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Pedro Melo Alves: Conundrum Vol. 1 - Itself Through Disappearance

By Mark Corroto
August 23, 2024
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Pedro Melo Alves: Conundrum Vol. 1 - Itself Through Disappearance

Great rock drummers are often ignored. One never pays attention to them during a performance because they are excellent, like Rolling Stones stalwart

Charlie Watts

drums
1941 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Watts. If, however, they are not up to scratch, one definitely will notice. The same and more so can be said for jazz and improvising drummers. Talent, imagination and creativity are at a premium in this domain.

Pedro Melo Alves

drums
b.1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Pedro Melo Alves is an excellent example of what an inventive and expressive drummer can be. Alves can be heard in

Luis Vicente

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Luis Vicente's trio, HIIT with

Andrea Grossi

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrea Grossi and

Simone Quatrana

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Simone Quatrana, in the duo MOORIS with

João Almeida

trumpet
b.1997

" data-original-title="" title="">Jo?o Almeida, as a co-leader in The Rite Of Trio, the In Igma Ensemble, the percussion duo Bad Company with

Pedro Carneiro

percussion

" data-original-title="" title="">Pedro Carneiro, and his own Pedro Melo Alves' Omniae Large Ensemble. He also creates music for cinema, theatre and dance

The reason this Portuguese drummer is in high demand might be his solo work. His exploration of improvised and composed percussion mixes acoustic elements with electronics. With Conumdrum Vol. 1, Alves presents a sampler from a series of concerts he organized between 2019 and 2023, where he invited musicians to improvise with him in a duo format. Interestingly, all the artists were musicians he had never played with before. The thirteen tracks present thirteen new partners.

Highlights here are numerous. With

João Barradas

accordion
b.1992

" data-original-title="" title="">Jo?o Barradas, the pair mix accordion/MIDI accordion with drums/percussion and electronics to create a floating ambient soundscape. Alves pairs off with vocalists

Audrey Chen

cello

" data-original-title="" title="">Audrey Chen,

Sara Serpa

vocals
b.1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Sara Serpa,

Gil Dionísio

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Gil Dionísio and

Ece Canl?

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Ece Canl?. We get everything from the screech and squawk to ghostly passages and futuristic vocalizations. All are accented by percussive and live electronic effects. Alves' duo with bassist

Carlos Barretto

bass
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Carlos Barretto creates a dynamo by way of bowed bass and drumming energy systems. The Portuguese pianist

João Grilo

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Jo?o Grilo, with his prepared piano, matches Alves' percussive attack with a scrap yard of sound. Then, there is the deconstructed guitar of

Nuno Rebelo

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Nuno Rebelo, which is met by Alves' trick bag of percussion and electronics. Each duo meets, greets and is a treat to the ears.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Pedro Melo Alves, Jo?o Barradas - January 14th, 2022; Pedro Melo Alves, Audrey Chen - November 11th, 2022; Pedro Melo Alves, Ignaz Schick - September 29th, 2022; Pedro Melo Alves, Nuno Rebelo - February 22nd, 2019; Pedro Melo Alves, Marta Warelis - December 20th, 2023; Pedro Melo Alves, Violeta Garcia - April 12th, 2023; Pedro Melo Alves, Jacqueline Kerrod - February 11th, 2019; Pedro Melo Alves, Carlos Barretto - May 13th, 2022; Pedro Melo Alves, Sara Serpa - July 9th, 2022; Pedro Melo Alves, Rafael Toral - March 4th, 2022; Pedro Melo Alves, Grilo - February 12th, 2019; Pedro Melo Alves, Gil Dionísio - October 19th, 2023; Pedro Melo Alves, Ece Canl? - February 9th, 2023.

Personnel

Pedro Melo Alves

drums

Audrey Chen

cello

Ignaz Schick

turntable

Nuno Rebelo

guitar, electric

Marta Warelis

piano

Violeta García

cello

Jacqueline Kerrod

harp

Sam Gerstmans

bass, acoustic

Sara Serpa

vocals

Rafael Toral

electronics

Jo?o Grilo

piano

Gil Dionísio

vocals

Ece Canl?

vocals

Album information

Title: Conundrum Vol. 1 - Itself Through Disappearance | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Clean Feed Records

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