All About Jazz Review By Phil Di Pietro Andre Matos, at 27, is the latest young guitarist to take aim at the international jazz scene from the strategic port of Lisbon and its effervescent Tone of a Pitch imprint. Like his labelmates, Matos is a free thinker. He combines modern jazz with the attitude, mood and tinge of modern rock and creates what could be termed "alternative" jazz, but not the kind that manipulates Nirvana covers. Both in writing and execution, Matos takes more than literal ownership of his alternative. The most obvious difference between this and some of the other stellar TOAP dates, is the presence of a vocalist, the remarkable Sara Serpa. With four new releases hitting almost simultaneously—including a brilliant debut recording, she makes an unexpected and deceptively simple bid to challenge nothing less than the very concept of the role of a jazz vocalist in a small ensemble. Serpa doesn't sing songs as much as she becomes part of them, using no lyrics, with a natural vocalese that cannot be called scatting. Singing as any front-line member of the ensemble would play, she moves effortlessly from melodist to soloist to ensemble voice. Matos plays a huge part in her working band, and she in his, with each composing all the songs on their new releases. The first and last tracks of this session will reveal that Matos' writing can be differentiated by texture and mood. There's occasional heaviness or darkness that can be lifted, as on "Serra De Sintra," which sounds like the soundtrack for encountering the lush, haunting mountain range for which it's named. When Serpa unleashes guttural gyrations near at the midpoint of the journey, she remains spellbinding. "Moody" recalls the work of Theo Bleckmann and Ben Monder, who specialize in transforming darkness to light, as Serpa's melody does to Matos' underpinnings. Demian Cebaud's multi-tracked bass bowing and plucking add another lush, yet oblique, angle to the arc of this song. Without a vocalist, we're indoctrinated into "Lisboa for Beginners" which sets a stirring mood that takes its time, embracing and inviting, as Matos summons with chords and Alex Frazao exhorts with drums. Landing in the welcoming but intense arms of Albert Sanz' piano, sensory ruminations turn into sensual counterpoint. Sanz' rejoinder allows the arc of Matos' short solo to resolve the travelogue. "Rosa-Shock" is hot pink, a rock band laying it on thick over a six minute ostinato, with Matos taking it into the stratosphere with some distortion and the tasteful use of a harmonizer pedal. "Suitcase" is gorgeously deceptive, as Serpa merely states a melody that repeats every eight bars, but over a different harmony. Sanz, never in a rush, packs dense information into his discerning choices, raising the lyricism quotient. Matos' improvisation then entwines with Sepra's restatement of the melody, providing a half-spontaneous etude, which is a telling highlight. Because if Serpa's Praia and this recording by Matos are any indication, their dance should continue to be fruitful, surprising and enticing for years to come. Time-Out Lisbon Review "Guitarist Andre Matos' second album presents a trio with bass (Demian Cabaud) and drums (Alexandre Frazao, once more showing great skills and taste), which is added in some tunes by vocalist Sara Serpa and in others by pianist Albert Sanz. We are left with two trio tracks. One of them, "Rosa-Shock", is probably the best tune of this CD, and make us wish there was more space for the trio. Matos makes inventive and criterious use of effects in order to create different ambients. The compositions, although they are linked by the same aesthetics, wisely avoid monotony. We particulary recommend "Lisboa for Beginners", which begins with an impressionistic and moody fog, and ends filled with sunlight. This would be a good fit on the iPods of whoever likes to wonder around this city." Bio André Matos was born in Lisbon in 1981. He got his first guitar when he was 9 years old. Inspired by the “Blues” of BB King and Muddy Waters, he soon started listening to jazz records by Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis and Weather Report. Years later, after spending one year at the Luis Villas-Boas school of Hot Club de Portugal, he was awarded a international scholarship from Berklee College of Music, in Boston, Massachusetts. From 2000 to 2003 he lived in Boston, having had the chance to study with Mick Goodrick, Dave Santoro, Jon Damian, Ed Tomassi, Hal Crook, among others. At Berklee he was distinguished among the best performers with The William Leavitt Memorial Scholarship. After his first experience in the United States, André based his career in Portugal where he has played in the most important venues His record “Small Worlds/Pequenos Mundos” FSNT 223 shows some of his original music and is published by Fresh Sound New Talent. A new collection of originals is out now. The new record is called "Rosa-Shock" TOAP 022, and features a trio with bassist Demian Cabaud, drummer Alex Fraxao, plus vocalist Sara Serpa and pianist Albert Sanz as guests. Apart from his own project, he is part of singer Sara Serpa’s group, which recently released "Praia" on Inner Circle Music; and Mikado Lab, a project led by drummer Marco Franco, that has a put out a record “Baligo Songs”, on TOAP. After going back to the states, André has recently completed a Master's on Jazz Studies at New England Conservatory, where he had the chance to study with George Garzone, Danilo Perez, Jerry Bergonzi, Brad Shepik, John Mcneil and Frank Carlberg. He currently lives in NYC.