Melt

CD – Creative Sources Recordings – CS711, Lisbon 2021

SOUS LES BOIS

passe comme un orage

implore les nuages

reflète la lumière

insolente beauté

une âme

embrasse l'ombre

loin des oiseaux de la ville

1. Sous les bois - 54'33''

Ernesto Rodrigues - Viola

Joana Sá - Soprano Saxophone

Luisa Gonçalves - Piano

Carlos Santos - Electronics

Recorded June 2021, Lisbon

Cover design Carlos Santos

https://ernestorodrigues.bandcamp.com/album/melt

Reviews

Bringing together Lisbon artists active in contemporary classical, electroacoustic soundscape and improvisation, the quartet of Ernesto Rodrigues on viola, Joana Sa on soprano saxophone, Luisa Goncalves on piano and Carlos Santos on electronics delicately "Melt" or merge these elements in a subtle and absorbing concert captured live at Lisboa Incomun. Squidco

Inner Lines

CD – Creative Sources Recordings – CS709, Lisbon 2021

1. Line Segment A - 06'19''

2. Line Segment B - 03'35''

3. Line Segment C - 12'05''

4. Line Segment D - 08'55''

5. Line Segment E - 04'48''

6. Line Segment F - 14'02''

Quentin Tolimieri - Piano

Ernesto Rodrigues - Viola

Guilherme Rodrigues - Cello

Fyodor Stepanov - Double Bass

Recorded October 2020, Berlin

Cover design Carlos Santos

https://ernestorodrigues.bandcamp.com/album/inner-lines

Reviews

Another wonderful quartet recording, combining minimal music and free improvisation, recorded at Ausland in Berlin. The first impression is that the piano lines of Quentin Tolimieri are beautifully exposed. The band plays a kind of suite in six movements: "Line segments A-F". That all keep a quiet, peaceful and melancholic mood. I dig 12 minutes long "Lines segment C", with phenomenal pizzicato work of the double bass, viola and cello, supporting the leading lines of the piano. In the second part, double bass and later other string instruments start to be bowed, but the concept remains.  The closing 14 minutes  "Line segment F" is also very touching: again the piano leads, accompanied by a marvellous superposition of bowed and finger-picked tones. The mood is quiet, but tends more toward dramatic and expressive. Beautiful music!!! Maciej Lewenstein

Six "Segments" A to F of powerful restraint and extended technique, recorded at Ausland in Berlin, Germany from the free improvising quartet of Quentin Tolimieri on piano, Ernesto Rodrigues on viola, Guilherme Rodrigues on cello and Fyodor Stepanov on double bass, the close associations between the Rodrigues' and Tolimieri & Stepanov evident through their shared aesthetic. (Squidco)

live

Creative Sources Recordings – CS DIGITAL, Lisbon 2021

1. Parts I-VI - 35'04''

2. Parts IV-VI - 15'20''

 

FROMAGE DIGITAL

Ernesto Rodrigues - Violin

Jorge Valente - Synthesizer

José Oliveira - Percussion

Recorded (1) February 1994, Lisbon

Recorded (2) December 1993, Lisbon

Cover design Ernesto Rodrigues

https://ernestorodrigues.bandcamp.com/album/live

Reviews

Eclipse

CD – Creative Sources Recordings – CS695, Lisbon 2021

1. Solar eclipse - 35'40''

2. Lunar eclipse - 33'04''

Guilherme Rodrigues - Cello

Mariana Carvalho - Piano

Ernesto Rodrigues - Harp & Electronics

João Valinho - percussion

Recorded November 2018, Lisbon

Cover design João Valinho

https://ernestorodrigues.bandcamp.com/album/eclipse

Reviews

This atmospheric quarter with Father and Son was recorded in November 2018 at Namouche Studio, Lisbon. It includes João Valinho and Mariana Carvalho, who is a revelation! The quartet play two track: nearly 36 minutes long "Solar Eclipse", and 33 minutes long "Lunar Eclipse". The first one is a typical free improvised minimal music with plenty of strings, inside piano and electronics, so typical for the Rodrigues family. The novel thing is the use of the harp by Ernesto, The second piece is similar, employing a lot of pauses and fragmented sounds. Typical, but as absorbing as always. Fantastic free improvised chamber music! Maciej Lewenstein

