Recently relocated to Stockholm, Guitarist and composer Caio Afiune has spent the last ten years making a lasting impression on the US’s East Coast Jazz Scene. Caio has performed extensively as a sideman accompanying jazz giants such as Jerry Bergonzi and Christian Sands, Brazilian legends Jacques and Paula Morelenbaum, leading his own project, the Caio Afiune Quintet, and collaborating with the international collective Imagine 5.
Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Afiune’s compositions uniquely blend together the essence of Brazil and his deep knowledge of the North American Jazz tradition. His debut album, “Caio Afiune,” received widespread acclaim. The title track, “Prebenda,” was awarded an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award, and the closing track “Dido,” was not only an official finalist in the 2015 Hollywood songwriting competition but won the 2016 Downbeat Award for best small ensemble composition.
“Every Choice is an Act of Courage” is a mantra embedded in Caio by his father, Jorge. From a young age, the lesson applied to the smallest daily actions, but as Caio approaches the release of his sophomore album, it clearly influences how he reconciles the relationship between creativity and what is normally expected of a jazz guitarist. In addition to original pieces, Afiune reimagines popular standards from the jazz tradition including Caravan, I Remember You, Softly as in a Morning Sunrise and Stella by Starlight through recompositions, drawing influence from free jazz, Brazilian rhythms, and metal. While Afiune lives within the jazz idiom, he challenges the expectations of a jazz guitarist and even takes a step back from the shred fest to let his killer ensemble and compositions shine.
In “Caravana”, Afiune fuses the famous Tizol/ Ellington melody with a flamenco groove to create a multi-movement adventure. Afiune taps into the melancholy of Johnny Mercer’s lyrics for “I Remember You,” stretching its grieving melody over lush harmonies. Caio invites singer Jessica Curran into two tunes: a reharmonized “Precious” by Esperanza Spalding and “Returning”, a co-written composition written in response to the devastation of the Amazon forest in early 2020. The closing track embodies all that Afiune stands for. “Tequila Sunrise”
pays homage to his love for rock and free jazz while still exploring rich harmonies and complex rhythms. The piece merges into “Stella on a Starry night” an impressionistic memory of a jazz classic by Victor Young and Ned Washington.
‘Every Choice is an Act of Courage’ will be released on March 25th, 2022.
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