A few weeks ago, I flew to Denver to see the Hamilton de Holanda Trio. He’s a four-time Grammy winner; the latest for Live in NYC (2025) which won Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album. I believe this is the first Latino album to not only win the Latin prize but also to cross over to win the general “jazz” category as well. He’s a master of the ten-string mandolin, playing what I’d call choro-based improvisational jazz fusion that incorporates many Brazilian rhythms including samba, forró, bossa nova, and baião.
However, the real reason for the trip was to see his keyboardist, Salomāo Soares. I haven’t spent as much time here for a while because I’ve been working through Soares’s Piano Rítmico. It’s challenging, especially since it’s in Portuguese. 
At times his approach clearly shows why the piano is classified as a percussive instrument.
He’s quite active, playing, touring, and recording with his own groups as well as with Hamilton de Holanda. I would particularly recommend his duo albums with Vanessa Moreno. It’s amazing the sound they create with just piano and voice. They’re easy to find on YouTube.
And here are the clips. Enjoy!
Sol e Luz
Doidinho
Correnteza
Estrela
Forró—an isolated solo
