“It’s diminishing to talk about Mani Padme Trio as any jazz trio. This group, in fact, doesn’t belong in any specific or recognizable music category other than the broad and “omni-understandable” category of great music, which manages to transcend the intensions of its own author until it acquires universal value.
Mani Padme Trio’s music has the rhythm of breathing, the depth of a thought, the beauty of a smile, the vitality of a running child. It’s simple, spontaneous, immediate, and speaks directly to the soul. Music that only the great can create.” (Marco Giorgi – Italian critic).
Created in 2002, Mani Padme Trio is already a reference in Brazilian jazz music. After the success of their first two albums, Um Dia de Chuva(2004) and “Depois”(2008), the trio formed by the Cuban pianist Yaniel Matos, bassist Sidiel Vieira and drummer Ricardo Mosca, releases their third CD, Vôo. Two cultures that meet, Brazil and Cuba, samba and salsa; but the trio, while letting their common harmony be heard, as well as the differences of their musical ideas, move away from the smug concept of latin-jazz.
São Paulo’s rhythms and colors, where this work was recorded, are present, but are not easily recognizable. We find these characteristics wisely in the instruments dialogues drawn through a unique style that is, at the same time, richly enhanced by influences from European jazz and New York music.
“Vôo” offers – in Yaniel Matos and Sidiel Vieria’s songs – complex, deep and meditative musical forms. They also recorded two famous brazillian standards, Cais (Milton Nascimento) and Rosa Morena (Dorival Caymmi). Free of stereotypes, the trio produces music that is completely original and of a truly symbiotic relationship among the musicians. Just like their two first records, Vôo is an independent recording and is distributed in Brazil by Tratore. In Europe, both albums have been released by the Italian record label Red Records.
Yaniel Matos graduated in composition at Art Superior Institute in Habana (Cuba) and studied jazz and latin music languages with such masters as Winton Marsalis and Anthony Hard. He was pianist and arranger for some of the best cuban jazz bands such as Isaac Delgado, Chucho Valdes and Orlando Valles Maraca. He lives in Brazil since 2000 and already performed with Carlinhos Brown, Angra, Timbalada, Heartbreak, Jane Brunnett, Lenine, Los Jubilados, Antonio Pinto, Rosário Flores, among others. Now days Yaniel plays with guitarist Kiko Loureiro and with “Cuba Jazz Plus Quintet”, (Yosvany Terry - sax, Dafnis Prieto - drums, Yunior Terry - bass and Julio Padron - trumpet). Yaniel just recorded his first solo album “En Movimiento” with a great brazilian sextet.
Ricardo Mosca graduated in music at Unicamp (Sao Paulo), and studied at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood and at The Collective, in New York City. In Brazil, he is the drummer of one of the most famous brazilian instrumental group known as Pau Brasil. He also plays with Nelson Ayres Big Band and famous singer Marlui Miranda. He performed with several artists such as Monica Salmaso, maestro Nelson Ayres, Dori Caymmi, André Mehmari, André Abujamra, Luciana Mello, Campinas Symphonic Orquestra (where he did projects with Hermeto Pascoal and Wagner Tiso), among others. Ricardo Mosca is also a well known producer in Sao Paulo and is the mixing engineer for all three Mani Padme Trio’s records.
Sidiel Vieira is one of the most active musicians in São Paulo. Bass player and composer for over 20 years, he began his career with Tom Jobim Youth Orchestra, where he performed alongside Brazilian big names such as Dominguinhos, Alaíde Costa, Jhonny Alf and Filó Machado. He had the prestige of sharing the stage with Roberto Menescal, Danilo Caymmi, João Bosco, Ed Motta, Eumir Deodato, Hélio Delmiro, Airto Moreira, Raul de Souza, Hamilton de Holanda and Mestrinho. Also performed with international artists such as Dianne Reeves, Sadao Watanabe, Jens Winther, Pekka Pylkkanen, David Binney and Marcus Gilmore. His career extends to recording albums by Dori Caymmi, Monica Salmaso, Proveta, Dani & Debora Gurgel Quartet. He released two solo albums: “Sidiel Vieira Quinteto” and “Traços Urbanos”, as a trio. Currently, in addition to being a professor at EMESP (São Paulo State Music School), he is a member of 2VIEIRA (duo with Sidmar Vieira) and the Mani Padme Trio. And also performs with Amilton Godoy, Cesar Camargo Mariano and Romero Lubambo.
“MANI PADME TRIO is an unusual denomination for a jazz trio. The name refers to a culture far from the African-American music roots. Mani Padme is the most sacred and important mantra in Tibetan Buddhism (Om mani padme hum). The literal translation is “Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus and refers to the compassionate Buddha (Chenresig).
In its six syllables, this mantra shows the way to enlightenment with a series of synthetic and precise instructions. Thus, each syllable invokes a significance which, in turn, invokes a different level of understanding and elevation. OM is for the body, the word, and the spirit of the Buddha. Through this syllable, one can reach the purification of the body, the word and the mind. MANI refers to the compassionate mind and the ability to reach enlightenment not for one’s own purposes, but to relieve the other’s suffering. Hence, compassion becomes wisdom, symbolized by the word PADME (lotus), the flower that deepens its roots in the mud, grows in splendor and purity under the light. Wisdom is in recognizing those causes of another’s suffering which reside in the ignorance of each person’s own nature. The wise man acknowledges that life isn’t occasional, isolated or static; it is interdependent and connected to every other living thing. HUM, finally, represents the unity between passion and wisdom.
Just as the meaning of the name has been revealed, the formation’s musical orientation also becomes evident, leaning towards a superior synthesis and transmitting to the spirit a feeling of peace and serenity.” (Marco Giorgi).
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