// COOLTOUR - COOLTOUR (2012) He has also appeared as a guest musician recorded with Gnu, Gazua, Philharmonic Weed, Tiago Gomes&Tó Trips, Tércio Borges & os Democratas do Samba, André Sampaio e os Afromandiga, etc. He currently resides in Recife, PE - Brazil." ^ Hide Bio for Jose Lencastre • Show Bio for Carlos Zingaro "Carlos Zíngaro (or Carlos "Zíngaro" Alves, born 1948 in Lisbon, Portugal) is a Portuguese violinist and electronic musician active in free improvisation. He studied classical music in Lisbon and began working with a number of leading improvisers in the mid-1970s, becoming one of the European top improvisers presently. He has worked with such musicians as Richard Teitelbaum, Joëlle Léandre, Peter Kowald, Barre Phillips, Daunik Lazro, Derek Bailey, Jon Rose, Ken Vandermark, Ken Filiano, Rodrigo Amado, Ned Rothenberg, Rüdiger Carl, Dominique Regef, Evan Parker, Annick Nozati, Theo Jörgensmann and Paul Lovens. Zíngaro has performed at new and improvised music festivals in Europe, Asia, and North America, produced several film scores, and collaborated with dance companies. He is also a prolific illustrator and comics author." ^ Hide Bio for Carlos Zingaro • Show Bio for Clara Lai Clara Lai: "Pianist and composer. Interested in exploring subtle bridges between improvisation and composition. She studied classical piano with a specialization in contemporary repertoire and also obtained a bachelor degree in jazz piano. She resides in Barcelona, where she participates in different jazz, improvised and experimental music projects." ^ Hide Bio for Clara Lai • Show Bio for Goncalo Almeida "Gonçalo Almeida born in 1978 Lisbon, Portugal. Lives in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where he followed studies at Rotterdams Conservatorium, having studied with Heyn van Geyn, Stefan Lievestro, Marius Beets and Peter Leerdman, finishing his master degree in 2008. Plays in a variety of projects that go from modern jazz, freejazz, jazzcore and free improvisation music, having shared the stage with improvisers such has Chris Speed, Carlos Zíngaro, Wilbert de Joode, Martin van Duynhoven, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Rodrigo Amado, Tobias Klein, Jasper Stadhouders among others. Also has been working in collaboration with multi media such as video artists, modern dancers, poets, and theater makers. In the main projects that he is involved as double bass player, he has a deep input as a composer." ^ Hide Bio for Goncalo Almeida • Show Bio for Joao Sousa João Sousa, aka Drum Par, Johnny Dynamite, Verme, is a Portuguese drummer. He is known for the groups A-nimal, Cardíaco, Cicuta, Deslize, O Poema (A)Corda, Parpar, and Uivo Zebra. ^ Hide Bio for Joao Sousa
4/24/2024
Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.
4/24/2024
Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.
4/24/2024
Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.
4/24/2024
Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.
4/24/2024
Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.
Track Listing:
1. Revolutionary Periods 11:00
2. Unbroken Flow 9:00
3. Nature Of Reality 4:44
4. Insprirational Souls 7:05
5. Common Ground 11:14
Improvised Music
Free Improvisation
Jazz
Chamber Jazz
Collective Free Improvsation
European Improvisation, Composition and Experimental Forms
Quintet Recordings
New in Improvised Music
Search for other titles on the label:
Phonogram Unit.
