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The Pulse & The Heart

Billy Magno

Label: 88 Major Studio Label
Released: 2026
Duration: 48:05
Views: 115

Tracks

BATTLE ON F STREET; GRAÇAS 305 BLUES; BALDACCI'S BLUES; SUNDAY SWING; ONE FOR THE COUNT; SWINGIN' ON THE BELLY; LITTLE PRELUDE; FOR A LOVE THEME; JUST A TOUCH OF CHARM; I REMEMBER PETRUS; VALDICE

Personnel

Album Description

THE PULSE & THE HEART: PRODUCTION NOTES

(Compiled from the 88 Major Records recording logs and fragments)

The Pulse: The Power of Tradition and the Duel of Generations.

The journey begins with rhythmic vigor. “Battle on F Street” is an example of musical metamorphosis: born as a melancholic bolero in 2004, it transfigures into an incendiary fast swing. Here, the album promotes a historic meeting: the legendary Hector Costita, superb at 90 years old at the time of the recording, engages in a tenor duel with the young and smoking Thomaz Souza. It is the history of jazz itself unfolding between the left and right channels, driven by Alex Duarte’s drums, which keep the tradition of the great masters alive.

The album's versatility is then revealed with “Graças 305 Blues”, by drummer and composer

Marcius Campelo, which immortalizes his former address on Rua das Graças in Maceió

(Brazil). The theme features Glaucio Sant’Ana’s trombone in a direct reverence to Joe Nanton (of the Ellington era), Natan Oliveira’s hot trumpet, and Souza’s modern alto sax emulating Phil Woods. The pulse extends to “Baldacci’s Blues”, where guitarist Rico Baldacci dialogues with Costita’s tenor and Billy Magno’s piano, under the steady swing of Danilo Vianna.

Following this, “Sunday Swing”, by Cleber Guimarães, emerges as a technical miniature: written with a duration of 3:30 to respect the tradition of 78 rpm records, it condenses masterful solos from Costita on tenor, Billy on clarinet, Natan on trumpet, and Kennyata Mugo Nevada on trombone—crowned by a brief piano solo by Billy. “One for the Count” is a tribute to Count Basie that highlights Baldacci’s guitar, Billy’s baritone sax, and Alex’s drums. The first part of the album concludes with “Swingin’ on the Belly”, a celebration of friendship whose riff was born on a ship to Sweden, brought to life with solos by Fábio Oliva, Hector Galhardo, and the double bass of Rubem Farias.

The Heart: Mentors, Muses.

At the heart of the album reside the deepest homages. “Little Prelude”, a short piece for solo piano, serves as a portal to “For a Love Theme”, introduced by Felipe Gianei’s double bass and where Billy’s moving tenor evokes the lyricism of Stan Getz, framed by a brief but expressive trombone solo by Kennyata.

The elegance of the collaborations reappears in “Just a Touch of Charm (Aos Meus Encantos)”, an elegant fox-trot by Wellington Pinheiro, a master of choro and samba who surprised with this melody of American airs. Gratitude then manifests in “I Remember Petrus”, an ode to maestro Petrucio Ramos (1946-2021), Billy’s musical tutor; Gê Ribeiro's trumpet captures the grandeur of this master who united military discipline with orchestral sophistication.

Delicacy reaches its peak in the closing track “Valdice”, a work by José Ramos de Souza, the unforgettable Zé Gordo (1934-2007), dedicated to his wife. The piece utilizes the closed harmonization with the clarinet as the lead voice—the hallmark of the "Miller

Sound"—transposed to a modern aesthetic where Natan’s lyrical trumpet meets Billy’s deep tenor.

Poetic Closure

As writer, musician, and composer Mácleim Carneiro defines, the musicians gathered here are "beings privileged by the capacity for enchantment." Billy Magno does not just write notes; he "adorns songs that are born naked," dressing them with the elegance of an orchestra that understands both silence and explosion. This album is simply the testimony of a musician who honors his masters while forging his own path.

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