The Squid's Ear Magazine

Novoa, Eva

Novoa / Kamaguchi / Cleaver Trio - Vol. 2

Novoa, Eva: Novoa / Kamaguchi / Cleaver Trio - Vol. 2 (577 Records)

Barcelona-born pianist Eva Novoa leads bassist Masa Kamaguchi and drummer Gerald Cleaver in their second trio release for 577 Records, recorded in 2020 and blending melodic density with contrapuntal dialogue through a boldly experimental set on piano, Fender Rhodes, Chinese gongs, and improvisation, deepening the trio's inventive, textural interplay.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Eva Novoa-piano, fender rhodes, Chinese gongs, whistling

Masa Kamaguchi-bass

Gerald Cleaver-drums


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UPC: 755491336021

Label: 577 Records
Catalog ID: CD-577R-5918-2
Squidco Product Code: 35938

Format: CDR
Condition: New
Released: 2025
Country: USA
Packaging: Digipack
Recorded at Oktaven Audio, Mount Vernon, New York, on January 19th, 2020, by Jeremy Loucas.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"The wait is over. If you've been holding your breath since hearing Novoa/Kamaguchi/Cleaver Trio, Vol. 1, it is time to let it out. Vol. 2 is almost here! The group has returned to 577 Records once more, serving a heaping second helping of addictive musical brilliance that comes out in May.

Even The Wire magazine celebrated the trio's first album, calling it "a deep and thoughtful release" - and Vol. 2 is no different. Eva Novoa is the Barcelona-born pianist/composer taking the world by storm with her creativity and talent. And she is back to wow us again on the piano, Fender Rhodes, Chinese gongs, and a little whistling.

To complete the trio, she chose her longtime comrade and collaborator of some fifteen years, bassist Masa Kamaguchi, and Detroit drum wizard Gerald Cleaver. The group has performed live in NYC since 2017. They made their first record (Vol. 1) with 577 Records in 2024. Their highly anticipated Vol. 2 marks Eva's fourth album with the label.

In their upcoming release, Novoa steers the trio through elegant experimentation of its full potential, confidently grasping golden threads from great masters of music to shape her own melodic universe. The multi-instrumentalist says it's where melodic density meets contrapuntal dialogue, a free interplay of rich textures and riveting, masterly improvisation. This smooth complexity is what gives rise to the group's uniqueness.

Like Vol. 1, the album cover art features the work of Novoa's friend and collaborator, popular street photographer Richard Sandler."-577 Records


Artist Biographies

"Pianist, Eva Novoa, was born in Barcelona, Spain. She is a jazz pianist and composer but was classically trained as a kid. She studied Jazz in ESMUC (Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya). In 2005 she traveled for the first time to New York where she studied at Ralph Alessi's school SIM (School for Improvisational Music). In 2005 Eva moved to the Netherlands where she studied at Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague/ Royal Conservatoire (Bachelor in Jazz Piano, Master in Jazz Composition while she was awarded with a full scholarship of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science).

Eva has recorded and produced eight albums with her own music as a leader. All her albums have been released on the international jazz label Fresh Sound New Talent since 2012. Her two most recent albums released in 2016 and 2018 got very good press, including two four star reviews on DownBeat, other relevant reviews on The New York Jazz City Record, Jazziz gave a special mention to her track "Déjà Vu" as song of the month in 2018 or Jazz Weekly in California also published great reviews. Her last album Live At IBeam with her Ditmas Quartet was also selected in two All About Jazz radio shows in January 2019 and April 2019 amongst other free avant garde artists. DownBeat magazine selected this same album as one of the best jazz albums of 2018. Her next quartet album recorded in Miami has just been released on Fresh Sound New Talent, Satellite Quartet in 2020. She is also producing her next double trio album release on 577 records label with her New York Trio which she recorded in 2019 with Drew Gress on bass (and modular synth) and Devin Gray on drums. She works with sound engineer and five times Grammy Award winner Jeremy Loucas. She recently went into the studio again at Oktaven Audio where she recorded another trio with world known jazz drummer Gerald Cleaver and Masatoshi Kamaguchi on bass, also to be released on 577 records. Also, in 2021 she has recorded another trio of improvised music with Daniel Carter on saxophones, trumpet, flute and clarinets and Francisco Mela on drums. This project is soon to be mixed and to be released.

Since she arrived to NY, Eva Novoa has performed at venues like The Stone, Barbès, Korzo Konceptions Music Series, IBeam, Nublu, Cornelia Street Café, Soapbox Gallery, ShapeShifter Lab amongst others. She regularly plays with drummers Billy Mintz, Gerald Cleaver, Jeff Davis, Devin Gray, or Satoshi Takeishi, saxophonists Daniel Carter, Ingrid Laubrock, bass players Drew Gress, Matt Pavolka, saxophonist and drummer Oscar Noriega, drummer Tom Rainey amongst others. She has been a student of classical teacher Sophia Rosoff since 2006. Eva is currently based in New York City since 2012.

