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Karl Silveira: A Porta Aperta

By Dan McClenaghan
March 30, 2022
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Toronto-based trombonist Karl Silveira opens his debut recording, A Porta Aperta, with no ego at all. The disc spins into life with "Nymark Plaza," featuring an arrangement which allows the rhythm section—pianist

Chris Pruden

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Pruden, bassist

Dan Fortin

bass, acoustic
b.1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Dan Fortin, with

Nico Dann

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Nico Dann on drums—a good deal of room to stretch out after a brief beginning of understated harmony from the leader, and alto saxophonist

Allison Au

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Allison Au. The piano, bass and drums ease into an off-center,

Andrew Hill

piano
1931 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrew Hill-like rumination before the leader re-enters with a bold statement, as Au blows subtle and intricate lines around him.

Silveira boasts a fifteen-year career as a freelance trombonist. So why the wait for the debut? And does it matter? No, of course not, especially since he has come up with a beautiful and distinctive group sound, the saxophones and trombone pairings reminiscent of late period

Sonny Rollins

saxophone
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins. Juno Award Winner Au on alto saxophone rotates in and out of the line-up on seven of the nine "sax tunes" presented here.

David French

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">David French plays tenor saxophone when Au steps out. The curse of many debut recordings—wavering focus and lack of continuity of mood and sound—are avoided via Silveira's always engaging and unorthodox compositional style and his superb arrangements. He does not claim

Herbie Hancock

piano
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Herbie Hancock's pen as an influence, but the veteran pianist/composer's Speak Like A Child (Blue Note, 1968) occasionally comes to mind as A Porta Aperta spins, and

J.J. Johnson

trombone
1924 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">J.J. Johnson's Blue Trombone (Columbia, 1957) does the same when Silveira goes with the quartet line-up on a couple of numbers.

A Porta Aperta, a polished, remarkable, superbly-played jazz sound coming out of Toronto. .

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Nymark Plaza; Perimeter; Hunch; A Porta Aperta; Trip the Light, Fantastic; Far; Shimmy; Rye And Lilacs; A Serretinha Em Julho.

Personnel

Karl Silveira

trombone

Allison Au

saxophone, alto

David French

saxophone

Chris Pruden

piano

Dan Fortin

bass, acoustic

Nico Dann

drums

Album information

Title: A Porta Aperta | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Self Produced

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