Primary Instrument: Bass, acoustic
Hugo Carvalhais was born in Oporto/ Portugal and took a degree in Painting at the Fine Arts School there. Despite being self-taught, Carvalhais studied and participated in seminars with musicians including Ron Carter, Eddie Gomez, Hein Van de Geyn, Mario Pavone, Carlos Bica and Miroslav Vitous. Considered as one of the most talented and “sui generis” Portuguese double-bass players of his generation, Hugo has worked with musicians such as Julian Arguelles, Tim Berne, Emile Parisien, Dominique Pifarély, Liudas Mockunas, Sheila Jordan, Jefferey Davis, Art Themen, among others.
2010 sees the launch of his first record as a leader featuring saxophone player Tim Berne. “Nebulosa” was considered one of the best albums of the year by “Jazz.pt” magazine and received outstanding reviews by national and international press. The album was also chosen among the most representative records of Clean Feed label by their 10th anniversary.
In 2012 Hugo Carvalhais releases is second album called “Particula” with his regular band mates ( Gabriel Pinto, Mário Costa ) and the participation of Dominique Pifarély and Emile Parisien.
“...the five musicians reach a level of contemporary chamber music and simultaneously demonstrate the vitality associated with spontaneous interaction...” Süddeutsche Zeitung by Karl Lippegaus - Germany
“....Each one of them impresses by the totally original individual sound quality.....” RadioFrance by Alex Dutilh
“...Gorgeous sophomore release from Portuguese doublebassist...” Monsieur Délire by François Couture - Canada
“... A splendid record of what commonly is called contemporary jazz ...” Percorsi Musicali by Ettore Garzia - Italy
“...sidereal dream...” Jazz Magazine Jazzman by Vincent Cotro - France
“... Led to feelings of contemporary aesthetic with jazzy virtuous field interventions but the group search goes beyond conventional territories ...” JAZZITIS - Spain
“...This new record is the confirmation of the talent of this bassist, to follow more than ever...” - Citizen Jazz - France ”Distinct identity” - All about jazz New York Journal review by Stuart Broomer
”Superb Discovery” - all about jazz review by Mark Corroto http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=38262
“One of the best albums of 2010” - avant music news http://www.avantmusicnews.com/2010/12/24/avant-music-news-best-of-2010/
One of the best albuns of 2010 by Hiroyuki Masuko in musicircus Japan http://homepage3.nifty.com/musicircus/main/2010_10/tx_3.htm
“Revelação” one of the best records of 2010 - RDP antena 2 - by Manuel Jorge Veloso http://tv1.rtp.pt/programas-rtp/index.php?p_id=1126&e_id=28112010&c_id=2&dif=radio
“Bassist Hugo Carvalhais crafts some extraordinary ensemblejazz” ��” gapplegate music review by Grego Edwards http://gapplegateguitar.blogspot.com/2010/12/bassist-hugo-carvalhais-crafts-some.html
“Nebulosa is a masterful debut” - Jazzwrap review by Vern http://jazzwrap.blogspot.com/2011/02/hugo-carvalhaiswow.html
“The record shows sophistication enhanced by noir-ish mystery, also benefitting from the large quantity of living space in which the performers explicate their inspiration” - Touching Extremes review by Massimo Ricci http://touchingextremes.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/hugo-carvalhais-%E2%80%93-nebulosa/
“A mais fulgurante estreia de um jazzman Português de que tenho memória” - time out Lisboa review by José Carlos Fernandes http://cleanfeed.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/time-out-lisboa-review-by-jose-carlos-fernandes-30/
“These guys astonished me” -” liner notes” of CD nebulosa by Rui Eduardo Paes http://www.hugocarvalhais.com/conteudos/pdf/Liner_Notes_rep.pdf
“Excelente registo de estreia” by Rodrigo Amado in Ípsilon jornal Público
“Um clima de outro mundo” by André Pinto in Jornal de Letras
melhores Jazz.pt Nacionais http://www.hugocarvalhais.com/conteudos/pdf/7.pdf
“Pedrada no charco” - jazz.PT #32 - review by António Branco http://www.jazz.pt/festival/2010/concertos/dom-12-hugo-carvalhais-nebulosa/
“Debut album of the year” - Will Layman, jazz critic (popmatters, soundcheck, wnyc-fm ) http://cleanfeed.wordpress.com/2010/12/30/will-laymans-popmatters-soundcheck-wnyc-fm-best-of-2010-list/
“Gran bella surpresa” - RAI radio 3 http://www.hugocarvalhais.com/conteudos/pdf/1.pdf http://www.radio3.rai.it/dl/radio3/programmi/archivio/ContentSet-ef974f97-53cb-44d1-88d6-f82ab7c4a35a.html
“Représentatif de la nouvelle génératio des musiciens Portugais” - Jazzmagazine ��” review by François René-Simon http://www.hugocarvalhais.com/conteudos/pdf/6.pdf
“Ensemble enthousiasmant et prometteur” Orkhêstra France http://www.orkhestra.fr/catalog.php?FIND=nebulosa&Go.x=5&Go.y=7
“Una delle Manifestazioni più lucide del nuovo jazz portoghese, un concentrato di creatività e capacità strumentali” - Goodfellas Italia http://www.goodfellas.it/newsletter/letter01-11m.htm
“Uno dei concerti top del festival” All about jazz italia concert review by Jos Demol http://italia.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=6525
“...is a remarkable debut trio namely committed in the border country between lyrical, atonal and electric jazz.” Jazznytt magazine ( Norway ) review by Svein-Magnus Furu http://issuu.com/push_media/docs/jazznytt-06-2010/51
“La révélation de la journée sera le project Nebulosa du contrebassist Hugo Carvalhais” 9º festa do jazz S. Luiz review by Alex dutilh in Blog de France Musique http://sites.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/blog/alexdutilh/comments.php?id=30&post=4081&temOpen=1
“Players who will help shape jazz in the future” Jazz World review by Ken Waxman http://www.jazzword.com/review/127385
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