Carlos Bica is not just a double bass player; he is one of the most respected Portuguese composers on the international stage, regularly collaborating with the world’s musical elite. Although his “safe harbor” is the acclaimed Trio Azul, where he shares the stage with Jim Black and Frank Möbus, his artistic restlessness has often led him to explore solitary paths. A prime example was his time with the now-defunct label Bor Land, where he revealed a more intimate and personal side of his sound.
Living between the cultural pulses of Berlin and Lisbon, Bica accepted a special invitation to record at the prestigious Berlin Radio (RBB) studios. This process resulted in the full-length album “Single,” a solo double bass recording that stands out in his discography. While his work with Trio Azul reached the world through the German label Enja, this solo record allowed him absolute freedom to test the limits of his instrument.
In “Single,” Bica deliberately moves away from conventional jazz patterns to embrace a courageous eclecticism. On the album, influences from pop, classical music, and even medieval sounds coexist. For the musician, the label matters less than his personal signature: his goal is always to imprint his personality on every note, regardless of whether he is performing an original composition or a traditional theme that has moved him.
This philosophy of “leaving the door open” is what defines his art. Bica does not feel tied to jazz by stylistic obligation; what moves him are the musicians and emotions, wherever they may come from. With a background in classical training and a youth marked by pop and rock, he sees himself as a facilitator of languages where all these worlds coexist. His role is to unify these universes, ensuring the listener feels a continuous narrative without abrupt jumps in style.
Carlos Bica’s music has the rare ability to evoke abstract images and deep states of mind. A striking example of his creativity was his version of “Paris, Texas” for a World Music Day compilation. Upon receiving the invitation, Bica decided to go beyond the obvious: through several double bass overdubs using both bow and pizzicato, he transformed the original melody into something new, which he humorously dubbed “Paris, Shanghai.”
His discography also reveals a special affection for recreating songs by other artists, always with a surprising new coat of paint. With Trio Azul, he has breathed new life into Melanie’s “Look What They’ve Done To My Song” and José Afonso’s eternal “Canção de Embalar.” For Bica, a cover is not just a repetition, but an assimilation of something that touched him deeply, turning someone else’s work into something viscerally his own.
In addition to his primary work, Carlos Bica has been an active collaborator in projects that have defined Portuguese jazz. He was part of the collective Contra3aixos, alongside Carlos Barreto and Zé Eduardo, and explored song-based structures in the group Diz, in partnership with singer Ana Brandão. In every project, he maintains the same premise: a total commitment to music that knows no geographical or temporal boundaries.
