Damián Birbrier is a Montreal saxophonist of Argentine-Brazilian origin. Águas is an album of free improvisation, without any pre-established structure or harmonic plan. With Vovô Saramanda on percussion and Antoine Rochefort on electric bass/double bass, he captured the spontaneous essence of rather refined music at the Montreal Museum of Jewish Art on June 3, 2025.
LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH DAMIÀN BIRBRIER
While free improvisation albums often tend to cross the line into dense noise, Águas remains very accessible for untrained ears in this genre. In fact, it doesn’t seem like a typical free improvisation performance at all. This demonstrates the impressive skill of the three musicians in maintaining control over their interventions and framing them within a canvas that is indeed spontaneous, but firmly rooted in creative foundations that have the quality of calculated architecture.
Throughout the entire program of nine compositions, Birbrier maintains a very smooth and velvety timbre quality. He never veers into screams and shrillness, let alone chaos, a temptation all too irresistible for those who embrace formal freedom in jazz.
Maybe the symbolism of water (aguas) has something to do with it. One can sense a fluidity in the phrases of Birbrier and his friends. It must be said that Birbrier partly grew up in the city of Águas de Lindóia, in the center of Brazil, far from the coasts, and far from the culture of samba, MPB, bossa, etc. An artistic and musical world, rather shaped by the thermal springs, forests, mountains, and a spirit of contemplation. A region that also saw the rise of a certain Milton Nascimento. This probably explains the soul of the music created by the saxophonist, and its intimate, introspective, very refined aspect.
Birbrier and his friends tell us beautiful stories, invented and even lived in the moment, but with impeccable narrative coherence and dialectical logic. Moreover, they do all this while striving to create beauty, gentleness, and elegance.
A big bravo, and a very pleasant surprise from an artist that many will discover for the first time.
Damián Birbrier — saxophones
Vovô Saramanda — percussion
Antoine Rochefort — bass/contrabass