Se são já muitos os títulos em que podemos encontrar a dupla de pai e filho constituída por Ernesto Rodrigues e Guilherme Rodrigues, este destaca-se pelo facto de a eles se juntarem dois músicos que, apesar dos efeitos da pandemia, vêm conquistando um lugar próprio (e bem merecido) no circuito nacional da livre-improvisação, a pianista Mariana Carvalho e o baterista/percussionista João Valinho. Não só, mas também: “Eclipse” tem a particularidade ainda de, nele, o pai Rodrigues surgir não com a sua habitual viola, mas com uma harpa ligada a dispositivos electrónicos.

O que nos traz este disco de estúdio – outra característica distintiva, sabendo-se que Ernesto e Guilherme valorizam as gravações ao vivo – é um enfoque no factor “vibração”. Tudo aqui vibra: as cordas do violoncelo, do piano e da harpa, os processamentos digitais desta última, as peles e os metais da percussão, com a procura dessa dimensão vibracional, da criação de harmónicos e “overtones”, definindo por inteiro a abordagem ultra-minimalista e de “drone music” às duas peças de longa duração reunidas, “Solar Eclipse” e “Lunar Eclipse”. Aqui, os dois Rodrigues estão bem longe das coordenadas do reducionismo ou do chamado “near-silence” que foram, e até certo ponto ainda têm sido, as suas, embora os parâmetros sejam equivalentes: recurso a poucos materiais, exclusiva utilização de texturas, diminuição do volume até ao extremo.

Este vector vibracional acaba por reforçar algo que vem particularizando os dois Rodrigues nestes últimos anos: uma música que é cada vez mais atmosférica (não digo “ambiental” para ficarem bem marcadas as distâncias relativamente ao ambientalismo de Brian Eno), cada vez mais misteriosa e intrigante (servindo bem o tema astronómico escolhido, com recursos que nos remetem inevitável e pluralmente para as abordagens cósmicas de Sun Ra e da tendência por este aberta no jazz, do krautrock que se fascinou pelas estrelas, do black metal mais experimental e abstracto – aquele menos metal e mais black, o black do negrume espacial – e da música electrónica “lowercase”) e cada vez mais imagética (com o tipo de imagens que só a nossa imaginação, mais do que o cinema ou o vídeo com “efeitos especiais”, nos proporciona.

De certa maneira, com as pontes contribuídas por Carvalho e Valinho, é como se Ernesto e Guilherme Rodrigues se cruzassem por meio desta edição com o universo de Rafael Toral. Depois disto, desta inesperada convergência de conceitos e práticas com os desse outro grande nome da música criativa portuguesa, bem que não seria de estranhar uma futura colaboração Rodrigues/Toral. É sempre fascinante quando músicos com percursos tão distintos acabam por se encontrar nos mesmos descampados. Ou, no caso, nos mesmos sistemas solares. Rui Eduardo Paes (Jazz.pt)

Na drugie spotkanie z Rodriguesami przenosimy się lizbońskiego studia Naumoche, dodatkowo cofamy w czasie o niemal trzy lata, do listopada 2018. Przed nami rozbudowana, dwuczęściowa ekspozycja kwartetu w składzie: Guilherme Rodrigues – wiolonczela, Mariana Carvalho – fortepian, Ernesto Rodrigues – harfa i elektronika (bez altówki!) oraz João Valinho – instrumenty perkusyjne. Pierwsza część zwie się Solar Eclipse, druga dla odmiany - Lunar Eclipse. Całość trwa ponad 68 minut.

