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Ayler Records<\/a> 134 cd<\/span><\/pre>\n\u00a0<\/address>\nPersonnel:<\/h3>\n
Luis Lopes – electric guitar
\nRodrigo Amado<\/span><\/span><\/a> – tenor saxophone
\nAaron Gonz\u00e1lez – bass
\nStefan Gonz\u00e1lez – drums<\/p>\nCd\u00a0Tracks:<\/h3>\n
1. Bush Baby \u266b<\/span><\/a>
\n2. Jungle Gymnastics \u266b<\/span><\/a>
\n3. Long March For Frida Kahlo
\n4.\u00a0Big Love
\n5. Two Girls \u266b<\/span><\/a>
\n6. Dehumanization Blues \u266b<\/span><\/a><\/p>\nRelease Information:<\/h3>\n1\u00a0by Arthur Blythe
\n2, 3, 4 by Luis Lopes
\n5 by Rodrigo Amado
\n6 by Aaron Gonzalez<\/address>\nRecorded live at Audio For The Arts by Anna Weisling \u2013 Madison U.S. July 8th<\/sup> 2011. Mixed and Mastered by Joaquim Monte at Namouche Studios, Lisbon, Portugal. Produced by Lu\u00eds Lopes. Executive production Stephane Berland for Ayler Records<\/a><\/span><\/span>\u00a0134 (2013). Design by Stephane Berland. All photos by Ant\u00f3nio Julio Duarte.
\nVery special thanks to Dennis and Carol Gonzalez, Ant\u00f3nio Julio Duarte, Joaquim Monte, Pedro Costa, Andy Durta, Dave Dove, Damon Smith, Pedro Moreno, Brian Nothing, Nicole Pacelli, Frank Rosaly, Mitch Cocanig and Brooke Jackson.<\/p>\nPress Release:<\/h3>\n
In June 2011, a few month after the release on Ayler Records of their second recording, Electricity<\/a>, the quartet of Lu\u00eds Lopes (guitar), Rodrigo Amado (tenor sax), Aaron Gonz\u00e1lez (bass) and Stefan Gonz\u00e1lez (drums) went on a 10-city US East Coast tour, passing through Dallas, Austin, Houston, New Orleans, Washington, Philadelphia, New York, Detroit, Chicago and Madison. That last evening in Madison, there was plenty of great energy in the air and the quartet was in full gear for their typical tight mix of free jazz, rock, funk and bluesy hard bop. On tour with them was photographer Ant\u00f3nio J\u00falio Duarte and the disc comes in a limited edition with a 12-page booklet of his photos from the band’s trip.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Reviews:<\/span><\/h2>\n“<\/i><\/span>On retrouve les fr\u00e8res Gonzales au sein du Humanization Quartet, formation qui propose avec \u201cLive in Madison\u201d (r\u00e9v\u00e9lation !) un disque particuli\u00e8rement d\u00e9capant. D\u2019un c\u00f4t\u00e9 le saxophone t\u00e9nor de Rodrigo Amando, au souffle ayl\u00e9rien \u00e0 d\u00e9corner les boeufs et au d\u00e9bit de tron\u00e7onneuse d\u00e9glingu\u00e9e, de l\u2019autre, la guitare \u00e9lectrique sauvage et bruitiste de Luis Lopes (visiblement davantage marqu\u00e9 par Sonic Youth que par Wes Montgomery), le tout sur une rythmique v\u00e9ritablement d\u00e9cha\u00een\u00e9e. Bref, de la musique qui d\u00e9m\u00e9nage, \u00e0 mille lieues du CD de salsa que notre farceur de r\u00e9dacteur en chef m\u2019avait gliss\u00e9 par erreur dans la pochette!” \u00a0Pascal Rozat<\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0Jazz Magazine<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>The portuguese electric guitarist and blazing tenorist Rodrigo Amado, steady bassist Aaron Gonz\u00e1lez and splashy Stefan Gonz\u00e1lez on drums have emerged from Wisconsin with this new set. Recorded in 2011 at Audio for the Arts, the CD is a rollicking six-song set (five originals plus a jumpy, prodding jam on Arthur Blythe’s “Bush Baby”). Lopes’ guitar can be funky with lots of wah-wah, chords and single notes, but his solo voice here is mostly absent. The aptly titled, dense “Jungle Gymnastics” is a free-jazz free-for-all. Amado’s beefy horn drives the album, charging with steady, solemn advances on “Long March For Frida Kahlo.” The slippery rock cadences of “Two Girls” become a center for pritely polyphonic careening” \u00a0John Ephland<\/span><\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0<\/span>Downbeat<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>This is the third release of the 4tet after the self-titled and Electricity<\/em> (Clean Feed\/Ayler, 2008\/2010) and was recorded at the end of a ten-dates East Coast tour in Madison, Wisconsin. Though the 4tet is credited as guitarist Luis Lopes\u00a0guitar<\/em>‘ project it operates as a band with no leader. This recording present the quartet in full gear, bursting with flowing energy and passion, presenting its own blend of fiery free jazz, muscular funk and bluesy hard bop. Within this energetic and inspired performance there are variations. The only cover, Arthur Blythe (b.1940 sax), alto<\/em>‘s “Bush Baby,” features the soulful post-bop roots of the quartet members. Lopes’ “Jungle Gymnastics” features himself in an intense, uncompromising interplay with tenor saxophonist Rodrigo Amado (b.1964) saxophone<\/em> that references the raw one of Peter Brotzmann (b.1941 reeds)<\/em> and Sonny\u00a0Sharrock\u00a0(1940 \u2013 1994) guitar, electric<\/em> in the seminal Last Exit. The tight, telepathic rhythm section of the Gonz\u00e1lez brothers propel Lopes’ distorted guitar lines on “Long March For Frida Kahlo” and Amado’s powerful hard-bop soloing on “Two Girls” , melting supple, funky pulse with the direct and rough playing of Lopes and the muscular one of Amado. The quartet closes with the volcanic and dark “Dehumanization Blues,” a vehicle for explosive solos by all the quartet members” \u00a0Eyal Hareuveni<\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0All About Jazz New York<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“\u00c9 prov\u00e1vel que os habitantes de Madison Wisconsin, que tivessem ideia da m\u00fasica que se faz em Portugal associassem a plang\u00eancia, fatalismo e xailes negros. Se assim era, os que acorreram ao \u00c1udio for the Arts, na noite de 8 de Julho de 2011, tiveram uma surpresa. O Humanizariam 4tet de Lu\u00eds Lopes (guitarra), Rodrigo Amado (sax) e dos irm\u00e3os Aaron (contrabaixo) e Stefan Gonzalez bateria j\u00e1 tinha dois excelentes discos de est\u00fadio \u2013 Humanizariam 4tet<\/em> e Electricity<\/em> \u2013 mas este live captado no final de uma tourn\u00e9e<\/em> americana vai mais longe em incandesc\u00eancia