Raphael Gimenes - Raphael Gimenes & As Montanhas de Som (2016)

The Brazilian-born singer-songwriter Raphael Gimenes has been living in Scandinavia for over 10 years. His debut album, “Raphael Gimenes & As Montanhas de Som”, has been released in several countries in Europe and Asia. It was elected as the “best Brazilian album” of 2016 in Holland and hailed as a “conceptual masterpiece” in Japan. It was chosen among the top 10 albums of 2016 on the website Written in Music. The compositions, which combine elements from the Brazilian folklore and modern harmonies, take the listener deep into the mountains and jungles of Brazil. Gimenes’ songs have been described as “so richly and brilliantly colored, that [they] touch you straight in the heart” (Jazzism magazine), and that “an almost idyllic world is created here, out of Brazilian folk-jazz and poetic introspection.” (Pop Magazine Heaven).
Since then, Gimenes has had compositions nominated to the Årets Nye Jazznavn award in Denmark, “the year’s new jazz name”. In 2018, he went on tour in Japan with his quartet América do Sol. Their performance was described as “one of the best in recent years” by music magazine Latina. He has recently been on tour in Argentina and Brazil, where he performed with well-established local musicians. Gimenes is currently working on two projects: an English EP, in co-production with Faroese singer-songwriter Teitur, and a Latin American album, in collaboration with artists from Brazil, Argentina, and Europe..