Album Notes

"A composer's composer, a musician's musician, Gaudencio Thiago de Mello remains one of the most kept secrets in both the Jazz and Brazilian contemporary scenes. I cherish his first album, 'The Music of Thiago', recorded in 1975. It's really a very special jewel, a truly collector's item. In reality we can say that it is one of the most rare albuns of all times."

Arnaldo DeSouteiro,
Tribuna da Imprensa, Brazil
_
"Amazon, strong on jazz. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, Thiago de Mello is a charmer. Sitting in front of Amazon, his ten-piece band, he dealt with his audience like a combination wandering bard and crackerbarrel storyteller... he would sing a snatch of a song, drop his voice to a confidential hush to impart some small fragment of wisdom... Thiago de Mello's writing displays a partiality for warm, middle register blends--occasionally recalling that of Gerry Mulligan in feel, if not specifically in content. His celebration of trumpeter Claudio Roditi, on 'A hug for Claudio', used two flutes as an specially sensitive counterweight to the brass passages... each contributing a distinctive color to the whole in a way a bit reminiscent of the third section of Bartok's 'Concert for Orchestra'."

Richard Sudhalter, New York Post

"The past Brazilian Jazz Festival, at Jazzmania, featured Thiago de Mello and his ten piece band, AMAZON. Thiago de Mello is a fine composer and arranger. He has worked with oustanding jazz musicians... he sings, occasionally plays the guitar and many percussion instruments. Thiago is a delightful performer with a special brand of music that ranges through many different moods, all uniquely his own."

Seymour Nippon, Nitelife
NYC

"I have known Thiago de Mello for a couple of years, and have just heard 3 entire sets of Thiago's music at the annual Brazilian Jazz Festival presented by the Jazzmania Society, June 14th, 1980. I was very impressed by his writing - a unique and genuine style which encompasses a variety of moods and rhythm patterns paralleled by rich melodic and harmonic phrases. This is Thiago's strength, and from it, he has created a style of his own. Thiago de Mello is a very talented and unique professional composer who definitely deserves to be heard."

Gil Evans,
Composer & Arranger