e entrosamento. Do funk-rock man\u00edaco de \u201cBush Baby\u201d \u00e0 f\u00faria corrosiva de \u201cDehumanization Blues\u201d, o fogo de barragem \u00e9 implac\u00e1vel e n\u00e3o deixa ao ouvinte outra sa\u00edda sen\u00e3o a rendi\u00e7\u00e3o incondicional” \u00a0Jos\u00e9 Carlos Fernandes \/\u00a0Time Out Lisboa <\/em><\/span>\u2217\u2217\u2217\u2217\u2217<\/span> (5 em 5)<\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>[\u2026] \u00e9 na sess\u00e3o com o enf\u00e1tico Rodrigo Amado e com a osm\u00f3tica sec\u00e7\u00e3o r\u00edtmica dos irm\u00e3os Aaron e Stefan Gonz\u00e1lez que se verifica uma t\u00fargida orat\u00f3ria jamais tolhida pelas suas pr\u00f3prias aspira\u00e7\u00f5es. Restaurando temas de um par de \u00e1lbuns, numa l\u00f3gica mais concentracion\u00e1ria do que expansionista, a surpresa maior \u00e9 a inclus\u00e3o no alinhamento de \u2018Bush Baby\u2019, de Arthur Blythe, o que de certa forma confirma haver aqui algo daquele postulado partilhado pelo Music Revelation Ensemble ou pelo Prime Time, de Ornette Coleman, que sugere que o c\u00e9rebro \u00e9 como um m\u00fasculo e que a dan\u00e7a se pode passar na nossa cabe\u00e7a. Fundamental!” \u00a0Jo\u00e3o Santos<\/em>\u00a0\/ Jornal<\/span>\u00a0EXPRESSO<\/span> \u00a0<\/em>\u00a0\u2217\u2217\u2217\u2217\u2217<\/span> (5 em 5)<\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>Voil\u00e0 un nom qui ne court pas les rues, Luis Lopes humanization 4tet <\/strong>sort un LIVE IN MADISON (Ayler Rds\/Orkhestra) tremp\u00e9 dans le chaudron du free jazz\/punk version 21e si\u00e8cle. Voil\u00e0 un disque bourr\u00e9 d\u2019\u00e9nergie, pas de r\u00e9pit ou si peu et m\u00eame si le guitariste (Luis Lopes) semble quelquefois en retrait il nous offre des instants de tension extr\u00eame. Vous l\u2019aurez compris, la musique du quartet est une v\u00e9ritable dynamite, intense et radicale, les deux Gonzales, Aaron \u00e0 la contrebasse et Stefan \u00e0 la batterie, propulsent litt\u00e9ralement la musique et le saxo t\u00e9nor de Rodrigo Amado est telle une tornade ; ce live est simplement monstrueusement magnifique et puissant. Entre un premier titre d\u2019Arthur Blythe qui monte en puissance, une belle ballade Long march for Frida Kalho, et un Dehumanization Blues en forme de free\/blues, ce disque vaut toutes les attentions. Jazz pour oreilles exp\u00e9riment\u00e9es” \u00a0Bruno Pin<\/span><\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0<\/span>…491 blog<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>Otra maravilla hecha por m\u00fasicos que seguro resultar\u00e1n desconocidos o semi desconocidos para una buena parte de los aficionados es “Live In Madison” del guitarrista portugu\u00e9s Luis Lopes y su cuarteto, denominado como Humanization 4tet, que se ajustar\u00eda muy bien a una descripci\u00f3n del tipo “como contemplar la libertad desde todos los \u00e1ngulos”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n“La frase de arriba creo que es un reflejo claro de la tem\u00e1tica del disco y podr\u00eda quedar como resumen en una cr\u00edtica corta, puesto que el trabajo, que se compone de solo seis temas, presenta variaciones en cada uno de ellos. Cada uno de los temas parece dedicado a un estilo o g\u00e9nero concreto, en el cual la estructura, la intenci\u00f3n no se modifican y las diferentes perspectivas llevan al mismo fin. Hay que volver a insistir -aunque en el p\u00e1rrafo de arriba ya queda bastante claro- que es un disco de eminente corte free, algo que se lleva siempre por bandera pero ayudado por unas bases r\u00edtmicas que le otorgan caracter\u00edsticas propias a cada uno de los mismos.<\/p>\n
Se viaja desde una atm\u00f3sfera bastante enfocada hacia el rock en el primero, donde Lopes a base de distorsiones constantes crea momentos de verdadera categor\u00eda -para mi tal vez los mejores del disco- hasta los inspirados en blues en el t\u00edtulo final, dejando en los cortes centrales, espacio para un tema muy en\u00e9rgico y de dif\u00edcil asimilaci\u00f3n por parte de los oyentes menos acostumbrados, de ritmo punzante y desgarrador, para a continuaci\u00f3n sumergirse en aguas tranquilas sin apenas perturbaciones y salir acto seguido hacia otras nuevas aventuras, donde cierto aire funk, de car\u00e1cter desenfadado se hace patente.<\/p>\n
La energ\u00eda, el dinamismo y la mezcla de las bases comentadas arriba con la libertad interpretativa de los instrumentos solistas en cada ocasi\u00f3n van creando un adicci\u00f3n muy complicada de ser sacudida; salvo en el segundo, donde el ambiente puede llegar a ser irrespirable, el resto del contenido no es complicado de digerir y aporta gran entretenimiento y muy buenas sensaciones.<\/p>\n
El disco sin lugar a dudas me ha parecido magn\u00edfico y la grabaci\u00f3n est\u00e1 en consonancia, con dos instrumentos por canal, que sin llegar a ser binaural, si que se aprecian posiciones fijas y casi siempre muy correcta dispersi\u00f3n, que otorgan credibilidad a lo que escuchamos, algo siempre necesario. La sensaci\u00f3n de sumergirse en el concierto y sentise espectador del mismo ha sido plenamente lograda. Da gusto escuchar m\u00fasica con ese nivel de calidad en todos los \u00f3rdenes, de verdad” \u00a0JAZZ MAXX<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>Guitarist Lu\u00eds Lopes\u2019 Humanization 4tet tears it up for a young crowd Live In Madison<\/em> on a limited edition CD (600 copies) that includes a 12-page booklet of photos from the show. It\u2019s hard to go wrong when you\u2019ve got brothers on bass and drums, since they have a lock that just can\u2019t be beat. The Gonz\u00e1lez brothers, Aaron on bass and Stefan on drums, were raised in the heady free jazz atmosphere fostered by their father, trumpeter Dennis Gonz\u00e1lez. They still play with Dad in Yells At Eels, and they\u2019re ready for anything you throw at them. The pair is deep in the pocket from the first notes of the hard grooving Bush Baby<\/em>. The quartet\u2019s version of this Arthur Blythe tune starts the show off with a bang. The unabashedly electric Lopes