Portuguese saxophonist (alto, C melody, baritone, and tenor) Rodrigo Amado specializes in free-form, composition-in-the-moment jazz, and his various projects and trios have given him an international following. Born in Lisbon, 1964, Amado started studying the sax when he was 17. He studied briefly at the Hot Club Music School in Lisbon, with mentors Pedro Madaleno and Jorge Reis. He has a wide range of musical interests and explored how improvisation works in different genres. However, his work with various ensembles such as the Lisbon Improvisation Players or the Motion Trio (with Miguel Mira, Gabriel Ferrandini), falls under 21st-century jazz. He is a highly sought-after studio player on many recorded projects. In 2001, he started Clean Feed with his brothers Carlos and Pedro Costa. He then left the label to create European Echoes in 2005. Amado is also a professional photographer who continues to shine a light on the international improvisational jazz scene. Allmusic