Słonecznie… U progu nagrania wita nas mrok ambientu, całkiem nieznanej proweniencji. Głucha przestrzeń oddycha, po brzegi wypełniona ciszą, skwierczącą dźwiękowym niebytem. Bije dzwon, pojawiają się pierwsze pół drony, zapewne ze strun i piana, ale także smugi elektroakustycznej poświaty, jaką generuje ogół narzędzi pracy muzyków. Opowieść nabrzmiewa, jak ropa na zakażeniu, płynie niczym parostatek w ciemnej mgle. Struny trzeszczą, piano drży, harfa podpięta pod elektronikę i perkusyjne talerze rezonują. Kilka akcentów deep drumming rozpoczyna proces wyłaniania się z mgły elektroakustyki prawdziwych, żywych dźwięków. Odbiorca przez pewien czas pozostaje w dysonansie poznawczym, albowiem wiele fraz, czy półdźwięków dociera do nas z bliżej nieokreślonych miejsc i przedmiotów. Po czasie narracja formuje się ponownie w delikatny, akustyczny dron, niemal niezauważalnie wspierany nagą elektroniką. Opowieść przypomina starsze nagrania AMM, trwa niczym foniczna zawiesina na nieboskłonie. W połowie seta zostaje ona jednak sprowadzona do postaci sygnału elektroakustycznego, który staje się podwaliną nowego wątku improwizacji. Ten lepi się z matowych, niemal niesłyszalnych fraz, obłoków szumu i plejady szmerów. Znów musimy trochę poczekać, by w strumieniu dźwiękowym zacząć wyróżniać dźwięki czysto akustyczne. Misterium skupienia znów trwa, niczym kolejny koncert AMM. Na zakończenie improwizacja formuje się w jednorodny strumień fonii, oblepiony czerstwą syntetyką i rezonującą akustyką. 

Księżycowo… Druga historia definitywnie kwalifikuje się już do odsłuchu słuchawkowego! Drżące struny, pomiędzy które wpychana jest perkusyjna pałeczka, multiplikująca się cisza, dźwięki z najgłębszych zakamarków piana, szumiące talerze, sycząca harfa i pomruki wiolonczeli. Tym razem bez znamion dźwięków syntetycznych, tudzież elektrycznych. Filigranowa, akustyczna podróż po ciemnym pokoju, wypełnionym obumierającym robactwem. Lunatyczny trip po gęstym lesie, bez jakichkolwiek drogowskazów. Nano-preparacje, gęste pasma ciszy, celebracja rytuału zaniechania i wyczekiwania. Po upływie kwadransa dźwięki harfy zapraszają do dźwiękowego współistnienia pewien nieakustyczny ochłap fonii, który przypomina pracę starego wzmacniacza gitarowego. Aura nabiera tajemniczości, a ilość dźwięków niezidentyfikowanych rośnie na osi czasu. Gra toczy się na małych polach, muzycy generują wyłącznie krótkie, urywane frazy, wciąż balansując na granicy ciszy. W tle sączy się już wartkim strumieniem elektroakustyczny szum. Tworzy się coś na kształt osi dramaturgicznej, opowieści, która po ślimaczemu pęcznieje i nadyma się niczym przeterminowane drożdże. Kilka rezonujących dźwięków, pojedyncze szarpnięcia za struny, takież uderzenia w klawiaturę. Po wybiciu kolejnego kwadransa improwizacja umiera nad wyraz cierpliwie, na końcu dając nam wyłącznie ów ochłap skwierczącego, nieistniejącego wzmacniacza gitarowego. Andrzej Nowak (Spontaneous Music Tribune)

Emulating a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse in two evolving improvised chamber works that take the quartet of Guilherme Rodrigues on cello, Mariana Carvalho on piano, Joao Valinho on percussion and Ernesto Rodrigues (switching from viola to harp & deploying electronics) through mysterious soundwork that move from darkness to light in detailed and subtle ways. Squidco

