L.U.M.E. (Lisbon Underground Music Ensemble) - Las Californias

Marco Barroso’s LUME (“fire” in English, but in truth the acronym of Lisbon Underground Music Ensemble) comes back with a reformulated alignment of musicians and a new collection of compositions challenging the jazz big band format with a chamber ensemble feeling and lots of funk-rock grooves. The coordinates are the same as before in this third opus, but they come in “Las Californias” both refreshed and matured. It seems a paradox, but as the most Anarchist of proverbs declare: paradoxes are liberating.

Time and experience solidify an idea and it’s simultaneously the condition to make something new with old ingredients. Barroso renews the jazz orchestral patterns introducing classical materials and urban popular flavors on it: that’s what LUME made a difference at the start. Now he also renews his own formulas, taking the resulting music to other destinies, opening its paths from where they seemed to end. Doing that, he manages to create mind puzzling pieces that also invite you to dance, which is an achievement in itself.

Marco Barroso​ composition, direction, piano
Manuel Luís Cochofel​ flute
Paulo Gaspar​ soprano clarinet
João Pedro Silva​ soprano saxophone
Tomás Marques alto saxophone
Mateja Dolsak tenor saxophone
Elmano Coelho​ baritone saxophone
Sérgio Charrinho, Jéssica Pina, Ricardo Carvalho​ trumpets
Rúben da Luz, Eduardo Lála, Mário Vicente​ trombones
Miguel Amado​ eletric bass
Vicky Marques​ drums