Mente Clara was born out of a love for the music of Hermeto Pascoal and other Brazilian masters. They combine soaring melody with sophisticated harmony and the danceable rhythms of Northeastern Brazil. The band has developed a reputation for exciting live shows and brings that same energy to their debut record, Wanderlust. They recently finished recording their second album, Forrozera, which will be released on June 2, 2015. This is music for both the mind and the soul.
Individually, members of Mente Clara have performed and recorded with artists as diverse as Snarky Puppy, Andre Hayward, Quareto Olinda, Rob Curto, Okkervil River, Maynard Ferguson, Pete Rodriguez, Renata Rosa, and many more. The band first came together for on a Sunday afternoon, after saxophonist/pianist Owen Summers and bassist Daniel Durham met and decided to explore Hermeto’s music. They gathered, along with saxophonist Brian Donohoe, drummer Aaron Parks, and pianist Stephen Smith for a session, before performing their first show, at Austin’s eclectic Skinny’s Ballroom. As the group’s sound developed, they began playing more original compositions and percussionist Bruno Vinezof and saxophonist Jonathan McNutt joined the fray. More recently, accordionist Jan Flemming lent his talents to the Wanderlust recording session, in addition to occasionally performing with the band.
Since forming, Mente Clara has performed countless shows throughout Texas, in addition to excursions to New Mexico, Colorado, New York, as we as an upcoming tour that will cover most of the American West. The band will bring their own take on Hermeto’s “Universal Music” wherever they go. As Hermeto says “Tudo é som!”