Cosmopaulista
Self-Released, 2022
8/10
The debut album from the Brazilian drummer and composer Mario Gaiotto, the 10 tracks here are themed around the city of São Paulo and are steeped in cultured jazz sounds that take help from the pianist Daniel Grajew and the bassist Sidiel Viera.
“Going To Maghreb” opens the listen with playful bass plucking, as bright keys and acrobatic drumming enters the stylish landscape, and “Tempura de Maxixe” follows with no lack of rhythm, where the precise drums and bass flow with much meticulousness.
“Seventy Times Seven” arrives in the middle and showcases Grajew’s stunning piano playing that doesn’t lack any melody, while “Tambu e Viola” rumbles a bit more firmly amid the crisp drums and mesmerizing spirit.
Residing near the end, “Armenian Jazzy Metal” certainly does hint at both jazz and metal in its dense climate that’s quite creative, and “Maracapiba” exits the listen with swift drums, vivid piano and bouncy bass lines that are as energetic as they are absorbing.
Recorded during the height of the pandemic, the trio didn’t have much time to prepare, but their inimitable talents sure are present and appreciated as they birth a worldly jazz adventure that’s highly memorable
Travels well with: Plínio Fernandes- Saudade; Billy Drummond- Valse Sinistre