is a wildly unpredictable player. He also contributes three songs to the proceedings, the frenetic Jungle Gymnastics<\/em>, the peaceful Long March For Frida Kahlo<\/em> featuring an emotional bass solo by Aaron Gonz\u00e1lez, and the hard-riffing Big Love<\/em>. Lopes\u2019 guitar is worth paying attention to at all times, whether he\u2019s soloing with abandon or egging on saxophonist Rodrigo Amado. Not that the excitable Amado needs more encouragement to take off into the outer reaches of his horn, where his sound can grow a bit strained. He\u2019s more convincing in the middle of the tenor\u2019s range, like his fiery solo on the set-closing Dehumanization Blues<\/em>. Lopes pulls out all the stops on this one in a deranged and loud solo that finally does push Amado into ecstatic high-register screaming. A thumping drum solo interrupts everything and leads to the final recapitulation of Aaron Gonz\u00e1lez\u2019s somewhat gloomy theme. The Humanization 4tet offers powerful and disruptive sounds from off the beaten track, and they\u2019re well worth a listen” \u00a0Stuart Kremsky<\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0The IAJRC Journal<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>Ce soir l\u00e0, le guitariste Luis Lopez, le fi\u00e9vreux saxophoniste t\u00e9nor Rodrigo Amado et les fr\u00e8res Gonzalez en guise de section rythmique se sont arr\u00eat\u00e9s sur la route de Madison. Et ils ont mis le feu. Litt\u00e9ralement, tant leur synth\u00e8se de free rock, blues primitif, post-punk et hard bop, tel un alcool fort, saisit \u00e0 la gorge. Emprunt\u00e9 \u00e0 Arthur Blythe, le th\u00e8me d\u2019ouverture est n\u00e9cessaire et suffisant pour que la messe (noire) soit dite : cette musique est celle de la virulence, des asp\u00e9rit\u00e9s et de la rage. Devant un public de tatou\u00e9s, le quartet \u00e9l\u00e8ve la concision et la haute \u00e9nergie au rang des beaux-arts, et allume des \u00e9tincelles de beaut\u00e9 convulsive et de tr\u00e9pidation groovy. Eprouvante, l\u2019aventure n\u2019en est pas moins vibratile” \u00a0Christian Larr\u00e8de<\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0Jazz news<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>Breaking from my usual format, which is focused on musicians active on the contemporary New York scene, I jumped at the opportunity to review an album recorded live in Madison, a city that served as my home for many years before moving to Brooklyn. The album, by the Humanization 4tet, features Portuguese guitarist Luis Lopes leading a band with Rodrigo Amado (tenor saxophone), Aaron Gonzalez (bass), and Stefan Gonzalez (drums). This is the band\u2019s third official release, following a self-titled album (Clean Feed, 2008) and Electricity<\/em> (Ayler, 2010)”<\/p>\nMadison is not a city with a particularly active jazz or avant music scene, but as it is teeming with thousands of students, there is always a hunger for new sounds and daring art. A surprising number of bands have recorded while passing through Madison, such as Nirvana and Garbage, and adventurous labels such as Utech<\/a> (based in nearby Milwaukee) further enhance the music scene. A great deal of activity also occurs on the live scene or through an underground network of house concerts. I remember hosting my own as a college student in the basement of a house on St. James Court. The city is also blessed with dedicated record stores that have persisted and even flourished in the era of downloadable music, the most spectacular being Strictly Discs<\/a> on Monroe Street. It was into this environment that Luis Lopes led his band, surrounded by eager students enthralled by the freshness of the band\u2019s sound. The recording was done live, engineered by Audio for the Arts<\/a> and has some nice photos that further illustrate the atmosphere of the live performance.<\/p>\nThe record opens with \u201cBush Baby,\u201d a tune with a funky feel to it driven by the robust tenor of Amado over guitar and rhythm. Lopes shows multiple faces in his playing, moving from fluid lines to crisp, delicate deliveries. The song possesses some great narrative tension instilled in the improvised interactions between tenor and guitar, positioned above the steady propulsion of drums and bass. Amado really shines in his solo moments, as does Lopes, in turn. In the later moments, the two lead instruments construct an enticing jagged ambiance that simmers over rhythmic energy.<\/p>\n
The following two songs, \u201cJungle Gymnastics\u201d and \u201cLong March for Frida Kahlo\u201d reveal very different moods from the band. The first of the two features energized group interaction with all four musicians contributing to the conversation. The rhythm is far freer than on the opening track and oscillates beneath Amado\u2019s burning melodic cuts, often producing a dense, complex mix. The following tune, the longest on the record, is pared down compared to the others on the record, with tenor and guitar, successively, out front again over shifting rhythms. But here were get to hear each individual voice in greater clarity.<\/p>\n
\u201cBig Love\u201d opens with a unison melody of guitar and tenor over sparkling rhythm that showcases yet another feel for the band. Perhaps the greatest beneficiary is Amado, who is given plenty of open space to develop his own expression, while at times the band again engages in dense interactions. Aaron Gonzalez also gets his greatest exposure on bass, with a long, sure-footed solo near the end of the piece.<\/p>\n
While all of these tunes convey an energized, fun feeling, \u201cTwo Girls\u201d is the most obvious tune that fits into this vein, and possesses a funky, yet catchy melody that slowly gets more abstract throughout the song. By 6:30, is has become fully deconstructed, but manages to reunite before concluding. Finally, \u201cDehumanization Blues\u201d closes with a cutting tenor introduction, turbulent bass, and steady drums that builds to a unity at 2:29. From that momentary meeting place, Amado explodes out and leads along until Lopes begins adding crystalline accents, crackling above tenor and rhythm. Then the leader adds searing guitar lines that feed into a rolling drum solo towards an eventual conclusion.<\/p>\n