While in The Netherlands Eva was invited to play with her quartet Eva Novoa Quartet in the Dutch Jazz Competition 2006. She has been a steady pianist of the West Coast Big Band. They presented their third cd New Dutch in October 2009. With this band she got the chance to play with singers Greetje Kauffeld, Deborah J.Carter and Dutch chromatic harmonica player Hermine Deurloo. She regularly plays in Holland where she has played with musicians like Ruud Jacobs, Greetje Kauffeld, Sjoerd Dijkhuizen, Marcel Serierse, Simon Rigter, Ruben Samama, or Frits Landesbergen and has toured with different projects in Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Poland and Belgium. She was on tour with Portuguese singer based in New York Sara Serpa in 2011, on the European presentation of her album Mobile. In Holland she also worked for the Dutch multi awarded musical production Soldaat van Oranje, De Musical which is the longest running and by far the biggest theatrical production ever staged in The Netherlands with millions of visitors."

-Eva Novoa Website (http://evanovoa.com/english)
5/28/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Masa Kamaguchi - Bass, Japan

Masa Kamaguchi was born in 1966 in Wakkanai City, the northernmost city in Hokkaido, Japan. Masa was inspired to take up the electric bass at age 14 after listening to the records of Jaco Pastorius. In 1985 he moved to Tokyo to attend the Hosei University where he studied engineering but also took up the acoustic bass, studying privately with Yoshio Ikeda, himself a former student of Gary Peacock. In 1990, Masa moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music, and proceeded to study with drummer Joe Hunt. While based in Boston, Kamaguchi was in demand to play with many of the area's great musicians, including Geoge Gazone, Bert Sieger, Hal Crook, Herb Pomeroy and Frank Carberg. During this time in Boston, Masa also toured Europe and Scandinavia on several occasions.

In 1994, Masa moved to New York City where he is much in demand by many groups, performing with such lumininaries as Frank Kimbrough, Sonny Simmons, Ben Monder, David Murray, Toots Thielmans, Tony Malaby, Charles Gale and many others. His recording credits include dates with Frank Kimbrough, Paul Motion, Ron Horton, Dave Douglas, Sonny Simmons, Tony Malaby, John O'allager, Russ Lossing, Billy Mintz and many others.

in 2006, Masa moved to Barcelona, while he maintains strong connections with NY musicians. He also started to play with European musicians, such as Albert Bover, Perico Sambeat, Albert Sanz and Sara Serpa.

In January 2010, for Jamboree's 50-year anniversary, he played for the Jamboree All Star group and also the Fresh Sound All Star Group.

An acutely intuitive player, Masa brings an individual sound and fresh perspective to the acoustic bass. His rich warm tone and modern style define his individuality. Kamaguchi is a versatile player, at home with a truly wide range of musical influences, that translate into his brilliant concept."

-Global Music Foundation (http://www.globalmusicfoundation.org/people/masa-kamaguchi/)
5/28/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Gerald Cleaver (born May 4, 1963) is an African-American jazz drummer from Detroit, Michigan. Cleaver's father is drummer John Cleaver Jr., originally from Springfield, Ohio, and his mother was from Greenwood, Mississippi. Gerald had six older siblings. Cleaver joined the jazz faculty at the University of Michigan in 1995. He has performed or recorded with Joe Morris, Mat Maneri, Roscoe Mitchell, Miroslav Vitous, Michael Formanek, Tomasz Sta ko, Franck Amsallem and others.

Under the name Veil of Names, Cleaver released an album called Adjust on the Fresh Sounds New Talent label in 2001. It featured Maneri, Ben Monder, Andrew Bishop, Craig Taborn and Reid Anderson and was a Best Debut Recording Nominee by the Jazz Journalists Association. Cleaver currently leads the groups Uncle June, Black Host, Violet Hour and NiMbNl as well as working as a sideman with many different artists."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Cleaver_(musician))
5/28/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Modus Vivendi 7:02

2. Triangles For G 9:10

3. Popcorn In Your Brain 4:07

4. From Left To Right 3:56

5. Gonga 2 5:06

6. Mucho Masa 6:24

7. Palomitas De Maiz 4:12

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Jazz
Free Improvisation
Jazz & Improvisation Based on Compositions
Piano Trio (Piano Bass Drums)
Melodic and Lyrical Jazz
NY Downtown & Metropolitan Jazz/Improv
Trio Recordings
New in Improvised Music
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