Rui Azul

Born in Porto, Portugal. Did his Musical studies in the Academia dos Amadores de Musica (Lisbon), Music School of Campo Alegre (Porto) and later Jazz studies by Berklee College of Music (Boston, USA) methods. Frequence in Workshops directed by Alan Skydmore, Lol Coxill, John Stevens, Alan Silva, Frank Wright and Eberhardt Weber. University diploma on Graphic Design in the Fine Arts High School of Porto. Frequented also Mechanical Engineering and Architecture Universities (2 years each) and on British and French Language Institutes (4 years each).

Musician (saxophonist) and composer, recorded his first album in 1991, "PRESSOES DIGITAIS" (Digital Pressures), and "A BOLINA" (Bowline) 2005, a solo album, in which all instruments, loops and sound samples were played / manipulated by himself, beeing also in charge of the whole cd production, recording, mixing, masterization, cover design and booklet text and illustrations.

Performed in several music festivals, art bienals, jazz and new music encounters and similar cultural events, mantaining regular concerts with his quintet, "RUI AZUL INDEX", in Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium and Holland, including the jazz clubs circuit. Lived in Holland (1979-83), playin in Paradiso, Melkweg, Bim-Huis, B14 Jazzclub, Dizzy's, Sunship Jazzbunker, de Kroeg's, with diverse group formations, including some of the proeminent dutch and portuguese jazz musicians. His sax can be heard in records by some other musicians or groups, covering a wide spectrum from pop-rock to world music, including blues, jazz, fusion, new music and contemporary. Performed in TV shows, composed music for Theatre, soundtracks on films, video-art, animation movies, jingles to radio stations and tv programs.

He also teaches History of Jazz and Improvisation Aesthetics in music schools or workshops. As Illustrator, cartoonist and comics author, his works are published from comic books and newspaper cartoons to school, technical and fiction books illustrations and infografism. Directed a radio program, "jazzology", in a few radio stations in Porto area, and frequently his drawings and paintings are present in colective or individual expositions.

Actually he performs with his band multimedia concerts entitled "The History of Jazz & Blues", where the audience is invited to travel along the XXth century, visiting the diverse decades and Jazz styles, by listening to the themes played by cronological sequence, beginning with a Delta Blues, passing trought the twenties, Porgy & Bess, Cotton Club, Big Band era, Be Bop, West Coast Funk, Hard Bop, AfroCuban Jazz, until nowadays. All the themes are previously commented and situated in the sociocultural environment of its era, while a video-slideshow produced by himself is projected during all the show, complementing the narration and the music performed, showing photos, posters, excerpts of films, videos, jazz clubs images in the 30's, 40's, until actuality, pontuacted and divided in chapters by drawings and cartoons he made for this audiovisual shows / multimedia concerts.

Rui Azul is recording since Jan 07 the tunes for a new album, including originals and some Horace Silver, Mingus and Lester Young's compositions.