In just a few years, Portuguese drummer Mário Costa became a serious case of success in the international jazz scene. We noticed him first playing in two key records to understand the rich reality of creative jazz in Portugal, “Nebulosa” and “Partícula”, as a member of the band lead by Hugo Carvalhais. In the second of these albums, the soprano saxophone was played by Émile Parisien, an usual Carvalhais partner on stage. Shortly after, Parisien invited Costa to play the drumkit in his new super-group with the veterans Joachim Kuhn and Michel Portal fronting a line-up with Manu Codja, Vincent Peirani and Simon Tailleu. «Now he belongs to the top modern drummers in jazz», Kuhn states about the wide projection resulting from the excelent work he’s developing with such great company. “Oxy Patina” is another step in that path, presenting himself also as a composer, and again with top French players, Marc Ducret and Benoît Delbecq. Both are meticulous researchers of the capacities of their respective instruments and both have strong personal languages – Mário Costa couldn’t be more ambitious in the choice of partners, but he brilliantly achieves all his intentions. With them he managed to forge a solid and intriguing collective sound. If he managed to put our expectations high, the outcome is even higher.

All compositions by Mário Costa, except: “aluminum foil” ( Costa, Delbecq, Ducret )

Recorded in Viana do Castelo, Portugal at “26º Festival de Jazz na Praça da Erva”, Teatro Municipal Sá de Miranda, by João Bessa, 27 – 30 July 2017 | Sound Engineer – João Bessa | Sound Assintent – Daniel Faustino | Mixed at Miramar Sessions Studios by João Bessa | Mastered by João Bessa
Produced by Mário Costa | Executive production by Pedro Costa for Trem Azul | Design and artwork by Travassos | Photo by Rui Bandeira