CD Review: Filipe Monteiro - In Bad Company.

Filipe Monteiro (gtr); Roberto Manzin (ten/sax/clt); Sam Leak (pno); Fergus Ireland (bs); Callum Armstrong (bagpipes); Lewis Wright (dms).

(Review by Lance.)

Let me make this clear - this disc has nothing to do with the rock band Bad Company! It's far too good for that. However, I could see the name being a deterrent to the right customer and an attraction to the wrong one!
The CD is Monteiro's first album and it is an impressive début. Drawing on his memories of living in a small village nestled in the Italian Alps, moving around Europe and Canada, settling in London in 2005 and, of course, his affinity with Brazil. The all but one self-penned compositions create an aura of beauty that reflects in the music. The inclusion of bagpipes may cause a few quizzical eyebrows to be raised but the pipes are not intrusive and contribute greatly to the one track where they are featured.

As well as his compositional skills, Monteiro is no mean guitar player, displaying a wealth of ideas in solos that abound in lyricism. 

Reed-player Manzin has a prodigious technique that he utilises effectively on tenor, soprano and clarinet. On the non-original - Mingus' Duke Ellington Sound - the tenor is full and round with an almost Websterian sensuousness and guitar and tenor combine well in the ensembles. And how about that clarinet on Missing Home? About time we had some new liquorice and this is very tasty liquorice indeed! Some nice piano from Sam Leak on the Mingus piece
Leak, in fact, is a tower of strength throughout and bass and drums gel helping to make this an album to delve into time and time again.
Filipe Monteiro: In Bad Company was released earlier this year. To obtain a copy check here.
Lance.