Album Notes

The hardest question for me to answer is about the style of jazz I play. One may perhaps say that it is Latin or Brazilian, but I would prefer to avoid labeling. In my opinion, music should reflect the environment and the moment in which it is composed, interpreted or improvised. As a Brazilian and a Latin musician I cannot deny or avoid my roots, yet I believe it is also important to be aware of other existing influences.

It was vital for the making of this album to find musicians who would understand the manifold roots and influences which this music draws on, and who would be able to play with the respect, love, sincerity, depth, and knowledge necessary. In my mind there is no doubt that this particular artistic communion has brought a special life and essence to my music, for its great outcome this group of musicians is very much responsible.

Nando's knowledge of all styles involved, his soulful playing and creative insights, Bertram's understanding of the fusion of styles and the combination of roots that range from African to Latin to straight-ahead Jazz, Rick's solid delivery of rhythmically complex lines made to sound easy, and Joel's and Tony's beautiful tones and spirited improvisations are all one could ask for. Not to mention the very special appearances of Ernesto and Pedro on percussion, Laura on violin and Sam on cello.

This album consists of a group of nine compositions which I have written, developed and polished over the last three years. The opening track, Freudian Slip, placed fifth at the third Premio SGAE Latin Jazz in Havana, Cuba, held in December of 2002. It draws it's basic rhythmic idea from a bass ostinato that can vary in length. Mind Motions, the title track of this recording, is a through-composed journey that was inspired by numerous Brazilian musical traditions reconstructed to fit a freer context. ORB plays with the syncopated intensity and polyrhythmic possibilities of an Afro-Cuban 12/8 rhythm. Libra is a straight-ahead waltz with a couple of twists, and a beautiful piano introduction by Nando Michelin. After that, Laura's Nightmare puts the listener on his toes with its unusual choices of timbres, odd- meter grooves and passionate solos over complex forms. Sphere brings us back to earth with an open interpretation of a Cha Cha Cha. Magister Joe is my homage to the great Joe Henderson. It is a three-part suite inspired by Herman Hess' "The Glass Bead Game". The recording draws to a close with The Return of The Chromo Sapiens, a 16 measure piece that develops into a collective improvisation. This piece won first place at the Premio SGAE Tete Montoliu of Jazz Composition in Barcelona, Spain, in December of 2001. An epilogue of sorts for this CD is a small piece entitled Reflection, for soprano sax, piano, violin and cello, which was inspired by the beautiful countryside of Finland.