João Almeida trumpet and objects
Pedro Melo Alves drums and objects
João Almeida and Pedro Melo Alves, two of the most creative and prolific Portuguese jazz musicians of their generation, are MOORIS. Recorded in May 2021, right after the second lockdown in Portugal, “I” shows them freely exploring their instruments of choice but also finding and creating sound with “objects”, as they describe.
Both musicians leave behind familiar ground and use their instruments to create sounds that appear ceremonial or even manifest themselves as rituals.
“Portuguese players João Almeida (trumpet) and Pedro Melo Alves (drums) investigate oblique, haunted space between minimalist jazz and post-industrial on Lisbon’s Holuzam.
Leaving any showy egos at the door, Mooris embark an uncompromising, ritualist session of extended instrumental tekkerz on their usual trumpet and drums, and a set of undisclosed “objects” animated with sonorous curiosity.”
Boomkat
“In an uncategorisable intermediate world of free jazz / improvisation and acoustic noise (?) exist João Almeida (trumpet + objects) and Pedro Melo Alves (drums + objects) as MOORIS, who release their debut LP “I” via Portugese label Holuzam. An uneasy yet rewarding listen.”
Anost
“Trumpeter João Almeida and percussionist Pedro Melo Alves form the entity MOORIS, composing creeping atmospheres of vibrant danger.
I is an invitation to enter into dark rituals, a conglomeration of dark jazz ambiances rooted in an intertwining of familiar sounds with disturbing deviances. (…) The duo offers us a jewel of atmospheric darkness, threatening darkness, devouring wandering souls. Very highly recommended.”
Roland Torres, Silence and Sound
“Almeida and Alves wanted to leave behind the familiar ground and use their instruments to create and investigate sounds that appear mysteriously ceremonial. The album presents both musicians freely investigating their instruments’ most abstract and extreme sonic palettes but also finding and creating minimalist and fascinating sounds with assorted objects and amplification. (…) In each piece, objects are added to create movement, confusion and dancing elements, inspired by dark metal to industrial.” Eyal Hareuveni, Salt Peanuts
pedro melo alves 