Grupo Um | The Avant-garde of Brazilian Jazz
1976 – 2016
Components:
Lelo Nazario | electric and acoustic piano, keyboard, electronics
Zé Eduardo Nazario | drums, percussion
Zeca Assumpção, Rodolfo Stroeter | bass
Special Guests:
Roberto Sion, Mauro Senise, Teco Cardoso | saxes, flutes
Felix Wagner | acoustic and electric piano, bass clarinet
Carlinhos Gonçalves | percussion
Grupo Um at MASP in 1980
Grupo Um is considered by critics one of the most daring, dense and radical sound experiments ever undertaken in Brazil. Formed in 1976 by the pianist and composer Lelo Nazario and by drummer and percussionist Zé Eduardo Nazario, who at the time played in the Hermeto Pascoal's band, the group stood out as a leading representative of the vanguard arisen around the Teatro Lira Paulistana, combining The rhythmic richness of popular music with contemporary languages.
MARCHA SOBRE A CIDADE, the first independent instrumental album ever released in Brazil. This edition contains the entire original album, for the first time on CD, carefully remastered from the original master tapes and enhanced by two previously unreleased bonus tracks. The LP artwork is faithfully reproduced, and the booklet has insightful comments about the compositions and a brief biography of the band, with texts by the musicians themselves, as well as many photos from the band’s archives.
REFLEXÕES SOBRE A CRISE DO DESEJO is Grupo Um's second album and a landmark in the band's career. With the newcomers Rodolfo Stroeter (Pau Brasil, Divina Increnca, Symmetric Ensemble) on the bass and the German-born multi-instrumentalist Felix Wagner (Divina Increnca, Symmetric Ensemble), the group developed some of their most complex themes ever, mixing extremely elaborated compositions with incredibly musicianship, achieving outstanding results.
A FLOR DE PLASTICO INCINERADA further amplifies the tendency already set in motion on Reflexões… to increase the use of electronic sounds and synthesizers combined with acoustic instruments – a great deal of innovation at the time. The tracks consist of very unique and complex themes mixed with sophisticated harmonies and polyrhythmic textures. Together the musicians explored timbres, rhythms, improvisation, and sound in it's purest sense in a way that gave the music a worldly air.