Humanization 4tet thrives in the live setting and one can feel the connection that they build with their assembled crowd. For anyone interested in hearing cutting edge music, check out this album, the latest accomplishment by this remarkable quartet” \u00a0Cisco Bradley<\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a021st Century improvised Music on the New york Scene<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>La guitare de Lu\u00eds Lopes<\/strong> est sale. Sale et robuste. On peut lui trouver quelques airs sharrockiens voire hendrixiens. C\u2019est une guitare hurlante et qui n\u2019a de politesse que dans l\u2019irrespect. Elle est soupir de sang, torture et r\u00e9cif. Elle broie le noir et n\u2019enfante que du plus noir. Souvent, elle entre en querelle avec le saxo batailleur de Rodrigo Amado. A vrai dire souvent. Voire tr\u00e8s souvent. En v\u00e9rit\u00e9 : tout le temps. Le t\u00e9nor portugais qui y d\u00e9ploie lyrisme et venin ne l\u00e2che jamais prise. Les deux frangins Gonzalez<\/strong> (Aaron: contrebasse,\u00a0Stefan: batterie) mettent la finesse au placard et prennent soin de jeter la cl\u00e9 tr\u00e8s loin. Ils ne sont pas dentelle mais scie. Scie ac\u00e9r\u00e9e et tranchante. Parfois \u2013 mais rarement \u2013, tout ce beau monde demande gr\u00e2ce : respiration n\u00e9cessaire que se charge de pervertir \u00e0 foison l\u2019empoisonnante guitare de Lu\u00eds Lopes<\/strong>. Chassez le naturel\u2026” \u00a0Luc Bouquet \/ le son du grisli<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“Respectively, Portuguese artists Luis Lopes (guitar) and Rodrigo Amado (b.1964, saxophone) are known for aggressive tactics and forward motion at almost any tempo. There’s nothing sheepish about this live date, recorded in Madison, WI. And there’s no looking back as the band seemingly loaded up on energy drinks for this high-impact set. Lopes’ variable use of distortion techniques\u2014among other factors\u2014provide a razor-sharp and stinging soundstage, coupled with Amado’s rip-roaring solos. They use space as an equalizer amid snaking time changes and vibrant pulses laid out by the rhythm section. Hence, this performance must have given the audience an adrenalin rush. The quartet gels to a smacking funk-rock groove on “Two Girls.” Amado’s heavily serrated lines, abetted with screeching plaintive cries and torrential downpours underscore the ferocity of the overall vibe. They punch out a firm pulse as the frontline renders bop- like unison choruses to state the primary theme. Lopes often counters and circles Amado’s phrasings as they build tension and mix it up with a touch of skronk during the bridge. Here, the musicians throw caution to the wind, amped by the rhythm section’s punchy outline. Hence, the diverse track mix serves them well. But it’s the performers’ collective tenacity and unrelenting force-field that catapult this outing to towering heights, equating to a decidedly entertaining form-factor” \u00a0Glenn Astarita, track review of “Two Girls”<\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0ALL ABOUT JAZZ New York<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>Une cave humide, des gens bizarres et de la bi\u00e8re, voila quelques mots qui pourraient d\u00e9crire le humanization Quartet, goupe violemment coinc\u00e9 entre le Rock et le free-punk mais bizarrement class\u00e9 dans le Jazz. A une \u00e9poque o\u00f9 on a tendance \u00e0 minimiser la musique, a\u00e9rer les mixes et \u201cm\u00e9tronomiser\u201d les enregistrements, Luis Lopes (guitare \u00e9lectrique), Rodrigo Amado (sax t\u00e9nor), Aaron Gonzalez (Contrebasse) et Stefan Gonzalez (batterie), n\u2019en ont rien \u00e0 foutre, clairement. Bien que cet esprit survolt\u00e9 peut parfois suffire \u00e0 d\u00e9crire un ensemble, il serait tr\u00e8s r\u00e9ducteur de limiter le Humanization Quartet \u00e0 cela. Ce qu\u2019il faut retenir, c\u2019est que l\u2019\u00e9nergie dicte tout. Comme souvent dans les musiques free, l\u2019harmonie peut \u00eatre laiss\u00e9e de c\u00f4t\u00e9 au profit du rythme et des variations d\u2019\u00e9nergie. Comme souvent dans les musiques free, \u00e7a peut \u00eatre plus ou moins bien fait, mais ici, c\u2019est plus que r\u00e9ussi. \u00c0 l\u2019\u00e9coute du disque, on a l\u2019impression que le quartet a deux ambiances de pr\u00e9dilection. La premi\u00e8re, les riffs rythmiques (souvent en six temps) qui permettent de se focaliser sur la mont\u00e9e de l\u2019\u00e9nergie d\u2019un chorus. Ce genre de phase permet d\u2019aller chercher l\u2019\u00e9motion dans la r\u00e9p\u00e9tition \u00e9nerv\u00e9e d\u2019un sch\u00e9ma de rythme et de son (\u00e0 la mani\u00e8re du drone). La seconde est un esp\u00e8ce de jazz ternaire d\u00e9cousu et volontairement foireux qui s\u2019oppose a la premi\u00e8re dans sa mani\u00e8re m\u00e9canqiue (une machine devenue folle) de remplir l\u2019espace. Le Humanization quartet se situe donc entre Hard-Bop et Hard-Rock, et si l\u2019\u00e9nergie est celle d\u2019un rock virulent, l\u2019\u00e9criture des th\u00e8mes est clairement novatrice et dans une lign\u00e9e jazz. Un petit bravo au passage au dernier morceau de l\u2019album, Dehumanization Blues qui m\u00e9rite vraiment d\u2019\u00eatre \u00e9cout\u00e9” \u00a0Benoit Larrieu \/ Djam, Le jazz en papier recycl\u00e9<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>A l\u2019\u00e9coute de l\u2019album studio Electricity, sorti il y a deux ans \u00e0 peine sur le label Ayler Records, tout portait \u00e0 croire que chez l\u2019Humanization 4tet<\/strong>, groupe du guitariste lusitanien Lu\u00eds Lopes<\/strong>, l\u2019urgence m\u00e2tin\u00e9e de tension pouvait lib\u00e9rer toute son \u00e9nergie sur sc\u00e8ne. La pochette de ce Live In Madison<\/em> ne laisse gu\u00e8re de doutes : l\u2019attitude survolt\u00e9e du public, comme hypnotis\u00e9 par une d\u00e9charge de tension, en dit plus long que n\u2019importe quel commentaire.