snobb
Portuguese adventurous jazz scene during last decade demonstrated possibly biggest number of young and or new/newly discovered interesting musicians of all Europe. I can mention reedists Sei Miguel and Rodrigo Amado, or young generation sax player Susana Santos Silva among some others. But speaking about collectives,not individual artists, with no doubt first what comes to mind are Red Trio.
Debuted in 2010 with their self-titled album, the trio of double bassist Hernani Faustino,drummer/percussionist Gabriel Ferrandini and pianist Rodrigo Pinheiro are excellent example of true collective musicianship. There are no leader in a band, and not because of formal statement - their music is a result of equal participation when each member is right in place and it is impossible to imagine final music without his part.
Based more on Bill Dixon legacy,when the textures are not less important than structures and sounds, than on widely popular but obviously over-exploited way of noisy exalted free improvs or pseudo -intellectual structure-less noodling, Portuguese trio plays very modern post-jazz when elements of acoustic ambient, jazzy industrial/noise and more traditional acoustic jazz trio all are equal parts of aesthetically attractive musical picture.
On "Empire", band's second album (and first international release), trio collaborates with unorthodox British sax player John Butcher. Three compositions of vinyl-only release sounds fresh and demonstrates rare form of exploratory in modern jazz when searching of new forms doesn't separate music from listener. All album long open ears listener feels like he is participating in artists collaboration carefully and with high level of professionalism stepping ahead and even more - it looks like he goes with them this fragile and beauty way they are laying behind.
One great example of new millenium adventurous jazz, unfortunately out of press vinyl release only.