There’s exciting news from acclaimed Porto based sonic explorer Pedro Melo Alves. An outstandingly talented drummer and composer, Alves is a prolific musician involved with an astonishing range of projects and collaborations including The Rite of Trio, In Igma, João Pais Filipe Duo, Caco.Meal and Catacombe, to mention but a few. With his Omniae Ensemble, an ensemble for composed and improvised music, Alves won the Composition Award Bernardo Sassetti in 2016, releasing the following year his ambitious debut album as a bandleader. Four years later, with the ensemble now expanded to 22 musicians, he’s ready to unleash a new record titled Lumina, releasing through Clean Feed. Originally recorded at Guimarães Jazz Festival last year, the upcoming album showcases Alves’ unique approach to music combining his love of innovative and exploratory sounds whilst guiding the 22 musicians along a sonic path blending jazz, improv and classical music.
Whilst we wait for more details and new music to emerge, listen to the transcendental ‘(In)Diferente’, a track lifted from his previous Omniae Ensemble album.
In other wonderful related news, and to celebrate the album release, Alves and the Omniae Large Ensemble have announced three live dates in Portugal. Check their stops below:
15th Oct – Culturgest – Fundação CGD, Lisbon
20th Oct – Casa da Música, Porto
21st Oct – Teatrão, Coimbra