Carlos Bica

"The music of Carlos Bica is exciting, modern, and contagious. Bica is an attentive listener of the outside world – from which his modernity derives- and an innate songwriter. He interprets the world and plays it in melodies that we can hum or sing. In his compositions we find fragments of things that only our subconscious recognizes, but expressed in such a form that they come to light in an absolutely natural and obvious way. Nothing has to do with any form of pastiche or is a result of copy/ paste process; instead it is an evident form of story telling made of daily experiences that in a strange way we recognize."
(AllAboutJazz, 2023)

"Carlos Bica is both a remarkable bassist and a musician who knows how to mix his folkloric, lyrical roots with any modern style he encounters"
(Double Bassist, 2022)

Carlos Bica is one of the most productive and innovative Portuguese sound artists and a permanent fixture on the European jazz scene. For more than twenty years, Carlos Bica's AZUL has fascinated his listeners. Known for his lyrical tone on the double bass, Bica has the rare ability to write melodies that are essentially songs without words, haunting and unforgettable. Among the numerous musical projects he leads alongside various dance, theatre and film projects, his trio AZUL has become his showcase as a bassist and composer.

His debut album "Azul", recorded for Polygram (Universal), features guitarist Frank Möbus and drummer Jim Black, as well as special guests singer Maria João and trombonist Ray Anderson. It was voted "Best Jazz Record of the Year" in Portugal in 1996 and is widely regarded as the best Portuguese jazz album of all time.

Azul's next albums, "Twist" (1999), "Look What They've Done To My Song" (2003), "Believer" (2006), "Things About" (2011), "More Than This" (2017), "Azul in Ljubljana" (2018) were highly praised by international critics.

In 2019, Carlos Bica recorded "I Am The Escaped One" (Clean Feed Records) with Daniel Erdmann on tenor saxophone and DJ Illvibe on turntables, two important voices on the European jazz scene. "I Am The Escaped One" was nominated for the German Record Critics" Award.

"Playing with Beethoven", one of Bica's current projects, consists of Daniel Erdmann (tenor and soprano saxophone), João Barradas (accordion), DJ Illvibe (turntables) and Carlos Bica (double bass, composition). This is the unusual line-up that sets out to rediscover Beethoven's legacy. "Playing with Beethoven" was released in June 2023 on Clean Feed Records and was nominated for the German Record Critics" Award.

In June 2024, Bica released a new album entitled "11:11" (Clean Feed Records). For this project, Carlos Bica invited saxophonist José Soares, vibraphonist Eduardo Cardinho and guitarist Gonçalo Neto. The generational difference is an enrichment for this project, which brings together some of the most talented and creative musicians of a new generation of Portuguese musicians.

Carlos Bica & AZUL feat. Frank Möbus + Jim Black
Carlos Bica – double bass
Frank Möbus – electric guitar
Jim Black – drums, percussion

Carlos Bica + Daniel Erdmann + DJ Illvibe
Carlos Bica – double bass
Daniel Erdmann – tenor sax
DJ Illvibe – turntables

Carlos Bica Playing with Beethoven
Carlos Bica - double bass
Daniel Erdmann - tenor and soprano saxophones
João Barradas - accordion
Dj Illvibe - turntables

Carlos Bica 11:11
Carlos Bica - double bass
José Soares - alto sax
Eduardo Cardinho - vibraphone
Gonçalo Neto - guitar, banjo