CARLOS BICA

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New Album Release: Maria João & Carlos Bica Quartet, new album „Close to You“ is out now (JACC Records)

„I Am The Escaped One“ Carlos Bica. Daniel Erdmann. DJ Illvibe

9 September 2019

New Album Release: Maria João & Carlos Bica Quartet, new album „Close to You“ is out now (JACC Records)

Release date:  16 September 2023
 
Close to You“ was live recorded in Sintra (Portugal), Badajoz (Spain), Tavira (Portugal), Sevilla (Spain) Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain).
 

Maria João and Carlos Bica are two inescapable references whenever Portuguese jazz is spoken about. After 10 years of playing together and many concerts around the world, their individual careers eventually led them down different paths. Now, 25 years later, they are reunited once again and joined on stage by Gonçalo Neto (guitar) and João Farinha (piano and keyboards). “Close to You” was recorded live in different cities in Spain and Portugal and was considered by the critics one of the best Portuguese albums released in 2023.

New Album Release: Carlos Bica „Playing with Beethoven“ feat. Daniel Erdmann, João Barradas, DJ Illvibe (Clean Feed Records)

„I Am The Escaped One“ Carlos Bica. Daniel Erdmann. DJ Illvibe

9 September 2019

New Album Release: Carlos Bica „Playing with Beethoven“ feat. Daniel Erdmann, João Barradas, DJ Illvibe (Clean Feed Records)

A saxophone, an accordion, a double bass and a pair of turntables… and Beethoven? 

The «romantic» and especially melodic approach of Carlos Bica, who draws on jazz, classical music and the popular tradition of Portugal; the elegant and very free speech of Daniel Erdmann, built on the jazz tradition but committed to finding new paths; the many colors summoned by DJ Illvibe (Vincent von Schlippenbach), a prospector looking for the craziest fragments of sounds; the fascinating musicality of João Barradas, one of the most highly regarded and recognized European accordionists, capable of embracing the most diverse musical languages — this is the unusual cast that sets out to rediscover Beethoven’s legacy.

“Playing with Beethoven” was considered by Jazz.pt to be the Best National Jazz Album released in 2023 and was also nominated for Album of the Year by the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik (German Record Critics’ Award).