Sei Miguel

Paris-born, pocket trumpeter Sei Miguel has been a standard bearer for free music in Portugal for many years. This new compendium, The Original Drum, offers a cross section of his work recorded from 2015 to 2021. Always including alto trombonist Fala Mariam, the four extended tracks find the two interacting with 11 other players in situations ranging from trios to expanded ensembles, with the pieces held together by the duo’s understated brass work.

Rhythm is an important – but not overstated – part of this with three different percussionists adding beats from common, exotic or ethic instruments. The subtle clanks of Raphael Soares’ claves provide the backing on a couple of tracks for instance. This addition works most effectively on “O Primeiro Tambor”. Joined with strokes from André Gonçalves’ lyra the intermittent clacks allow Miguel’s singular mewling notes and Mariam’s grittier puffs and flutters to create harmonic intertwining. Claves as well as Sami Tarik’s tamborim plus a four-person horn section expand the sound on “Sentinela” with the resulting textural undulation speeding up the exposition. Blustering trumpet triplets and a tailgate slur from the trombonist then constitute the brass response, But these upsurges evolve within subdued group interaction that includes silent pauses. In the end its Paulo Curado’s flute trills and Bruno Parrinha’s clarinet buzzes that individually interact with the brass, as Nuno Torres’ and Rodrigo Amado’s dual sax slurs cushion the narrative.

Meeting other textures elsewhere from different percussionists, string players and electronic interface, the trombonist sometime briefly sounds gritty gutbucket slurs or distinctive squeezed aviary peeps, while the trumpeter succinctly pivots to slightly sour single notes and brassy bugling expressions. Still these sonic slants are projected within the context of sedate and measured broken-octave motion that defines all the selections. Distinctive in improvising and interpretation, Miguel – and Mariam – have define a unique style. The selection on this CD preserve how it has developed and adapted other musical elements over the years.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. O Primeiro Tambor& 2. Astérion# 3. Sentinela* 4, Samba Infinito: I Exposiçao II Chamamento III Chave De Oxum IV Samba^

Personnel: Sei Miguel (pocket trumpet); Fala Mariam (alto trombone); Nuno Torres (alto saxophone)*; Rodrigo Amado (tenor saxophone)*; Bruno Parrinha (alto clarinet)*; Paulo Curado (flute)*; Ernesto Rodrigues (viola)#; Helena Espvall (cello)^; André Gonçalves (Lyra-8)&; Raphael Soares (claves)&*; Monsieur Trinité (Udu Mbwata)#; Sami Tarik (tamborim*, pandeiro^); Rafael Toral (modified MS-2 feedback)^