Lupa Santiago 4teto & Ed Neumeister “Ubuntu”
An unusual combo guitar / trombone that go past Brazilian Jazz to something extra fresh as well as deep and attention catching.
Brazilian guitarist Lupa Santiago, while touring internationally thanks to his already incredible career, meet the great American trombonist Ed Neumeister in Europe. They then took the opportunity to compose and record this Ubuntu together, in Sao Paolo.
Lupa Santiago: guitar | Leandro Cabral: piano | Alex Buck: drums | Bruno Migotto: bass | Ed Neumeister: trombone
Reading Jonathan Greenstein‘s introduction to “Vol 1” I thought, let’s put my headset on and listen to this; as you can also read below, this EP is something quite personal:
So this is Vol 1. Of what, exactly? Of me trying to summarize the past few years of my life in song. Of me looking forward, daydreaming of what’s to come. Of me trying to explain myself through music. Of me trying to find myself. Reinvent myself. Create myself. Of me understanding what it means to be an Israeli kid living in New York City, playing Black American Music, playing Jazz. Bringing in all these influences from Alternative Rock, from Hip Hop, Electronica, in the year 2015. Vol 1 of this journey. Of character through music. Of this quest for love, to be part of the listener’s life. Of your life. To tell you that you’re not alone, and yes, you can.
But it took so much more space than I expected so I had to put it on speakers.
What I first thought would be an introspection, questioning one’s life at a particular point, finally sounded to me as the opposite: Jonathan gives an obvious and simple answer. This music is the pleasure of being outside yourself, in a group, creating and participating in something, for life to be simply life.
And it felt that most questions don’t need any answers; just push yourself out there, be with your friends and do something, whatever helps you and the ones around you to be at the same time together and independent (I specially love the brilliant piano sound linked to the flat sound of the drum).
“Vol 1” is all I appreciate: It’s intelligent in its complexity as it keeps your attention on all the way, amazed by the composition and the musicians (which are seriously awesome); It’s intelligent in its accessibility as one can catch all the ideas from the 1st listening, and get into new layers for each new play.
I am getting impatient to discover “Vol 2 & 3”…