The Brazilian jazz scene has been enriched recently with a new release — the debut album by the trio of pianist/composer Henrique Mota, acoustic bass player Iury Batista and drummer Igor Willcox, united into creativity under the name HII Trio.
Alongside the three seasoned musicians, the album benefits from a fruitful collaboration with a number of celebrated voices in contemporary jazz such as Bob Mintzer, Tony Lakatos, Seamus Blake, David Binney, Bob Franceschini, and Rachel Therrien.
The eight original tracks are impressive, revealing strong compositional ability and a remarkable freshness in their interaction driven by the energy they navigate the modern jazz landscape where Brazilian and modern jazz influences merge with each individual’s personal sensibility.
The playful opener “Consciência Plena (Mindfulness)” lets the magic begins in full force. Piano, bass and drums meander freely through rhythms and harmonies continously broadening boundaries of the improvisational territory.
On the syncopated “Talking In Traffic,” renowned trumpeter Tony Lakatos channels the energy of his presence to the piano and bass, while Igor Wilcox’s drums dynamically raise the heat, driving the mood toward a burning peak.
Worth noting the perfect balance in interplay between musicians and the vividity of the dialogues in “Connections” featuring veteran saxophonist Bob Franceschini.
In “Um Voo Sem Destino,” saxophonist Bob Mintzer introduces a warm, lyrical touch that shines amid the intense rhythmic dialogue between bass and drums.
The next highlight of the album is the synergistic energy on “Wine Glass,” where David Binney’s saxophone weaves into the composition with his distinct voice, intensifying the track’s fiery atmosphere.
“Sambatino” tackles a Brazilian theme — with the saxophone of Seamus Blake in tune with the piece’s Latin groove.
On “New Cycles” we hear the virtuosic trumpet of Rachel Therrien improvising with her usual expressiveness in perfect connection with the three Brazilian musicians.
The album ends with Anonymous introduced by the bass lines of Iury Batista— we are enchanted by a solid sense of rhythm and flow that permeates the adventurous interplay among the three band members, combining improvisational idioms with dexterity. together in their exploration
On the closing track “Anonymous,” introduced by Iury Batista’s bass lines — we are drawn in by a strong sense of flowing rhythms permeating the bold interplay among the three musicians engaged in a stunning exploratory journey.
Connections is a smart titled jazz album — a seamless blend of creativity, melody and rhythm connected to the creative and adventurous spirit these three outstanding musicians bring to their art.