<\/p>\nLe quartet ouvre ce disque avec un in\u00e9dit. Au premier abord, cette version de \u00ab Bush Baby \u00bb diff\u00e8re grandement de l\u2019originale, par le saxophoniste Arthur Blythe. Bien s\u00fbr, ce v\u00e9n\u00e9rable comparse de Gil Evans n\u2019avait pas pr\u00e9vu la sauvagerie anguleuse du t\u00e9nor de Rodrigo Amado<\/strong>, qui se fracasse sur la masse polyrythmique de la batterie de Stefan Gonz\u00e1lez <\/strong>. Mais l\u2019ostinato lancinant de Lopes, qui se d\u00e9lite sous les coups de boutoir du saxophone, laisse entrevoir une m\u00e9canique plus subtile. Au fil des morceaux, issus du premier album, sorti en 2008 chez Clean Feed, et d\u2019Electricity<\/em>, on sent que la contrebasse languide mais tonique d\u2019Aaron Gonz\u00e1lez <\/strong>m\u00e9nage l\u2019espace n\u00e9cessaire pour que sur \u00ab Long March For Frida Kalho \u00bb, par exemple, le rapport de force ne devienne pas ici l\u2019axe central. Car Live In Madison<\/em> n\u2019est pas que bruit et fureur ; point de c\u00e9r\u00e9monie vaguement punk o\u00f9 l\u2019on d\u00e9monterait du jazz \u00e0 grand coup de watts. Au contraire, les brisures \u00e9lectriques surgies de ces \u00ab Jungle Gymnastics \u00bb \u00e9chevel\u00e9es construisent un bolide atypique et rutilant, aussi minutieux qu\u2019in\u00e9luctable.<\/p>\nIl serait trop simple en effet de r\u00e9sumer le propos d\u2019Humanization 4tet \u00e0 une fr\u00e9n\u00e9tique confrontation. Il n\u2019y a pas, d\u2019un c\u00f4t\u00e9, le lyrisme exacerb\u00e9 d\u2019Amado et le go\u00fbt pour le mouvement qu\u2019il d\u00e9montre sur son r\u00e9cent “Flame\u00a0Alphabet”, et de l\u2019autre la causticit\u00e9 m\u00e9tallique de de Lopes. \u00c9videmment, sur le \u00ab Dehumanization Blues \u00bb final, leurs \u00e9changes \u00e9voquent un free jazz et un rock qui ne seraient pas amalgam\u00e9s mais violemment projet\u00e9s l\u2019un contre l\u2019autre afin de provoquer une r\u00e9action en cha\u00eene ; si cela reste la signature du groupe, la base rythmique conserve son r\u00f4le de centre de gravit\u00e9 imposant et indispensable, qui permet toutes les envol\u00e9es. Les fr\u00e8res Gonz\u00e1lez m\u00e8nent un train d\u2019enfer, poussent leurs acolytes dans des retranchements apparemment sans limites. Ainsi, le groove presque l\u00e9ger de \u00ab Two Girls \u00bb se durcit de plus en plus jusqu\u2019\u00e0 imploser dans un bouillonnement furieux o\u00f9 l\u2019on plonge avec gourmandise. Un tel d\u00e9ferlement de vivacit\u00e9 prohibe l\u2019immobilit\u00e9 quoiqu\u2019il arrive. Il ne reste qu\u2019\u00e0 danser, m\u00eame de fa\u00e7on d\u00e9sordonn\u00e9e. Seul compte le mouvement” \u00a0Frampi Barriaux<\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0Citizen Jazz\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>This disc was (well) recorded live in Madison, Wisconsin in July of 2011. Although this is the third disc by the Humanization 4tet, both Portuguese musicians (Lopes & Amado) have other projects\/discs out as do the Gonzalez brothers who are members of Yells at Eels with their father Dennis as well as working with other fine players like Curtis Clark. While Luis (3), Rodrigo (1) and Aaron (1) all contribute compositions to this disc there is one cover of the classic song by Arthur Blythe called “Bush Baby” which opens this disc. “Bush Baby” features a rather funky groove with some sly, wah wah guitar from Luis and great tenor from Rodrigo. It has that fresh mid-seventies loft-jazz sound which still sounds great today by blending categories seamlessly, without regard to current trends. Both Luis on electric guitar and Rodrigo on tenor sax take a number of slamming solos throughout, filled with bent, barbed-wire spirits, twists and turns. “Jungle Gymnastics” is an appropriately titled song with is fast and furious and constantly shifting gears as it soars. Funk or punk\/jazz?!? This does have some of that hybridization and unexpected changes in direction. Don’t get me wrong, not all of this is over-the-top. “Long March for Frida Kahlo” does have a more relaxed and memorable melody which elps to balance the craziness somewhat. This quartet once played here at DMG a few years ago and were amazing. This disc does capture them on a particularly inspired evening. Strong medicine for troubled times” \u00a0Bruce Lee<\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0DOWNTONW MUSIC GALLERY<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“The Humanization 4tet, led by Lisbon-based guitarist Lu\u00eds Lopes features Amado on tenor sax and the Dallas sibling rhythm team of Aaron and Stefan Gonz\u00e1lez on bass and drums, respectively. Recorded in Wisconsin following a short stateside tour, the quartet\u2019s third release, Live in Madison <\/em>is another example of extremely high energy in a studio setting, mixing head-banging beats with free-form thinking. Lopes parries Amado\u2019s granular screeching with angular comping, hocketing accents and noise-themed solos, methodically sequenced and insistently delivered over the Gonz\u00e1lez brothers\u2019 mosh-pit pulsing” \u00a0Tom Greenland \/\u00a0THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>Este verano en Liubliana el Motion Trio del saxofonista Rodrigo Amado reforzado con la guitarra de Luis Lopes ofreci\u00f3 uno de los conciertos m\u00e1s potentes del festival (palabras mayores si tenemos en cuenta que el protagonista del evento era nada menos que Peter Br\u00f6tzmann). No menos potente resulta la tercera entrega del Humanization 4tet que lidera Lopes tambi\u00e9n junto a Amado y esa demoledora r\u00edtmica tejana que forman los hermanos Aaron y Stefan Gonzalez. Grabado al final de una gira americana que serv\u00eda de presentaci\u00f3n del precedente Electricity<\/em>, el disco arranca a todo trapo con una versi\u00f3n del Bush Baby<\/em> de Arthur Blythe donde asoma la guitarra de querencias ruidistas de Lopes. El resto es una especie de “greatest hits” de la banda ya que todos son temas propios que se inclu\u00edan en sus dos discos anteriores pero