PUI4 – Viegas, Guazzaloca, Zingaro, Rosso – “A Pearl in Dirty Hands” (Aut Records, 2018)

“A Pearl in Dirty Hands” was recently released by “Aut Records”. Album compositions were expressively and masterfully recorded by “PUI4” – it’s João Pedro Viegas (bass clarinet), Nicola Guazzaloca (piano), Carlos “Zingaro” (violin) and Alvaro Rosso (double bass). The improvisations of this quartet are full of unpredictable stylistic waves, interesting musical decisions, experimental and inventive ways  of playing, modern playing techniques, qide range of moods, turns and expressions. The musicians are paying great attention to the creation of extraordinary and unusual sound. Each of them is experimenting in all ways of musical language – especially in search of unusual sounds, extractions of weird timbres and inventive musical decisions. They have a masterful ability to connect together many different expressions and musical language elements – joyful, playful and vivacious solos go along with sad, peaceful, aggressive and aggressive pieces, sharp sounds, roaring and loud blow outs, lengthy and vivid solos and other elements. Musicians improvisations are based on spontaneous playing – they all together create original, bright and colorful musical language.

The newest album has remarkable and evocative sound. Musicians are twisting together avant-garde jazz, modern jazz styles, academic avant-garde, experimental music and other similar music styles. The synthesis between these absolutely different and contrasting music styles is made organically and inventively. Even though, there are heard many intonations of academic avant-garde and experimental music, this music still is based on avant-garde jazz and free improvisation for the most of the time. The compositions have free form and structure, is a set of different playing techniques and expressions. Musicians are combining together experimental, their own and specific ways of playing and contemporary academical and experimental music playing techniques. This music is full of turns, contrasts, stylistic changes and great variety of different plaing manners. João Pedro Viegas bass clarinet improvisations are filled with expressive and passionate solos, vivacious, impressive and remarkable melodies and sound experiments. Musician is experimenting in all ways of musical language – he’s trying out his own playing techniques, combines them with traditional and modern ways of playing. These improvisations have deep, calm or very expressive, touching and vivid sound – it’s impossible to predict there is this music going to turn next. It’s full of surprises, colorful contrasts and weird timbres. Nicola Guazzaloca piano solos are effective and passionate. Pianist plays especially emotionally and with passion all the time. His improvisations are based on touching, bright, sharp and colorful solos, vivacious, wild fast and furious solos, calm and peaceful or very aggressive and turbulent free improvisations and great combination of various ways of playing. His music has all the main elements of avant-garde jazz styles. Carlos “Zingaro” viola bring more calm and academic sound. Musician is using traditional and modern playing techniques and combines them with avant-garde jazz elements and experimental ways of playing. Contrasting solos, rapid and active passages, touching and interesting melodies, huge variety of unusual timbres, pleasant combination between avant-garde jazz and experimental music – all these elements are the main elements of his improvisations. Expressive and effective viola improvisations gently go along with double bass improvisations by Alvaro Rosso. His improvisations also have wide range of musical expressions, playing techniques, sounds, timbres, colors and moods. Deep, repetitive and monotonic tones, dynamic rhythms and various rhythmic forms help musician to create firm and solid rhythmic pattern. Double bass solos also are full of contrasting episodes, rigorous, expressive, touching and interesting solos. The music of this album has effective and innovative sound.