JazzWrap revisits a great year of discoveries in 2001.Hugo Carvalhais (bass)
Nebulosa (Clean Feed; 2011)
Tim Berne (sax)
Gabriel Pinto (piano)
Mario Costa (drums)
I have probably listened to this record at least 3 times a month since the beginning of year. That might not sound like a lot but I've got a lot of music so trust me--it's a lot. Hugo Carvalhais created a record in Nebulosa that is so dense yet vivid with imagination that you really have to stop, sit down, and focus your mind around the instrumentation and sonic resonance his group are shaping.
Even now almost two months later I'm finding new sounds and classical elements from Tim Berne ("Impala") and from Gabriel Pinto ("Nebulosa II" and "Nebulosa III") that I hadn't noticed originally. Even the more contemporary flavor of "North" I'd hadn't noticed until a few months ago. Carvalhais' writing is sparse and allows for improvising at just the right moments.
The sonic adventure alone is just one of the many reasons why Nebulosa is one of my favourites of 20011. Check out our thoughts from earlier this year: Hugo Carvalhais Nebulosa.