Severino Quartet

 Jazz Quartet

The Netherlands

Biography

Severino Quartet is an Indie Jazz quartet that composes and plays their own work. It sets a stylistic standard for itself with its unprecedented fusion of polychords, a Cool Jazz clean core band sound, Bebop unisons, moog and hammond. These hint at Fusion and a touch of Impressionism adds to and enriches the originality of our work.

Our improvisations are influenced by Post-Bop and Contemporary Classical Music and attempt to convey a sense of aestheticism. In literature, the classics describe beauty as containing a sense of the terrible, Athena’s terrible eyes or the poem describing Caesar’s fall are the stories that stay with us. This aesthetic aspect which is closer to the 18th century concept of the sublime, bears more similarity to what we attempt to achieve with our musical freedom. It is a sense of beauty that stays with you, that is not shocking nor pretty nor ugly, but moving, awesome and profound.

The group is based on the cooperation between Tom Severino on piano, moog and hammond and Alex Severino on guitar. The compositions are mostly influenced by other Jazz artists and Impressionist composers. It is a contemporary innovative music style suitable for Jazz podia as well as classical concert halls.

Tom Severino studied piano at the conservatories of Lisbon and Faro as well as at the Hot Club in Lisbon. In the 80s he worked for EMI-Records in Lisbon as a composer, arranger and producer. He was the composer and singer at the Portuguese National Festival and performed in several television programs. Tom composed, arranged and produced for Vidisco-Records in Lisbon.

He studied harmony and improvisation with Dutch pianist Rob Madna. Tom performed on the Nederland 2 TV channel. In 2006 he and his son Alex started the Severino Quartet. This group was presented live in May 2006 at the renowned Deer Head Inn, Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania, USA.

Alex Severino started to study the guitar at the age of 11. In the same year he started his studies of Jazz guitar and harmony as an autodidact. From the age of 19 onwards, he has performed in various ensembles. He is responsible for the production of the debut album “Light Play”.