 | DUOT & ZARM Ensemble (Cirera / Prats / Zingaro / Alves / Mitzlaff / Rosso) DUOT with Strings (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!)) |
| The DUOT pairing of Argentinian, Barcelona-based sax player Albert Cirera and Spanish drummer Ramón Prats is joined on their 6th album by the Portuguese string quartet ZARM Ensemble of Carlos Zingaro on violin, David Alves on violin, Ulrich Mitzlaf on cello and Alvaro Rosso on double bass for a dynamic concert at Igreja do Espírito Santo in Caldas Da Rainha, Portugal. | |
 | Made Of Bones (Fonesca / Clemente / Dias / Sousa) Handgun (Phonogram Unit) |
| Having collaborated over 15 years in bands including Slow is Possible and Cat in a Bag, the Portuguese quartet of Duarte Fonseca on drums, Joao Clemente on guitar, Nuno Santos Dias on Waldorf Zarenbourg electric piano and Ricardo Sousa on double bass, borrow from electric 70's jazz, rock and experimental forms through 10 diverse and intriguing concepts tinged with a dark wit. | |
 | Lencastre, Jose / Hernani Faustino / Vasco Furtado Forces In Motion (Phonogram Unit) |
| The second trio release from alto saxophonist Jose Lencastre, Hernâni Faustino (Red Trio) here on electric bass and drummer Vasco Furtado, three Portuguese improvisers whose continued work together adds strength to their collective improvisation, heard in five pieces recorded live in the warm space of the Espírito Santo Church in Caldas da Rainha in Western Portugal. | |
 | Furtado, Vasco / Salome Amend / Luise Volkmann Aforismos (Phonogram Unit) |
| After a first meeting at an improvised music festival, the trio of Portuguese drummer Vasco Furtad, Wuppertal-based drummer/vibraphonist Salome Amend and German alto saxophonist Luise Volkmann agreed to meet again in the studio to record these five collective improvisations, focused on sparse yet active textures influenced by melodic implications. | |
 | Lencastre, Jose Nau Quartet + Pedro Carneiro Thoughts Are Things (Phonogram Unit) |
| Saxophonist José Lencastre's Nau Quartet of Lencastre on alto & tenor, Hernani Faustino on double bass, Rodrigo Pinheiro on piano and João Lencastre on drums are joined by Pedro Carneiro on marimba for four extended improvisations that balance melodic intentions with urgent force, the additional percussive elements motivating the band from edgy soloing to introspective contemplation. | |
 | Alcorn, Susan / Jose Lencastre / Hernani Faustino Manifest (Clean Feed) |
| While on tour in Lisbon in 2002, pedal steel & lap steel improvising guitarist Susan Alcorn was invited by alto & tenor saxophonist José Lencastre (Nau Quartet) to record in the studio with double & electric bassist Hernani Faustino (Red Trio), recording these six refined trio improvisations of both contemplative and energetic conversations. | |
 | Lazro, Daunik / Carlos Zingaro / Sakis Papadimitriou / Jean Bolcato Periferia (Fou Records) |
| Reissuing the 1995 In Situ album of the sublime 1993 concert at Vandoeuvre-Les-Nancy in France from the free improvising quartet of Daunik Lazro on alto & baritone saxophones, Carlos Zingaro on acoustic and electroacoustic violins, Sakis Papadimitriou on piano and Jean Bolcato on double bass & voice, in a highly focused set of concentrative collective expression. | |
 | Attic, The (Amado / Almeida / Govaert) Love Ghosts (NoBusiness) |
| The third release from the Portuguese trio of Rodrigo Amado on tenor saxophone, Gonçalo Almeida on double bass and Onno Govaert on drums in a studio album of assertively exploratory improvisation that builds from stark clarity to impressive hard blowing soloing and group interaction, an outstanding album of modern free jazz. | |
 | Flak (w/ Amado / Alves / Rebelo / Rodrigues / Lopes) Magpie Live (Shhpuma) |
| Portuguese legendary rocker and experimenter Flak (Rádio Macau, Maquina do Almoco Da Pancadas) invited an ensemble of rock, free improvisors and electronic musicians--Rodrigo Amado, José Lencastre, Luís Lopes, Guilherme Rodrigues, Francisco Rebelo and Rui Alves--for this improvised live performance in Lisbon, merging genres in inventive and intriguing ways. | |
