It took some time (“Live in Madison”, the previous releaseof this Luso-American band, dates back from 2013), but here is the much expected fourth album by portuguese guitarist Luís Lopes’ Humanization 4tet. With tenor saxophonist Rodrigo Amado and the Gonzalez brothers Aaron and Stefan playing the double bass and the drum kit, respectively, the quartet goes further into the territory they decided to explore, the one discovered by them 12 years ago on the crack between the free jazz tradition and what we now call jazzcore – meaning jazz feeded by the energy and the distorted, feedbacked sound of punk and metal. Last year’s tour of the group (2018) in the United States resulted in this new opus recorded in front of an audience at Marigny Studios New Orleans with all the vitality and truth of a live session. Being the most persistent of all Lopes’ projects (like Lisbon-Berlin Trio, Guillotine, Noise Solo, Love Song and more), it’s also the more collective-driven, and that’s why Luís Lopes only signs a composition, among two by Amado, two by Aaron González and one by Stefan, mixed with Bill Lee’s song dedicated to Eddie Harris. And yes, this is free music you can jump and dance to, acid like a lemon, but joyful as a post-party sunrise.

1 by Bill Lee/Stefan Gonzalez | 2, 6 by Rodrigo Amado | 3, 5 by Aaron Gonzalez | 4 by Luis Lopes

Recorded June 29th 2018 by Rick Nelson at Marigny Studios, New Orleans | Mixed by Luis Lopes, mastered by Simon Wadsworth at Namouche Studios, Lisbon, January 2020
Produced by Luís Lopes | Executive production by Pedro Costa for Trem Azul | Design by Travassos | Photography by António Júlio Duarte