que con la magia del directo ganan en espontaneidad. La m\u00fasica del cuarteto se decanta hacia el free-funk con ciertas dosis de blues, pero lo que asombra es su pegada explosiva y lo bien que encaja la agresividad de Lopes con el sonido gran\u00edtico de Amado. Intensidad, crudeza, una toma de sonido fant\u00e1stica y un groove arrollador son las principales virtudes de este magn\u00edfico disco” \u00a0Cayetano Lopez Rueda<\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0Dark was the Night Blog<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“Het Americentrisme<\/em> is nog altijd dominant in jazzland. Zo waren Europese muzikanten in de recente DownBeat-polls steevast in de minderheid, een fenomeen dat ook niet onbekend is op aardig wat grote(re) jazzfestivals. In de werelden van freejazz en vrije improvisatie is het tij echter al lang gekeerd. Daar zijn internationale samenwerkingsverbanden schering en inslag en kan je gerust spreken van een hele reeks nationale scholen die naast elkaar bestaan en overlappen. Dat Portugal gerust bij de boeiende landen van het moment gerekend mag worden, wordt nog eens bevestigd door deze handvol releases.<\/p>\nGitarist Luis Lopes is niet bepaald de meest bekende muzikant van Portugal, maar wel eentje die gestaag werkt aan een divers oeuvre. Dit is het derde album van zijn kwartet met landgenoot Rodrigo Amado (tenorsax) en de Amerikaanse broers Aaron (bas) en Stefan Gonz\u00e1lez (drums). Live In Madison<\/em> werd opgenomen tijdens de Oostkusttournee naar aanleiding van hun tweede langspeler Electricity<\/em> (2010) en laat een band aan het werk horen die de werelden van freejazz, funk, potige rock-\u2018n-roll en hardbop naadloos aan elkaar koppelt.<\/p>\nVanaf opener \u201cBush Baby\u201d, geleend bij de ondergewaardeerde cultfiguur Arthur Blythe, wordt duidelijk dat deze band een retestrak geheel vormt. De broers Gonz\u00e1lez (zonen van de Texaanse trompettist Dennis) zijn in geen tijd in de weer met een opzwepende rockvibe, terwijl Lopes al even funky in de weer is. Samen met Amado wordt er lekker loos gegaan in een compositie die knap in elkaar steekt en toch robuuste ongedwongenheid uitstraalt. De wilde, rafelige solo van Lopes doet aan het beste van Nels Cline denken. Met \u201cJungle Gymnastics\u201d, overgenomen van het vorige album, wordt het boeltje al helemaal aan de kook gebracht, met een woeste energie die zich kan meten met die van The Thing en het diep ronkende en vuil scheurend saxwerk van Amado, die zich hier van z\u2019n meest agressieve kant laat zien.<\/p>\n
Een ander gelaat krijg je te horen in \u201cLong March For Frida Kahlo\u201d, dat volledig op een kringelende baslijn gedrapeerd wordt en eerder bedachtzame oorden opzoekt. \u201cTwo Girls\u201d is dan weer een en al aanstekelijkheid, flirtend met funk en pop, maar met een onaflatende verbetenheid. Afsluiten gebeurt met de rollende spieren van \u201cDehumanization Blues\u201d. Hier kunnen Amado en Lopes echt soleren in een zetel dankzij het strakke funderingswerk van de broers. Live In Madison<\/em> verenigt dan ook spieren met knappe composities van vier persoonlijkheden die dit moeiteloos boven het gemiddelde actiewerk tillen. Aanrader voor wie z\u2019n (free)jazz graag recht voor de raap en met een rauwe rockkracht heeft” \u00a0Guy Peters \/ Enola Zoekt U<\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>Luis Lopes’ Humanization 4tet caught my interests a while back after I read a review of their eponymous First album. Indeed, as Stef described, the group still possesses a straight forwardness, backed up by raw intensity and sharp technical skills. Live in Madison<\/em> was recorded in Madison, Wisconsin at the end of a US tour that the 4tet did in support of 2010’s\u00a0“Electricity”. The recording’s sound is great, capturing the dynamics of the group perfectly. The opening track ‘Bush Baby’ begins with a tension filled blast of sound over a repetitive bubbling bass and drum line. Lopes wields the guitar with abandon, playing cool melodic single note runs and ramping up to some knotty chordal passages. Sax player Rodrigo Amado digs in on track two, ‘Jungle Gymnastics’, where after a quick set of unison lines with Lopes, the tunes becomes a barely contained rumpus with each throwing around shards of sounds — rhythmically free and brutally melodic. Drummer Stefan Gonzalez and bassist Aaron Gonzalez provide a tight groove on ‘Two Girls’ giving Lopes a chance to to spin a dangerous solo. Amado’s sax intertwines with Lopes’ guitar mesmerizingly. Along with the hard hitting bouts, there are glimpses of beauty, like the stately solo bass beginning to track 3, ‘Long March for Frieda Khalo’. At times, the concise and energetic themes are reminiscent of intense groups like The Thing or Acoustic Ladyland, though the Humanization 4tet is a bit more complex and less post-punk. Live in Madison<\/em> is a great companion piece to the Humanization 4tet’s slim but solid discography” \u00a0Paul Acquaro<\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0FreeJazz Blog<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>If you want to wake yourself up, you’d do well to check out the recent album by the Luis Lopes Humanization Quartet, Live in Madison<\/em> (Ayler 134). It’s a very hot quartet, in some ways an offshoot of Dennis Gonzalez’s Yells at Eels band (more on that later this week). This quartet takes no prisoners, in that it is blazing a path of fire where it will and you get into it because you want some of that heat in your world, or that’s what I am feeling anyway.<\/p>\nThe mix of players is excellent. Two Portuguese heavies and the Gonzalez brothers from down Texas way. Luis Lopes leads the band and brings in three abstract-concrete compositions. He shows you what he’s made of on electric guitar–fire and dry ice, blazing electric outness, inferno-maelstroms of sound.<\/p>\n
