New from the Hamilton de Holanda Quinteto, Brasilianos
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Featuring:
Hamilton de Holanda 10-string mandolin, Irish Bouzuki
Daniel Santiago acoustic guitar
André Vasconcellos electric bass
Márcio Bahia drums
Gabriel Grossi harmonica

Nurtured in the legacy of such great Brazilian mandolinists as Jacob do Bandolim, Joe Nascimento and Armandinho, Hamilton de Holanda is a new standard bearer for today's Brazilian music. Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1976, considered by many as one of the greatest mandolinists playing the instrument, Hamilton has revolutionized the capabilities and new potential of the mandolin.

Immensely impressed by his first two releases, the self-titled Hamilton de Holanda and more recent Música Das Nuvens E Do Chão, his third, Brasilianos has been eagerly anticipated. Needless to say, this CD does not disappoint. The brilliant assistance of longtime friend and guitarist, Daniel Santiago, combined with the complementary fruits of one of the greatest chromatic harmonica players this side of Toots Thielemans, Gabriel Grossi, the three are succinctly matched by two of Brazil's best rhythm players, drummer Márcio Bahia and electric bassist André Vasconcellos.

Extending the range of the instrument's capability by adding a fifth course (C strings), his harmonization is more self-contained than one might expect of the traditional bandolim, especially in the lush moments of his solo orchestration. Also exploiting the richer tenor octave courses of the Irish Bouzuki in Longing for the Future (Saudade Do Futuro) and Waltz in B (Valsa em Si), we witness the instrument in a new frontier of sonic possibility. Add to this arsenal his remarkable command of the classic Duo Style school Minor Pain (Dor Menor), his playing yields unprecedented richness.

Characteristic of Brazilian Jazz, within Hamilton's composition prowess lies a fine and cerebral line between the vocabulary of extended chords and multiple tonalities (poly-tonality). Is it a C7#11 or a D major tonality compounding a C major tonality? The beauty of this music is how seamless and instinctive this intersection is, never over-shadowed by its own esoteric complexity. The music of Brasilianos remains foremost, a pure solid melodic foundation never compromised by his brilliant harmonic sophistication or rhythmic intricacy. This is the genuine compulsion of this rich genre; de Holanda honors this tradition by remaining true to a singable, intuitive, easily repeatable tune throughout, and a traditional symmetrical structure. It is classic Choro form at its consistent best, but with the added 21st century incidental zest of virtual atonality, aleatoric expression, and pyrotechnical rhythmic virtuosity.

Contrasts reign throughout the CD, the seemingly impossible technical brilliance and precision of tracks like 10 byte 10 cordas and the final song, the radiant Hermeto is Playing (Hermeto Tá Brincando), demonstrate how five musicians of infinite skill can abridge to the primal soul-stirring of our favorite track, the bittersweetly melodious Waltz in B (Valsa em Si}.

Breathtaking execution, compelling composition, we expect many more great things for the future of Hamiliton and his young friends.

Genre: Brazilian
Release date: July 11, 2006
Label: Adventure Music

Purchase information

Selections:
Pedra da macumba
Brasilianos
Baião Brasil
Caçuá
10 byte 10 cordas
For you to stay (Pra Você Ficar)
Small county train (Trenzinho Do Caipira)
Longing for the future (Saudade Do Futuro)Waltz in B (Valsa em Si)
Procession (Procissão)
Forever (Pra Sempre)
Minor pain (Dor Menor)
Hermeto is Playing (Hermeto Tá Brincando)