 | Vincente, Luis Trio (w/ Goncalo Almeida / Pedro Melo Alves) Chanting In The Name Of (Clean Feed) |
| An album of spiritual and lyrically rich free improvisation from trumpeter Luis Vicente's Trio with double bassist Goncalo Almeida and drummer/percussionist Pedro Melo Alves, the three Portuguese improvisers performing Vicente's compositions that urge the performers to search and extend themselves expressively through both inspiring interplay and reflective calm. | |
 | Garfo (Tinoco / Almeida / Fragoso / Sousa) Garfo (Clean Feed) |
| Translating to "Fork", Garfo is a modern Portuguese jazz quartet led by tenor saxophonist Bernardo Tinoco, with João Almeida on trumpet, João Fragoso on double bass and João Sousa on drums, all 4 contributing compositions to their lyrically sophisticated music, effortlessly using complex structure and time signatures to propel first-rate free improvisation. | |
 | Lencastre / Nuno / Faustino / Valinho Anthropic Neglect (Clean Feed) |
| Three heavy "Concept" pieces of electric jazz from the quartet of Lisbon saxophonist José Lencastre, electric bassist Felipe Zenicola (from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), drummer João Valinho and Jorge Nuno, a guitarist generally associated with psychedelic rock, as the band slowly seethes through a brew that flirts with rock and 70s fusion in unique ways. | |
 | Lencastre, Jose Nau Quartet Live in Moscow (Clean Feed) |
| The collective free jazz Nau Quartet led by alto saxophonist Jose Lencastre with Red Trio pianist and bassist Rodrigo Pinheiro and Hernani Faustino and drummer Joao Lencastre are caught live at Moscow's DOM Cultural Center for this album of thoughtfully informed improvisation, using open and spontaneous structures as they evolve each conversation in organic ways. | |
 | Lencastre, Jose Nau Quartet Eudaimonia (FMR) |
| The Portuguese ensemble Nau Quartet led by alto saxophonist Jose Lencastre, with Rodrigo Pinheiro on piano and Hernani Faustino on bass (both members of Red Trio) plus Joao Lencastre on drums, in their second album of beautifully hazy improvisation, building and receding in authoritative conversations of innovative and inspired playing; excellent. | |
 | Lencastre, Jose Nau Quartet (Lencastre / Pinheiro / Faustino / Lencastre) Fragments of Always (FMR) |
| Portuguese alto saxophonist Jose Lencastre's Nau [ship] Quartet with Joao Lencastre on drums and two thirds of Red Trio -- Rodrigo Pinheiro on piano and Hernani Faustino on bass -- in a lyrical album of collective free improvisation informed by masterful playing that's energetic but never bombastic, a thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking album. | |
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought:
 | Lewis, James Brandon Quartet Transfiguration (Intakt) |
| With a rare ability to play hard-hitting jazz while maintaining a lyrical sense to his compositions, tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis' new studio album from his quartet of Aruan Ortiz on piano, Brad Jones on bass and Chad Taylor on drums is the fourth album from this working band, demonstrating their strong group affinity that invokes impressive soloing from all four. | |
 | NRG Ensemble (directed by Mars Williams) Hold That Thought (Corbett vs. Dempsey) |
| The 1st of three archival albums from saxophonist Mars Williams' vaults, this 1996 concert in Utrecht with the NRG Ensemble--the band that Williams' carried forward after Hal Russell's passing in 1992--in an unrestrained concert of original material from Williams and fellow saxophonist Ken Vandermark, with Kent Kessler on bass, Steve Hunt on drums, and Brian Sandstrom on bass, guitar & trumpet. | |
 | Williams, Mars / Hamid Drake I Know You Are But What Am I? (Corbett vs. Dempsey) |
