guitarist · educator · composer
Every Choice is an Act of Courage
“It was no surprise how much I loved Caio’s new recording after hearing his masterful playing for several years. My first impression was, this is today’s music. The amount of presence to play on that level is amazing. The time feel, articulation and sophistication of the music grabs you. Each tune has a hook and it is a must listen.”
Jerry Bergonzi
“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 it’s 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.
releases March 25, 2022
Caio Afiune - Guitar and Compositions
Jessica Curran - Vocals on 4 and 5
Henrique Eisenmann - Piano
James Heazlewood-Dale - Bass on 2,4, and 5
Avery Logan - Drums
Nathan Reising - Alto Saxophone on 1,2,3,4, and 6
Max Ridley - Bass on 1,3, and 6
Mixed and Mastered by Matt Hayes
Recorded at Wellspring Sound, Acton, MA