Limosa limosa

CD – Creative Sources Recordings – CS690, Lisbon 2020

1. I - 47'06''

IKB

Ernesto Rodrigues - Viola

Miguel Mira - Cello

Hernâni Faustino - Double Bass

Bruno Parrinha - Clarinet & Bass Clarinet

Nuno Torres - Alto Saxophone

Maria Radich - Voice

Abdul Moimême - Electric Guitar & Objects

Carlos Santos - Computer

João Valinho - Percussion & Piano

André Abreu - Drums

Recorded November 2020, Lisbon

Cover design Carlos Santos

https://ernestorodrigues.bandcamp.com/album/limosa-limosa

Reviews

This time IKB appears as a tentet, maybe limited due to the covid restrictions? I do not know, but music is even more convincing: the usual dominance of alternative sounds and fake music, is replaces by a wonderfully peaceful co-existence with clearly identifiable acoustic and electric sounds generated by the members of the tentet. The track last 47 minutes and builds up the drama and tension slowly and gradually, to become quite expressive and emotional in the final parts. The final final is actually  wonderfully quiet and delicate. Wonderful music, c'est ça!!!. Maciej Lewenstein

IKB, a ten-piece reductionist electroacoustic ensemble of strings, reeds, guitar, computer, percussion, piano, drums & objects, continues their exploration of exotic animal species with this 2020 live performance at O'Culto da Ajuda in Lisbon, Portugal, detailing the long-billed shore bird Limosa through intricate, restrained and remarkable expression. Squidco

Helium

CD – Creative Sources Recordings – CS689, Lisbon 2020

1. I - 43'41''

ISOTOPE ENSEMBLE

Ernesto Rodrigues - Viola

Miguel Mira - Cello

Luis Vicente - Trumpet

Paulo Chagas - Flute & Oboe

Bruno Parrinha - Clarinet & Bass Clarinet

Nuno Torres - Alto Saxophone

José Lencastre - Alto Saxophone

Luis Lopes - Acoustic Guitar

Jorge Nuno - Acoustic Guitar

Abdul Moimême - Electric Guitar & Objects

Tiago Varela - Fan Organ

Carlos Santos - Synthesizer & Computer

André Abreu - Drums

Recorded November 2020, Lisbon

Cover design Carlos Santos

https://ernestorodrigues.bandcamp.com/album/helium

Reviews

Recorded, similarly as "Limosa limosa" of IKB,  by Miguel Azguime in November 2020 at O'Culto da Ajuda during the CSFest XIV. The Isotope Ensemble consists this time of 13 musicians, so has a, more or less, standard size. The personnel is notable for including, in addition to usual suspects,  such stars like Luís Vicenre, José Lencastre, and 

Luís Lopes. The nearly 44 minutes long track starts very quietly with long, minimalistic phrases. Slowly the whole ensemble rises like the sun in a forest. the fragmented  sound come from all sides: they can be identifies more or less, but they build as a whole an effect of XXIst century symphonic, orchestral music, filling the whole space, the whole universe. In the middle one can hear a beautiful conversation of the reeds and the trumpet. Both guitars do amazing. stupendous job. In the final part Luís Vicente has his time, creating absolutely incredible effects with the trumpet. The following alto statements by José and Nuno are also magisterial. Another masterpiece from the Rodrigues factory, no better to say exclusive manufacture! Maciej Lewenstein

With an ensemble of adept improvisers including Luis Vicente on trumpet, Nuno Torres, Jose Lencastre and Bruno Parrinha on reeds, Luis Lopes on guitar, &c, Creative Sources leader and violist Ernesto Rodrigues' Isotope Ensemble examines the element "Helium" in a monumental 44-minute electroacoustic improvisation recorded live at O'Culto da Ajuda, in Lisbon. Squidco