| The second of three archival albums from late saxophonist Mars Williams' vaults, this 1996 recording is a rare duet with Chicago drummer Hamid Drake, and is also one of the first concerts of the Empty Bottle Jazz and Improvised Music series, a diverse set of four improvisations marked by energetic enthusiasm, doubling of reeds, and wild playing from both. | |
 | Sousa, Pedro Alves / Rodrigo Pinheiro / Gabriel Ferrandini Cloud At Rest (Phonogram Unit) |
| An exemplary album of thoughtful free improv from the trio of tenor saxophonist Pedro Alves Sousa with 2/3's of Red Trio--pianist Rodrigo Pinheiro and drummer Gabriel Ferrandini--recorded after a five day residency at the Goethe-Institut Lisbon, the band finding new approaches to playing to distance themselves from the typically fast & energetic music they are often associated with. | |
 | Crossland / Frangenheim Basic Tracks Baltimore New York (Concepts of Doing) |
| Nearly a decade after their first duo collaboration, Ape Green on the Creative Sources label, Wuppertal-born and Berlin-based double bassist Alexander Frangenheim joins again with Baltimore-based trombonist Patrick Crossland for two live performances of wildly creative interaction: first at the 2022 Livewire 12 Festival, then at The Record Shop in Brooklyn. | |
 | Frith, Fred / Sudhu Tewari / Cenk Ergn Lock Me Up, Lock Me Down (Carrier Records) |
| Recorded thirteen years before this release and rediscovered during pandemic lockdowns, the improvising and extremely open-minded trio of Fred Frith on electric guitar, Sudhu Tewari on percussion (or as credited, "recuperated junk") and Cenk Ergun on electronics recorded these seven superb improvisations in the studio at Expression College for Digital Arts, in Emeryville, CA. | |
 | Kim / Rodrigues / Rodrigues / Cholet Taedong (Creative Sources) |
| Emulating the Korean river Taedong through it's undulating flows, uproar, flux and treachery in eleven succinct chamber-oriented improvisations from the quartet of South Korean tenor saxophonist Jung-Jae Kim, French-born South Korean-based drummer Quentin Cholet, with the Portuguese father/son duo of Ernesto Rodrigues on viola and Guilherme Rodrigues on cello. | |
 | Rodrigues, Ernesto / Nuno Torres / Guilherme Rodrigues / Eric Bauer / Stephen Flinn Letters to Milena (Creative Sources) |
| Referencing the book Letters to Milena (Briefe an Milena) by Franz Kafka of his intense love affair with Czech journalist & writer Milena Jesenská, through four lettered parts of a subtly sophisticated set of improvisations by Ernesto Rodrigues (viola), Nuno Torres (alto sax), Guilherme Rodrigues (cello), Eric Bauer (electronics) and Stephen Flinn (percussion). | |
 | Butcher / Prevost High Laver Levitations Vol 1: Unearthed (Matchless) |
| Long-time collaborators and iconoclastic improvisers, drummer Eddie Prévost and saxophonist John Butcher, met at All Hallows Church, in High Laver, Essex in 2023, using the natural ambience of the space to capture these three improvisations, Prévost playing primarily on a drum kit and both in a more jazz-oriented sax and drum duo, extended by both players' exceptional technique. | |
 | Stoffner, Florian / John Butcher / Chris Corsano Braids (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd) |
| With incredible skill and nuance, using extended and stunning technique, and through intent listening of nearly telepathic communication, the trio of Florian Stoffner on guitar, John Butcher on tenor & soprano saxophones and Chris Corsano on drums & half clarinet, perform seven subtle and detailed improvisations live at Le Singe, in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland in 2022. | |
 | Brown, Rob Quartet (Brown / Swell / Lightcap / Taylor) Oblongata (RogueArt) |
| Having met in William Parker's Little Huey Orchestra, long-time collaborators Rob Brown (saxophone & flute) and Steve Swell (trombone), along with Brown's longest improvising partner, double bassist Chris Lightcap, join with drummer Chad Taylor for an exemplary album of modern creative jazz through five Brown compositions and 4 collective improvisations. | |
