Some music lovers believe that the quality an improviser needs most is not technical skill, or even creativeness, but personality characteristics, an ability to socialize, musically or not, with other people. Improvised music starts BEFORE any music is made. A musician who can’t communicate off stage and outside the studio surely won’t be able to when creating music in a group. The four members of this combo interact with each other with joy and commitment, and they know how to transmit those good vibes to the audience. Although he came from a rock and blues background – Luís’ hero is Jimi Hendrix, which is apparent in his playing — soon Lopes became interested in “free-form” jazz. He never wanted to interpret jazz standards. Instead of embracing jazz conventions, he preferred to deal with pure improvisation. His compositional work, in consequence, is conceived to enhance improvisation, not to conform it with pre-established and rigid structures. The other members of the Humanization Quartet share the same profile. Luís Lopes’ companions in this debut record are saxophonist Rodrigo Amado, an ascending force in the international free-bop scene, and the powerful rhythm section (the kind that keep things pumping beyond all expectations) of the brothers Stefan and Aaron González, sons of trumpeter Dennis González and his partners in the trio Yels at Eels. The results are intense, joyful playing.