His front-line partner is the always hot Rodrigo Amado on tenor (and one composition)–who sounds brilliant as he always seems to, getting that great big tenor sound and putting something on every note he plays. Like a master spitball pitcher, he starts in one place and then there is action you cannot predict but it ends in another not-always-expected end point. The combination of Rodrigo and Luis is as potent as any one-two punch around and they show why very convincingly here.<\/p>\n
Then there are the Gonzalez brothers, sons of Dennis Gonzalez and becoming one of the hippest and most capable rhythm teams around today. Aaron is the world class bassist that gets the ostinatos into cruising mode with a big fat sound, can walk and solo with real authority and does here. He also contributes one of the compositions. Stefan combines hard-hitting strength with great chops for a busy swinging sound perfect to launch this quartet into outer space.<\/p>\n
This is all about the four together in smoking space-mode. But it is also about the very together advanced playing of each individually. All of them are at the top as with what is going on in advanced jazz with a rock edge. In tandem they are unbeatable.players<\/p>\n
In any way you care to look at this one, it’s a big winner. It has the torque of rock, the unpredictability of outness and some really great improvisations and compositional launching points.<\/p>\n
Get this!” \u00a0Grego Applegate \/ Gapplegate Guitar and Bass Blog<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>Apenas o primeiro tema deste \u201cLive in Madison\u201d n\u00e3o surgiu nos dois \u00e1lbuns anteriores do Humanization 4tet de Lu\u00eds Lopes, \u201cBush Baby\u201d, um original de Arthur Blythe que aqui ganha a acidez do rock \u2013 ali\u00e1s, parece-se mais com algo que Sonny Sharrock poderia ter assinado. Os restantes j\u00e1 os conhec\u00edamos: \u201cJungle Gymnastics\u201d, \u201cTwo Girls\u201d e \u201cDehumanization Blues\u201d v\u00eam de \u201cElectricity\u201d e \u201cLong March for Frida Kahlo\u201d e \u201cBig Love\u201d foram retirados do alinhamento do CD hom\u00f3nimo deste quarteto com Rodrigo Amado e os irm\u00e3os texanos Aaron e Stefan Gonz\u00e1lez.<\/p>\nMas tem uma \u00f3bvia mais-valia em rela\u00e7\u00e3o a esses t\u00edtulos: foi gravado ao vivo no espa\u00e7o Audio For The Arts de Madison, aquando da digress\u00e3o que o grupo fez pelos Estados Unidos em Julho de 2011. Ou seja, a m\u00fasica liberta-se dos confinamentos a que um registo de est\u00fadio acaba por obrigar, h\u00e1 mais improvisa\u00e7\u00e3o e prevalece um claro esp\u00edrito de \u201cjam\u201d. A sec\u00e7\u00e3o r\u00edtmica dos Gonz\u00e1lez cresce em poder, o sax tenor de Amado est\u00e1 possesso, representando o melhor da \u201cfire music\u201d desde que Archie Shepp fez a ponte entre o hard bop e o free jazz carregando nos factores \u201cfunky\u201d, e a guitarra de Lopes assume por completo a sua condi\u00e7\u00e3o thrash \/ garage \/ punk. Para ouvir com o volume para cima e aos saltos.<\/p>\n
Ah, a edi\u00e7\u00e3o inclui outro factor valorativo: uma s\u00e9rie de fotos tiradas por Ant\u00f3nio J\u00falio Duarte do concerto em quest\u00e3o, focadas tanto nos m\u00fasicos como no p\u00fablico a que assistia: malta da pesada, com tatuagens e garrafas de cerveja na m\u00e3o. M\u00fasica com gente dentro, pois ent\u00e3o\u2026” \u00a0\u00a0Rui Eduardo Paes<\/span><\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0<\/span>Jazz.pt<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>There\u2019s an ample supply of harshness and zealousness on the CD. The concentrated power surge from the rhythm section, coupled with the lick distorting lead-guitar work encourages the saxophonist to play up the cruder side of his improvisations. Rugged honks and tongue gymnastics replace Amado\u2019s more cerebral interpretations, investing the session with a punk-like callousness. <\/span><\/p>\nCrudeness and callousness pump up the excitement level along with the volume; and while none of the six tracks can be said to swing, they certainly gallop fiercely. Fully fitting the moment, although writing duties are divided and the majority of tunes come from the guitarist compositions by Amado and Aaron Gonz\u00e1lez are hewn from the same rock \u2026or Rock. <\/span><\/p>\nLopes\u2019 pieces such as \u201cJungle Gymnastics\u201d and \u201cLong March For Frida Kahlo\u201d contain enough raucous power that electricity could have been switched off throughout Madison that night, More tactfully, the guitarist\u2019s staccato story-telling licks on the latter and the parallel string pushes and reed tongue inflection on the former confirm that complex ideas are just beneath the showy surface.<\/p>\n
As a reversal from Rock music conventions, it\u2019s the bassist and drummer who maintain the moderato pace on the latte piece; and it\u2019s Stefan Gonz\u00e1lez\u2019s comprehensive drum break which brings the narrative back to its melodic head on the latter tune. Furthermore, his brother\u2019s \u201cDehumanization Blues\u201d offers the most all-embracing definition of this music on the disc. Maintaining equilibrium among different tropes, the piece manages to balance a linear theme that pushes forward like a police dogs straining at the leash with varied solo responses. Besides the saxophonist\u2019s improvisations that encompass wild and nasty tongue stops and slurs, are intimations of hard-boiled detective theme music. Again the guitarist and reedist combine staccato dissonance to stimulate the excitement level. Concluding with blistering ripostes at the zenith of each horn man\u2019s respective range, it\u2019s up to the drummer to moderate the attack into a satisfying, all encompassing conclusion” \u00a0Ken Waxman\u00a0\/\u00a0Jazz Word<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>Pour faire vite et user de raccourci, il s\u2019agit ici de free jazz, mais tout serait bien simple si nous nous limitions \u00e0 cette d\u00e9finition. En r\u00e9alit\u00e9, nous retrouvons effectivement toutes les outrances sonores que ce genre affectionne mais il semble que \u00e7a va au del\u00e0, ou tout au moins que \u00e7a y va autrement. On ne retrouve pas pleinement les sp\u00e9cificit\u00e9s du free jazz afro-am\u00e9ricain telles qu’elles ont pu \u00eatre d\u00e9finies durant les ann\u00e9es 60 par la communaut\u00e9 noire dont le lyrisme exacerb\u00e9 est une des donn\u00e9es. Le Luis Lopez Humanisation Quartet rappelle l\u2019urgence de la sc\u00e8ne punk hard-core du d\u00e9but des ann\u00e9es 80 (on pense par exemple \u00e0 Minor Threat). On trouve ici une simplicit\u00e9 qui ne serait pas la cons\u00e9quence d’un vocabulaire pauvre mais la volont\u00e9 de privil\u00e9gier l’\u00e9nergie en lan\u00e7ant un arc de tension au-dessus des plages pr\u00e9sent\u00e9es.