released January 1, 2018

LAMA + Joachim Badenhorst
Joachim Badenhorst clarinet and bass clarinet
Susana Santos Silva trumpet and flugelhorn
Gonçalo Almeida double bass, effects and loops
Greg Smith drums and electronics

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Free Form Free Jazz The Elephant’s Journey ****
“The Lama Trio is a project led by bassist Lisbon (based in the Netherlands) Gonçalo Almeida, alongside Susana Santos Silva at (Porto) and Canadian drummer Greg Smith. For this “The Elephant’s Journey”, the trio invited the Belgian clarinetistJoachim Badenhorst, who brought another color to the heavy sound of the group. The result is a fascinating, sometimes dark, sonorous visit one of the last works of José Saramago, “The Elephant’s Journey”. The best moments of Badenhorst are the bass clarinet, with which creates beautiful contrasts with the trumpet Susana. With well-engineered parts and open to improvisations of great freedom, Lama Trio shows that reached a great artistic maturity point in his little more than seven years of existence.”
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All About Jazz by Vincenzo Roggero
"The trio of those consolidated by assiduous attendance, numerous concerts around Europe, two fine albums – Oneiros , the debut, the next Lamacal , with host Chris Speed ​​-for Clean Feed. Always for the label Portuguese Pedro Costa Lama -this name trio -incide the third work with the listed Belgian clarinetist Joachim Badenhorst . The Elephant Journey headline of a Nobel laureate Jose Saramago’s novel, like other great writers do references the remaining songs-is another turning point in the creative process of the group. Of course you find the original approach to the melody of the debut album, opening with a rarefied atmosphere, almost chamber present in Lamacal , but here the prospects multiply , contaminate and at the same time are reflected in scenarios from sharp edges and glossy focus. Control and abandon, tenderness and rage, attention to form and solos visionaries, writing that feeds improvisation and improvisation that takes the form of writing makes The Elephant Journey album of maturity. The initial “Razor’s Edge” has the connotations the nightmare fed by electronic gadgets and eerie trumpet in a gradual crescendo to vanish out of nowhere began. “A Hunger Artist” masterfully combines the organized chaos of the first part with the unveiling of an unpredictable melodious theme, delicate texture that leaves ample room to the unsaid and inventions minimal of four musicians. But it is the title track to the song that identifies the best modus operandi of the group, with sudden changes of register, atmospheres constantly turning over, dialogues naughty and sophisticated unison with the pulse of the rhythm section to suggest new strategies improvisation."
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Público by Nuno Catarino
“In parallel, it has just been published the third disc from LAMA trio, a group that brings together the trumpet Silva Santos with Portuguese doublebassist Goncalo Almeida (the main mentor of the project, also in electronics) and the battery of the Canadian Greg Smith. The debut album, “Oneiros” was a nice surprise, crossing the waters between the acoustic and the electronic. The second record, “Lamaçal”, with guest Chris Speed, continued and expanded the trio’s music. In this new album, it appears another guest, Joachim Badenhortst, Baloni trio saxophonist, who keeps the momentum of the previous record. The music now in quartet, inspired by the book “The Elephant’s Journey”, by José Saramago, navigate between jazz and improvisation, mixing references without fear. The composition is the responsibility of Almeida (signing seven of the eight tunes on this record), also ensuring a wide range. The interpretation of the melodies confirms the excellent rapport within group, which develops a fluid instrumental joint. The understanding is not limited only to times when the horns dialogue, there is a general tune of communication involved on this open music. Being the most affordable of jazz and Goncalo Almeida projects (merit attention Albatre, Tetterapadequ and Spinifex, for those who want to risk), this LAMA is also an excellent vehicle for the virtuosity of Susana Santos Silva.” —————————

The Whole Note by Ken Waxman
"Expressing themselves on a CD that is surprisingly calm as well as cutting edge are the members of the Lama group, who also extend the band’s internationalism with this memorable set. Consisting of trumpeter Susana Santos Silva from Porto, Portugal, plus Portuguese bassist Gonçalo Almeida and Montreal-born drummer Greg Smith, both of whom live in Rotterdam; the trio’s guest on The Elephant’s Journey is Belgian clarinetist Joachim Badenhorst. Instead of adding unnecessary weight to the musical pachyderm’s load, Badenhorst joins Silva in creating resilient acoustic timbres which are buoyant enough to coordinate nicely with the other instruments’ electronically enhanced structures. Like the use of an animal trainer’s hook, arrangements on the eight tracks here adeptly direct the themes so that their singularity is apparent with little pressure added to the load of the titular camelid. Case in point is The Gorky’s Sky, where Almeida’s string slaps, surmounting harmonized group precision, make the reedist’s Dolphy-like tremolo dissonance appear to come from within an ensemble larger than a quartet. Smith’s percussion prowess gets a workout onCrime & Punishment, but there’s no felony associated with his bass-drum accents which downplay clashes and clatter, while triumphant trumpet blasts mixed with bass clarinet snorts confirm that Lama plus one can operate with the speed and efficiency of the best swing era combos. At the same time, although Silva’s chirping hockets often create enough unusual obbligatos to the spider web-like patterning of Badenhorst’s timbres, additional experimentation isn’t neglected either. Smith’s composition Murkami – the other tunes are all by Almeida – finds the clarinetist expressing a sour, bansuri-like squeak before the combination of lustrous trumpet extensions and positioned bass strokes surmount the dissonance with meditative calm. Featuring textures that are both quixotic and pointed, the concluding Don Quixote includes understated electronic loops, contralto reed slurs, string pressures that move crab-like across the bass face, Smith’s tabla-like drone and Silva’s melodious brass accents. By the time the track finishes, it – and the CD – show that careful cooperation among equals leads to a summation of Lama’s skills rather than a quest for novelty."
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By Dave Sumner on Bird is the Worm

"Excellent new recording from the Lama Trio of trumpeter Susana Santos Silva, bassist Gonçalo Almeida and drummer Greg Smith, with the addition of Joachim Badenhorst’s clarinets adding a very substantial infusion of melodic definition. While the presence of electronics and dissonance is still felt, the music isn’t submerged in these elements as it was on past recordings. This session really allows the space for the tunefulness of their compositions to fully emerge. The results range from startling to fun. "