The Lisbon Jazz Sextet will debut new tracks “Uma Outra Gaveta” and “Toaps,” by Mário Laginha, and “Opus” and “Raiz,” by Tomás Pimentel, on the Tivoli stage.
Founded in 1984, the Lisbon Jazz Sextet consists of professional musicians from the Hot Clube de Portugal and the Jazz School of Porto. The founding members included Mário Laginha on piano, Mário Barreiros on drums, Pedro Barreiros on double bass, Tomás Pimentel on trumpet, and saxophonists Edgar Caramelo and Jorge Reis.
In 2015, Francisco Brito joined on double bass and Ricardo Toscano on saxophone following the death of Jorge Reis in October 2014 at the age of 55.
Joaquim Lourenço, the ensemble’s music producer, highlighted a significant change in the national jazz scene over the past four decades, especially since the turn of the century.
“The turn of the century brought about a true revolution with the opening of music schools across the country, focusing on Jazz. At the start, there were only two schools, the Hot Clube de Portugal and the one opened by Mário Barreiros and his brother, Pedro, in 1985 in Porto. With this century’s turn, conservatories began offering Jazz courses,” Lourenço stated.
The “boom of Jazz schools has produced musicians—many of whom may not become professionals—and created a habit and audience eager to listen,” he noted. “We’ve seen full houses, increasingly more festivals, and an ever-growing number of people wanting to hear Jazz.”
He emphasized the role of numerous regional Jazz orchestras from Algarve, Leiria, Nazaré, and Matosinhos, stating that “quantity has resulted in the great quality” of Portuguese musicians.
“The advent of Jazz schools attracted a younger audience and others who start to understand and enjoy it,” he mentioned, quoting Fernando Pessoa: “First it is strange, but then it becomes ingrained,” referring to the burgeoning appreciation for this “admirable” genre.
Lourenço argues for a national Jazz identity shaped by its creators’ varied experiences, incorporating other musical languages. He noted Mário Laginha’s collaboration with fado singer Camané and performances with symphonic orchestras, characterizing him as a pivotal figure.
He also referenced musicians like saxophonist Ricardo Toscano and pianist João Paulo Esteves da Silva, whose music includes many ethnic references. Additionally, he noted others who played in pop/rock bands and those who performed abroad, encountering diverse musical universes.
“All these experiences created a group of musicians who have a unique identity combined with national sounds,” Lourenço said, highlighting: “Our identity is also reflected in who they are as performers.”
This fusion has led some to call it “Portuguese World Jazz,” evident in their music, Lourenço noted.
The producer concluded, “Forty years later, the country is different, there’s a much larger audience and more musicians, and many who now sustain themselves solely through Jazz.”
He is optimistic about the future: “We have legs to walk, many fingers to play, and mouths to blow.”
Regarding the Sextet, Lourenço remarked, “They are better than ever,” adding, “They’re so excited about this tour that they decided to return to the studio and re-record ‘Ao Encontro,’ their only album from 1988, along with a new album of original compositions. It will undoubtedly be a double CD.”
This will both revisit the ensemble’s history and introduce new perspectives, the producer concluded.
Following Lisbon, the Lisbon Jazz Sextet will perform on November 7 at the Cultural and Congress Center in Caldas da Rainha.
By the end of next year, they plan to perform in various venues and music festivals across the country, with a concert already scheduled in Bragança for November 20, 2026.
