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Improvised Music
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A community focused on news, discussions, reviews and announcements about all forms of improvised music.
founded 5 months ago
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Otacílio Melgaço and improvisation raised to maximum power through contemporary music and free jazz
(piefed.social)
What are the limits to inventiveness when it comes to jazz? I think there aren't any. But is there a difference between freedom and "anything goes"? I have no doubt. And I think that the more a great musician ventures beyond boundaries, the more we will realize how freedom is the sum of all that musician's experiences. Their training, their mentality, their way of relating to other people, their ethics, etc. And I would like to talk about Otacílio Melgaço. I tried to condense, in these first posts I've made, a kind of summary, and here it is!
Otacílio Melgaço’s music is often described as “obscure,” not as an objection, but as an artistic trait that sets it apart in a frequently predictable landscape. This obscurity may stem from enigmatic lyrics, dense atmospheres, or unconventional arrangements that invite a more attentive and interpretive listening experience. Rather than revealing everything immediately, his work seems to hold layers, requiring time and sensitivity to be fully absorbed—and that is precisely where its value lies. This mysterious quality enriches the musical experience, turning each listen into a discovery, which is worthy of praise in a world where so much is made to be consumed quickly and forgotten just as fast. Here’s a link to one of his works, "O Círculo Imperfeito" - Otacílio Melgaço & CadavreXquis Ensemble https://melgacootacilio.bandcamp.com/album/o-c-rculo-imperfeito-otac-lio-melga-o-cadavrexquis-ensemble-otac-lio-melga-o-duration-41-39 Below, the album cover!
And I invite you to explore the community I created in honor of this artist, so we can delve deeper into this fabulous abyss.
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Fantastic gig by the duo of Eddie Prévost and Silvan Schmid at The Glad Café in Glasgow this afternoon.
Sadly double bassist Tom Wheatley was absent from their usual trio, but the two solo sets followed by a brilliant duo performance were the stuff of the elemental. Schmid’s sharpened breath and saliva cut through the earth-wired heat of Prévost’s mesmerising playing.
So wonderful to hear them both perform in the intimacy of this great venue, where I was lucky enough to snag a seat right at the front.
Alt-text for image: Two performers on a small stage:
- on the left, Eddie Prévost sits behind a drum kit, sticks in hand, looking with a fierce intensity at a large crash cymbal.
- on the right, Silvan Schmid stands, eyes-closed, playing his trumpet towards the microphone as though he were transmuting base metal into gold.
#EddiePrévost #SilvanSchmid #ImprovisedMusic #FreeImprovisation #TrumpetAndDrums #TheGladCafé
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Fantastic gig by the duo of Eddie Prévost and Silvan Schmid at The Glad Café in Glasgow this afternoon.
Sadly double bassist Tom Wheatley was absent from their usual trio, but the two solo sets followed by a brilliant duo performance were the stuff of the elemental. Schmid’s sharpened breath and saliva cut through the earth-wired heat of Prévost’s mesmerising playing.
So wonderful to hear them both perform in the intimacy of this great venue, where I was lucky enough to snag a seat right at the front.
_Alt-text for image:
Two performers on a small stage:
-
on the left, Eddie Prévost sits behind a drum kit, sticks in hand, looking with a fierce intensity at a large crash cymbal.
-
on the right, Silvan Schmid stands, eyes-closed, playing a his trumpet towards the microphone as though he were transmuting base metal into gold._
#EddiePrévost #SilvanSchmid #ImprovisedMusic #FreeImprovisation #TrumpetAndDrums #TheGladCafé
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