Hamilton de Holanda Quintet: Brasilianos 3

The Amazement Continues

After the very well received Brasilianos 1 (in 2006) and Brasilianos 2 (2010), Hamilton de Holanda and his band show up with a third Brasilianos album. The quintet is the same as on the earlier releases (Daniel Santiago on guitar, André Vasconcellos on basses, Marco Bahia behind the drums and harmonica player Gabriel Grossi). By being so long together, these superb musicians complement each other in a perfect way.

Brasilianos 3 is in all ways the successor of Brasilianos 2. The concept is worked out a bit further on this latest edition. The music is based in choro, but with all his enlightening music experiences during many appearances, Hamilton is able to slide in other styles. It makes the music even more jazzy than on Brasilianos 2. The band members accompany Hamilton in a way that gives the leader more freedom to tell his story. In fact, this is a quintet every soloist can dream of. When they’re not with Hamilton, each member has his own busy work schedule gaining experience and knowledge that seems to come together in the Brasilianos Quintet. It’s what makes them unique. While listening, one might get the feeling that the musicians rely less on their virtuosity and pay more attention to the sentiment of the composition. With song titles as “Saudades de Brasilia” and “Saudades do Rio” (the two cities Hamilton de Holanda lived in), it may be clear that Hamilton puts an accent on feelings.

Again, all music is written by Hamilton de Holanda (five are co-written with guitarist Daniel Santiago). Highlights are difficult to define; all music sounds as great as we may expect after the two earlier releases. “Prece ao Santo Céu” stands out in its form. It has a certain tradition of chamber music. The repetitive drum pattern gives the tune a surprising change. Of course “Guerra e Paz, Pt. I” must be mentioned among the best moments of the CD. The presence of Milton Nascimento is breathtaking. His voice is unique and the very best for this song. It brings back memories of Milton’s earlier career, the master of the voices! The song is dedicated to Brazilian painter Candido Portinari. These particular (two) panels (War and Peace) can be seen in the buildings of the United Nations in New York. “Guerra e Paz, Pt. II” closes the album in a most beautiful way. Other songs of course feature the technical skill of the musicians. The way Hamilton and Gabriel Grossi play the theme of a song together is still an amazing tour the force (“Saudades do Rio”). The beautiful choro ballad “JK Proibido” refers to Juscelino Kubitschek, the former president who was banned by the military regime to enter Brazil’s capital, Brasília, the city that his and architect Oscar Niemeyer’s names are forever connected with.

With this wonderful Brasilianos 3 we can already start to hope for number four. You can visit Hamilton at his website.