A + B

Quarto Sensorial is a Brazilian trio that plays instrumental music. The range of their sound goes from Jazz Rock to Brazilian Music through African Music and Progressive Rock.

I've been following the band since 2009 when they released their virtual EP. I received that EP and I didn't know that only 5 tracks could make me like the band so much! By the way, the EP can be free downloaded on their website here: quartosensorial.blogspot.com/2011/03/quarto-sensorial-ep-2009.html

Being an instrumental band isn't easy, and being from Brazil doesn't make things easier. So the full album was released only 3 years later, but the waiting was worthy.

A + B (2012) was released in last November and as the first EP was released as a free download album (quartosensorial.blogspot.com/2012/11/quarto-sensorial-b-2012.html). The album was produced by Fernando Efron and Carlos Ferreira and it took around one year to be recorded. It has 7 tracks and this time the band took their music to a higher level! A + B (2012) isn't just the trio Carlos Ferreira (guitars), Bruno Vargas (bass) and Martin Estevez (drums and percussion). As I said, the band took their sound to a new level inviting new musicians like Luciano Zanatta (saxophones) in the unbelievable track 'Inferno Astral' and Pablo Schinke (cello) in the two parts song 'Voo Livre'.

A + B (2012) was born great, was born from the experience of three great musicians that have an open minds to music and to humour. I have to admit that the first time I've listened to A + B (2012) I wasn't that impressed. The EP was still in my mind maybe. But I knew something was wrong, so I tried again and again? and that makes all the difference. Every time I hear the album now, new details come to my ears and I like it even more.

The frantic opening duo 'Biotônico Ferreira' and 'Inferno Astral' is something to pay attention to. When your ears start to get used to the fast pace of the beginning they shift everything with the two parts of 'Voo Livre'. That's something new to the Quarto Sensorial sound, the most Prog track on the album and the presence of the cello by Pablo Schinke gives the track the atmosphere it needed.

In one more radical shift we have '08:59 AM' just with acoustic guitars. The follow up 'La Gambiarra' has a Jazz feeling and as the name suggests a Latin feeling too. To close the album we have 'Samba Cafeínado' and of course that being from Brazil and playing instrumental Samba Quarto Sensorial is almost paying homage to Banda Black Rio. If there was a band that could mix Samba and Jazz, it was Banda Black Rio, but we finally have another king to this crown: Quarto Sensorial.

The album is quite short and has around 32 minutes. But my idea of a perfect album isn't taking the whole 80 minutes that a normal CD can hold. No, it isn't. The perfect album is the one that takes everything the band's musicians got and makes every second worth. In the Quarto Sensorial s case killing bass lines, guitars that don't want to spit out Blues clichés and a drummer that fills every blank space with intelligence. Wrap everything with music, not a simple show off and you have Quarto Sensorial, one of the finest bands that came from Brazilian lands.

(Originally posted on progshine.net)

I am always afraid of writting reviews for Jazz... and actually I thin this one must be my first!

I was (sledge)hammered by their music. The heaviness that open the album is somethin that got, and not by the heavy metal taste (that is definetly not their style) but for their improvisation and experimentalism. The acoustic bits are suberbs and the melodies that seems to be more composed and delicately arranged works as well. Their sound mix evertything and the title of their tracks says more than a thousand moth... lyrics. Indeed there are musics that only brazilians will fully comprehend. For example, the mixtures of styles in the track "La Gambiarra", which means exaclty what they are playing! Sorry gringos, you'll not get that.

You know what? A new voice in Brazil is always good. And a strong debut as this certainly is cannot go unoticed. Give'em 5 stars!

This band is from Porto Alegre, a municipality at the Southern region of Brazil. Some good prog bands are arising there lately, and most of them has a fusion edge. Among them all, the album I most recommend is this one. You can here Mahavishnu Orchestra influences, and also the italian band Freeway Jam.

First of all I'll write the translation of the track titles to english. 1. Biotônico Ferreira 2. Astral Hell 3. Free Flight pt. 1 4. Free Flight pt. 2 5. 8:59AM 6. The Gambiarra [originally La Gambiarra] 7. Caffeinated Samba The first and sixth' are untranslatable, I think its worth explaining why. Biotônico Fontoura is a strengthening medicine brand that exists on Brazil since 1910. It became very popular from decades 1930 to 1970, almost acquiring among many people an image of having a "magic" power to cure indisposition. Well, Ferreira is one of the members of the band, and that's enough for the reader to make your own conclusions. Gambiarra is a colloquial word used by brazilian folks that means an improvised solution for an emergencial and unexpected situation. It is usually used when making funny statements or appointmemts.

Now for the analysis of the songs.

The album is totally instrumental. First track delivers a lot of energy and amazing rythym harmonies. Great variety of tunes, gathered on consistent and clear directions. A superb opener. Even though it's very short, with less than 2min, before it ends they perform some interesting electronic stuff.

Bass gets more proeminent on 2nd track, defining the main structure on many parts and performing interesting effects. Guitar can go from smooth to penetrating to psychedelic notes without loosing the main ideas. Drums have similar qualities, but I'd rather describe its participation by writing that his highlights are the combination of cymbals/snare drums, and the domain of switches between slow and fast moves. It seems to my ears there's a sax, but I couldn't confirm. It adds a bit different sound for some notes and harmonies.

3rd and 4th tracks make part of the same song and have a lot of cohesion. On their youtube channel they are displayed as one track. So, that's how I'll analyze it. The whole composition is very meditative, not in an esoteric way, but more in a psychological and sensitive context. Short notes on guitar that seems to echo throughout the song; drum improves into a smoother jazz spirit. All is sewn with a cello that makes a great tapestry of bass tunes. On its middle, they gradual and gently upgrade some tones, as if they've decided to fly higher on the composition. On most part of the second half, they bring the main smooth idea to the frontline, but with no hurry and with an introspective feeling.

The acoustic guitar on "08;59AM" performs some fluid and nice tunes. They get a little repetitive on the second half, but that is relatively compensated by some subtle changes of tone.

Next track begins with some soft jazz-rock that assumes a latin flavour before it reaches its half. Some interesting sound effects are executed on the second half, when it becomes more rock n roll.

Last track is a dynamic interpretation for some samba tunes. with more complex and liberty on the execution than it's usual for this musical genre. Well, I hear samba so much against my will, because of the city I live, but in despite of that I consider it a very good song.

4.1 on a 5 star scale. This high degree stands specially for tracks 1 to 4