snobb Reeds player, photographer and Clean Feed label founder Rodrigo Amado is with no doubt one of the brightest artists in the really active Portuguese modern jazz scene. He has played with cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum, drummer Gerald Cleaver, bassist John Hébert, drummer Paal Nilssen-Love and trumpeter Peter Evans among others,but even more importantly, he is one of the leaders and a moving force in the experimental domestic jazz scene.

Usually associated with his Motion Trio, (with cellist Miguel Mira and drummer Gabriel Ferrandini), on his new release, Rodrigo presents his new band - Wire Quartet. Half of this new project consists of another excellent Portuguese collective - Red Trio's rhythm section (drummer Gabriel Ferrandini and bassist Hernani Faustino). The fourth member, guitarist Manuel Mota, is probably the most responsible for the quartet's specific sound.

Just three compositions, including a 28-minutes long opener "Abandon Yourself", all are muscular, but airy with lots of free form improvs. Manuel Mota's guitar sounds similar to an early Derek Bailey incarnation and its relation with Rodrigo's tenor sax is telepathic. The rhythm section builds quirky and almost touchable frames around a finishing solid, intelligent and even graceful musical texture.

The great thing is that this quartet being a high-energy unit, doesn't sound aggressive at all - a rare example when high-octane fueled free form music stays intelligent and perfectly acts without attacking the listeners' ears and soul.

Portuguese adventurous jazz at its best, another great Clean Feed release.