<\/p>\nIl serait r\u00e9ducteur de ne faire de ce groupe qu’une seule boule de feu. L’\u00e9quilibre trouv\u00e9 entre le t\u00e9nor tr\u00e8s growl\u00e9, grave, granuleux, torrentiel et la guitare, au son m\u00e9tallique, sec et au discours certes bruitiste mais tr\u00e8s clair trouvent une parfaite compl\u00e9mentarit\u00e9. Quand \u00e0 la section rythmique elle est en tout point impeccable et tient la barque comme il se doit, \u00e0 la fois massive et subtilement nuanc\u00e9e.<\/p>\n
A l\u2019int\u00e9rieur de ce ma\u00eblstrom, comme c\u2019est le cas pour toutes formation assumant pleinement son esth\u00e9tique, on retrouve beaucoup de sources d’inspiration parfaitement int\u00e9gr\u00e9es. Certains Miles des ann\u00e9es 70 ou alors des blues poisseux…” \u00a0Nicolas Dourlh\u00e8s<\/em>\u00a0\/ JAZZITUDE <\/em>(extrait de la pr\u00e9sentation radiophonique)<\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>This year we get treated with two distinct and very inspiring documents from guitarist, Luis Lopes.<\/strong> Live in Madison<\/em><\/strong> features material from Lopes’ Humanization Quartet <\/strong>and their two studio albums (Electricity<\/em> and Humanization 4tet<\/em>). The live dates as usual brings out more from an already improvisational group of musicians. But this time you can really feel the urgency in the music. In addition the attention to direct and fun in which the musicians would exude throughout the night.<\/p>\nOne of the tracks from the original studio albums, “Big Love” has raw and fierce quality in this live setting. Amado and S. Gonzalez riff and explode with notes flying all over the place. Drawing counter to the subdue and quietly quick chords both Lopes and A. Gonzalez are illuminating in the background. While all improvised, they come together in a beautiful crash sound that steadies itself nicely in the closing minutes.<\/p>\n
“Dehumanization Blues” has become the bedrock piece of their live performances. And here at the Madison show it’s no different. Amado’s long staccato notes in the beginning announce the forcefulness of the piece. This plays out well with each demonstration on grand scale how enormous this piece can get. I imagine this could almost be a twenty minute piece on its own. With varying improvised moment of its own.<\/p>\n
With Live In Madison<\/a><\/em><\/strong> and Noise Solo<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, Luis Lopes<\/strong> has demonstrated two aspects of his arsenal that I’ve always enjoyed. The sense of creative musical thought and excellent collaboration. Two exciting new records well worth your investment. Get out there and pick them up” \u00a0Stephan Moore<\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0\u00a0JazzWrap blog<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>Recorded in June 2011, a few months after the Humanization 4tet had released their second album, Electricity on <\/em>Ayler Records<\/em>, this live set is truly something to hear.<\/p>\nRecorded on the last stop of a 10-date United States East Coast tour, the album sees the band roar through free jazz, rock, funk and hard blues \u2013 tearing it up, totally in charge of their instruments. Guitarist Luis Lopes, with some funky backing from drummer Stefan Gonzalez, puts almost all rock guitarists to shame with his performance in the opening piece, Bush Baby<\/em>, shredding like there’s no tomorrow. But Lopes knows when to pull back and feature his comrades. The restrained funk groove holds it all together as first Lopes and then tenor saxophonist Rodrigo Amado show off their chops.<\/p>\nFollow-up Jungle Gymnastics<\/em> is a pile-driving, wild-born child, with Lopes and Amado creating absolute chaos. Frank Zappa is smiling in his grave. Long March for Frida Kalo<\/em> starts off with some restrained bass for a minute and a half from Aaron Gonzalez and then some gentle drums from his brother. Slowly Amado builds up the tension on his saxophone, then hands it to Lopes, who takes the song somewhere else, before they all bring it home together. It is a welcome respite from the tension and chaos of the first half of the album \u2013 as is Big Love<\/em>, a bouncy up-tempo groove, with Lopes playing a muted blues tone, while Amado tears skyward with his horn, a torrent of roaring saxophone that is monumental in its beauty. The closer Dehumanization<\/em> Blues<\/em> is the band’s live staple and, on this night in 2011 in Madison, the band did itself proud with a primal rendition.<\/p>\nThis album is a must-have for fans of experimental jazz and draws influence from low-down and dirty rock and funk” \u00a0Lloyd Gedye<\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0Mail&Guardian \/ Africa’s Best Read<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u2014<\/p>\n
“<\/i><\/span>Ouf! Ce disque du guitariste Lu\u00eds Lopez est br\u00fblant! Il faut dire que le saxo de Rodrigo Amado, \u00e0 lui seul, est tr\u00e8s chaud. Ajoutez une section rythmique en feu (Aaron et Stefan Gonz\u00e1lez) pour obtenir un free jazz torride, de l\u2019excellente \u201cfire music\u201d. Enregistr\u00e9 devant public au Wisconsin en juillet 2011, ce set comporte des compos originales des membres du groupe, ainsi que \u201cBush Baby\u201d d\u2019Arthur Blythe. Lopez et Amado rivalisent de force et de cr\u00e9ativit\u00e9 tout au long de ce disque puissant. Recommand\u00e9. [Ci-dessous: \u201cBush Baby\u201d]” \u00a0Fran\u00e7ois couture<\/em>\u00a0\/\u00a0Monsieur Delire Blog<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n