Eudaimonia

Eudaimonia

— 2018 / FMR Records

The Portuguese ensemble Nau Quartet led by alto saxophonist Jose Lencastre, with Rodrigo Pinheiro on piano and Hernani Faustino on bass (both members of Red Trio) plus Joao Lencastre on drums, in their second album of beautifully hazy improvisation, building and receding in authoritative conversations of innovative and inspired playing.

Musicians

José Lencastre (alto sax)
Rodrigo Pinheiro (piano)
Hernâni Faustino (bass)
João Lencastre (drums)

Credits

Recorded by João Pedreira at Timbuktu Studio, 07/04/2018
MIxed by DB, mastered by Ary at Toolate Studio
Artwork by Miguel Cravo

Release
Sept. 25, 2018 — FMR Records FMRCD505
Format
CD

Reviews

So, eudaimonia is something we are dearly in need of these days as the demons of awfulness and brazen cruelty seem to taking over.  If the music on this album could somehow transcend the aural and become the leadership, I know our world would be a much better place.

Paul Acquaro, The Free Jazz Collective, July 29, 2019 — 4.0/5
The Wire

Led by saxophonist José Lencastre, Nau Quartet feature João Lencastre on drums, Rodrigo Pinheiro on piano and Hernãni Faustino on double bass. The Lisbon group’s 2017 debut Fragments Of Always achieved a fine balance of impressionist improv and tightly coiled free jazz, and on Eudaimonia those elements coalesce into rich colours and bold shapes. Based around lowing tenor, arco bass harmonics and lucent piano, the first piece is gorgeously atmospheric. Forms slowly come into view, never fully revealing themselves. The music’s modernist architecture comes through on the second track, with Pinheiro’s morse code piano figures ushering in a jazz based improvisation of shimmering intensity. The pianist brings a classically informed elegance and harmonic expansiveness that works beautifully alongside Lencastre’s gutsy yet spacious drumming and the leader’s controlled alto fire.

Stewart Smith, The Wire, Feb. 1, 2019