"He has been playing the violin for 30 years and in that time has played all genres of music ranging from contemporary music to free jazz and improvised music, live and in the studio.

His main interest shifted towards contemporary improvised and composed music.

The relationship with his instruments is focused in sonic and textural elements.

Electronic music was an early influence on his approach to violin playing, which challenges traditional romantic concepts of the violin/viola through use of preparations and micro tuning.

Active in different settings on the Portuguese scene for free improvised music, both as a collaborator and in leading his own groups.

Music for Dance, Cinema, Video and Performance.

Has created the record label Creative Sources Recordings in 1999, which mainly concentrates on releasing experimental and electro-acoustic music."

"Studied alto saxophone within a jazz tradition spectrum. His continuous solo experimental research explores a wide scope of sound material through the use of the extended technics. Participates in several ensembles of improvisational music, electro acoustics and reductionism. Collaborates with musicians such as, Ernesto Rodrigues, Ricardo Jacinto, Sei Miguel, Fala Mariam, João Castro Pinto, Rafael Toral, Manuel Mota, David Stackenäs, Travassos, Paulo Raposo, Carlos Santos, Shiori Usui, C. Spencer Yeh, Cyril Bondi and d'incise, and developed projects as CACTO and PinkDraft, In the recent years has been also collaborating in several different projects at the intersection of the performative areas of dance, theatre and the visual arts (PARQUE, Les Voisins, Eye Height, Adriana Sá, Beatriz Cantinho). Participates and curates experimental and community radio initiatives."

"Born in 2000, João Gato started taking Jazz saxophone seriously whilst studying with the altoist Ricardo Toscano, at the Hotclub of Portugal. At age 18, he finished the practical course, after taking 3 years of classes with Toscano and being selected to represent the school at the annual National Jazz combos competition.

In 2018, he started his Bachelor Degree in Jazz saxophone in at ESML, where he studied with prestigious portuguese musicians such as Gonçalo Marques, Desidério Lázaro, Pedro Moreira, Afonso Pais and Nelson Cascais. He finished his degree in 2021, with the grade of 18/20 in the final recital.

In late 2021 he founded his own project, Apophenia, a quartet that reunites some of the brightest young musicians in Lisbon with the objective of finding a common ground between free improvisation and the Jazz compositions without an harmonic instrument, with an aesthetic influenced by musicians such as Eric Dolphy, Peter Evans and Ornette Coleman. The compositional work is all done by Gato.

In early 2022, Apophenia went to Berlin to play 2 shows (one fully available on youtube at https://youtu.be/MI0mcklPB6c ) and recorded their debut album shortly after returning to Lisbon.

Apophenia's debut album came out on the 21st of July of 2022, on the portuguese label Robalo, and was released at their festival and broadcasted by Antena 2.

Besides fronting Apophenia, João is also part of young singer Filipa Franco's quintet, Sonic Voyaging (a project that combines improvised music and dance), Coletivo Teto (a research colective into improvisation techniques), Zé Almeida's quintet, BBTTT and Orquestra de Jazz de Setubal.

He has played with musicians such as Peter Evans (Jardins de Verão Gulbenkian 2020), Nelson Cascais, Nazaré da Silva, João Pereira, João Almeida and João Valinho. He is part of the recently released EP "Forget about Mars" by Débora King.

During the last 5 years, he has taken lesson with musicians such as Jacob Sacks, Perico Sambeat, Chris Pitsiokos, Gonçalo Marques and André Fernandes. He has mantained sporadic lessons with Peter Evans and has been studying with Yedo Gibson for over a year."

Luísa Gonçalves Lisbon, Portugal is a musician, pianist, & composer. She holds a superior degree in classical piano performance ESMAE, and works frequently with other musicians and performing arts.

Flak is an improvising and rock guitarist, best known for the Portuguese rock band Rádio Macau.-Squidco 1/17/2025

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Joao Madeira: "I was born in Lisboa and I've dedicated most of my energy to the doublebass since I was 12. When I went to study at the Conservatório de Lisboa my role model was doublebassist João Panta Nunes, and lately my studies were oriented by Jorge Lee, at Cascais. I have a degree in Musicology, investigation work on Fado's candidature to World Immaterial Heritage by UNESCO, and coordination of the Music Department at INATEL/FNAT. Since 1999 I have a strong activity (studio and performance) in several styles and genres, but improvised music and original composition (whatever the style...) are the places where my musical language riches its higher satisfaction and plenitude. In the recordings you are about to hear it's me who plays all the instruments. My passion is at the simple act of artistic creation. For me, music is all about musicians and genuine expression! It doesn't matter the genre neither the instrument per si. In theater I have collaborations (musician, composer, actor) with Companhia do Chapitô and Artistas Unidos, amongst others. I also love books (...) I've studied aesthetics and Portuguese literature since I remember, and love to read and write poetry."

"Studied painting with António Sena (Ar.Co, 1988 -1992), worked in advertising for a period of time, but nowadays works as graphic designer in corporate identity, packaging, web and audio-video production.

Started sound/music activities in 1989 when formed the VITRIOL project with Paulo Raposo, a laboratory for experimental sound actions, in a first stage with studio work followed in 1994 by live output, mainly live electronics, concrete music with a improvised or graphic score oriented approach. Uses the laptop with software written in MaxMsp, small resonant objects, microphones and piezo elements to produce a music that deals with space and its sound characteristics. Interests in "soundscape" and field recordings are a huge part of his work, for piece preparation or just for archival purposes, Always recording, events, spaces or music. Multi-channel acusmatic music and radio pieces.

Presents himself solo in site-specific audio-video works, or in duos with João Silva (video, sound, photography), "Inhabitaded Spaces" with Ricardo Guerreiro (computer, mics), "Venús Pistolletto" with Emídio Buchinho (elec. guitar, mics, objects) and trios with Ernesto Rodrigues (violin) and Guilherme Rodrigues (cello) or ZNGR electroacustic trio with Carlos "Zíngaro and Emídio Buchinho. Member of several formations, "(Des)Integração" laptop ensemble (2001-2003) or in more electroacoustic sets, uses live-electronics and sampling which is the case of "Suspensão" septep, VGO, variable geometry orchestra and specially a trio close related to the "near silence" aesthetics, with Ernesto Rodrigues (violin, harp) and Guilherme Rodrigues (cello) with already several CD releases, always with at least one international improviser guest. Presented his work in Portugal, Spain, France, UK and Germany. Worked with artists from several media: dance, performance and video. Music and sound design for video and animation. Video and sound editing for comercial projects. Played live or in recording projects throughout the years with a lot of musician and sound artists. His sound work is documented in several CD releases. Belongs to the Granular board of directors, a portuguese association for experimental art and does the image of Creative Sources label. Broadcasts "Boca Doce" show at Rádio Zero (web) and other special shows. Workshops and seminars in digital audio manipulation, Maxmsp programming and sound art practise."

"Polivalent artist with conections to the Fluxus movement, José Oliveira is well known, besides music by his "mail art" creations, performance and poetry.

As an improvisor, his aproach to percussion is similar to Paul Lovens, Roger Turner, Lê Quan Ninh and Paul Lytton. He prefers a non conventional "set", where he uses instruments and objects as raw materials to create an improvised language rich in terms of timbre and textures. To this he adds sometimes inside piano manipulations and prepared guitar, in the same way as John Cage: the objects are placed on the strings or in between them in real-time performance, and not according to a previous plan.

He belonged to Sei Miguel collective between 1989 and 1996, played with Carlos Bechegas and Pedro Roxo and has a regular activity with Ernesto Rodrigues."