Inca / Fàbrica Ramis

Friday, November 22, 2019 at 8:30 p.m.

Ricardo Toscano Quartet

Ricardo Toscano, Alto Saxophone

João Pedro Coelho, Piano.

Romeu Tristão, Double bass.

João Lopes Pereira, Drums.

The prodigal son of Portuguese jazz is finally recording. From his teenage years to becoming a young adult (25 years old in 2018) we are used to hearing him only on stage, improvising with the melodies of American masters such as Charlie Parker, “Cannonball” Adderley, John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman, among many others from different eras in “continuous jazz”. Now we can sit in our homes and listen to his excellent alto saxophone playing his own compositions. With one exception: “El bruixot” by Herbie Hancock. Ricardo Toscano managed to interpret tradition at the same time with the same authenticity of the originals. And with a remarkable freshness of approach, as if an old standard were something completely new. He continues to do so, but the inevitable (given his superlative abilities) happened: he now plays his own inner world, born from the numerous auditions of Toscano's jazz heritage. Or heritages, because this life force is a fundamental contributor to the avant-garde music of Marco Barroso's Lisbon Underground Music Ensemble, also known as LUME, while also dedicating himself to the compositions of the late Bernardo Sassetti and initiating collaborations with free improvisers such as Rodrigo Pinheiro, Miguel Mira and Gabriel Ferrandini. Step by step, without urgency and refusing to be overshadowed by fame and success, Toscano opened up his space of action and is now a more complete musician. This CD, named after the quartet he founded with João Pedro Coelho, Romeu Tristão and João Lopes Pereira, seems to be a new beginning on his ascension path. It's impossible to know what the future holds, but one thing is certain: it will be fantastic.