Tracklist:

1. Burning Mountain [09:22]

2. The Flame Alphabet [11:05]

3. First Light [07:52]

4. Into The Valley [13:57]

5. The Healing [04:28]

 

Line-up:

Rodrigo Amado - saxophone

Jeb Bishop - trombone

Miguel Mira - cello

Gabriel Ferrandini - drums

 

Recorded:

by Joaquim Monte at Namouche Studios, Lisbon, May 30th, 2011

Mixed and Mastered by Joaquim Monte and Rodrigo Amado

 

What the critics say:

Portuguese saxist Rodrigo Amado is one of those under-recognized giants who has out a dozen dynamic discs on the Clean Feed, European Echoes and Not Two labels. Rodrigo always chooses great musicians to work with (Dennis, Aaron & Stefan Gonzalez, Taylor Ho Bynum, Kent Kessler & Paal Nilssen-Love). This is the third disc from his Motion Trio and the second disc the addition of Chicago trombone great Jeb Bishop. The instrumentation of saxes, trombone, cello & drums is an inspired one. Mr. Mira often takes the role of a bassist plucking rhythmically more often than he bows. This is a fully improvised studio date and the sound is superb. The interplay between the sax and trombone is consistently tight and spirited with the cello and drums always pushing them and interacting intricately and powerfully. Both Mr. Amado and Mr. Bishop are explosive at times, pushing each other higher and higher. Wow! The more I listen to this date, the more I am knocked out! Cellist Miguel Mira is especially impressive here at times plucking furiously, his work with drummer Ferrandini is always exciting and creative, tossing ideas back and forth. This is one of those magical free dates where everything works just right!

 

by Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery

 

*****

 

Saxophonist Rodrigo Amado, a stalwart of Lisbon’s free jazz scene, co-founder of Clean FeedRecords, leads the Motion Trio, with cellist MiguelMira and drummer Gabriel Ferrandini, featuring Chicago trombonist Jeb Bishop on their last two releases. The Flame Alphabet, a studio date, maintains the group’s hard-hitting live energy, a bravado onslaught spearheaded by Amado and Bishop’s bright, slightly overblown sounds. The mood is compressed, restless, often erupting in compulsive explosions only to quiet down quickly. Cello provides relief from the more usual acoustic bass - lighter, higher-pitched, with more punch - while Ferrandini is active without clutter. Highpoints include tandem blowing over “Burning Mountain”, textural shifts and sinuous melodies on the title track and spontaneous drum combustion on “The Healing”.

 

by Tom Greenland & New York City Records (December 2013)