Vale is a musical project driven by three musicians and composers, João Ferreira, Manuel Rocha, and Tiago Vigia. It features the participation of double bassist Zé Almeida and drummer Diogo Alexandre. The recording of the first album took place over a week in Vale de São Martinho, Arganil, in March of 2021, and includes nine original tracks recorded outdoors in a rural setting, aiming to capture the surrounding natural sounds – such as dogs barking, birds singing, wind blowing, etc. – which inspired and influenced the musicians in their approach to the themes and compositions. The three composers intended to create a union of their music with the external environment of the village.
All members of Vale have a background in Jazz, and this language is the common starting point, aiming to combine melodic and harmonic compositions with free improvisation. Vale is a project that seeks to merge music with the land and the sounds of the surrounding environment. The group proposes a very unique, fluent, spontaneous musical expression, free from prejudices and fixed categories.