JazzTimes.com by Leslie Connors
June 6, 2011 (New York, NY) Written by Leslie Connors for JazzTimes.
Sometimes the stars are in perfect alignment; beneath the blanket of light and shadow magic is born.
The wizardly offspring in this case is Dumee & Dijkgraaf Quinteto’s new album, “Heloisando,” which seems to exist in a world of its own. “Heloisando” rejuvenates Brazilian jazz with the pristine, haunting strands of classical music. On “Cipriano,” Jan Dumee’s guitars weave webs of hypnotic, translucent beauty. But the group is capable of more than just awe-inspiring slow-motion gorgeousness. On “Entre Rio e Belo Horizonte,” Wim Dijkgraaf’s fiery harmonica propels Kiko Continentino’s driving piano to new heights as Dumee’s breakneck acoustic riffs and Marcio Bahia’s pummeling drums reach for the skies.
In what can be seen as a blueprint for future jazz acts, reflecting the wonderfully expanding melting pot of today’s America, Dumee & Dijkgraaf Quinteto is stitched together by international passports; with members from the Netherlands, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro, their musical inspirations are eclectic, united by a general affection for jazz. According to Dijkgraaf, the idea for the band arose after he met Dumee at a jam session in the Netherlands four years ago. “He played bass that night and did a lot of Brazilian percussion,” Dijkgraaf recalled. “We had such a nice musical click, mainly because it was immediately apparent to me that he approached Brazilian music in a much more free way then what I was used to in Brazil. His approach was that of free jazz but applied with a lot of knowledge and respect to the standard Brazilian repertoire. We started talking and became good friends instantly. Following was a period of four years of playing with lots of musicians mainly in the Netherlands when I was there. It was his unexpected trip to Brazil in December 2010 that made us decide to record an album with our ‘dream team’ in Brazil.”
‘Dream team’ is certainly an apt description for Dumee & Dijkgraaf Quinteto. There is a transcendent quality to the group’s music, one that becomes increasingly apparent with each spin of “Heloisando.”
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