Leo Genovese, Demian Cabaud & Marcos Cavaleiro - Estrellero 2 (2024)

Though life can present many trials, there often is much to be thankful for. There is also much to hope and wish for. For Leo Genovese, Demian Cabaud, and Marcos Cavaleiro, the gift of being able to maintain their long friendship and collaboration in spite life’s surprises pushes them creatively, allowing for a deepened appreciation for the world around them and their places within it. Humbly, the trio returns with a moving new recording, Estrellero 2, pursuing the next stage in their collective evolution.

Pianist Leo Genovese and bassist Demian Cabaud hail from Argentina and attended the Berklee College of Music together. Genovese has made a busy life as an itinerant musician based in New York City, while Cabaud settled in Porto, Portugal, where the duo met Portuguese drummer Marcos Cavaleiro. The three developed a deep friendship and a musical bond that delivers unlimited inspiration whenever the trio meets.

In 2023, the trio released an album of original compositions, entitled Estrellero. The record had been recorded a couple years prior and the release inspired the group to reconvene to capture the magic yet again. Collectively, the friends could bring together their feelings and attitudes about the world, whether it be missing their native homes or wishing for a better tomorrow.

The musicians realize how lucky they are to be able to come together and pursue music making in an environment where they are all welcome, appreciated, and needed. The freedom to express their feelings allow them to bring their full selves to the music. The magic that they created was captured on June 6, 2023, at the Estudio Cara OJM in Porto.

The program begins with Genovese’s “La Quinta,” a modal composition without harmonic tension that is a simple meditation on finding peace. Cabaud’s “America Despierta” is a strident piece meant as a wakeup call the American continents and to their constant existences in states of emergency. Cabaud’s resonant bass introduces Genovese’s “Fly Brother,” a heartfelt, trance-like piece that is a tribute for the great bassist Juini Booth, who passed away during the pandemic.

Cabaud’s “Paz Na Siria” begins in an agitated state meant to mirror the turmoil continually brewing in the Middle East before it settles into a hopeful, harmonious conclusion. Cavaleiro’s lovely “Domingo” is a tranquil ballad meant to catch the feeling of the day of rest, while Genovese’s bright and buoyant “Suspendido” borrows the chaabi rhythms of the Berbers of North Africa.

Beginning serenely, Cabaud’s reflective and patient “El Alba” imagines waking up to a peaceful morning in a perfect world. Genovese’s “Bud’s Rhythm” is a formless piece that strips down the elements of bebop to the rhythms of Bud Powell. Lastly, Cabaud and the trio look to Argentina for inspiration on “Cielo Sur,” waxing nostalgic with melancholy and a hint of tango flavor.

The efforts of maintaining friendship and continuing a project of artistic merit requires growth and understanding. The trio of Leo Genovese, Demian Cabaud, and Marcos Cavaleiro find themselves mutually realizing the demands and hazards of life. But they choose to counter these with hope, as can be heard in their musical message on Estellero 2.