​

"The guitarist has plenty of technique, but uses it sparingly. He layers acoustic and electric guitars on the title track with a simplicity that might make you think of Pat Metheny, plus effects "Love Song" that evokes Bill Frisell without directly referencing either artist. There's a merging of folk, classical, and improvisation in Pinheiro's music. His touch is ever patient with "Resina" and gentle lovingly "Closure" -- Mark Corroto (All About Jazz)

​

"Like Evans, Pinheiro employs fluid legato, supple swing, personalized voicings and sparse use of space to encourage a collective spirit". -- Tom Greenland (The New York City Jazz Record)

​

"A new world of Bill Evans with ambient guitar reminiscent of impressionists (...) unique ideas and energy (...) a beautiful watercolor solo album called "Dança do Pólen" (...)" -- Yumi Kudo (Jazz Guitar Magazine, Japan)

​

"Après le sublime album Caruma paru fin 2020, le guitariste, compositeur, musicologue et enseignant portugais Ricardo Pinheiro, diplomê entre autres de Berklee, livre um nouveau bijou. Sa “Danse du pollen” (...) est um pur bienfait pour l’âme. (...) La dimension narrative et chantante de son jeu, la poésie et la richesse de ses melodies, atteignent des sommets dans les dix titres (...). -- Alice Leclercq (Jazz News Magazine)

​

"Ricardo Pinheiro’s “Dança do Pólen” is a most impressive and ambitious work. It is abound with impeccable delivery and phrasing within a very colorful, yet challenging solo environment. Ricardo’s interpretations and explorations possess a vocal-like character that is very rarely experienced. This project absolutely raises the artistic bar and fully realizes the full potential of solo composition and performance" -- Greg Osby

"Lindo! Lindas harmonias! Cheio de cores e acima de tudo reflexivo. Faz bem à alma! -- Guinga (on the album "Dança do Pólen")

​

“The pan-European guitar, bass and drums trio interpret the music of Bill Evans with almost unprecedented originality. From a jazz guitar point of view, Ricardo Pinheiro has solidly put Portugal on the map. Both a keen interpreter of standards and producer of the serene soundscapes of his Caruma album, Pinheiro commands attention with a spacious sound and angular yet lyrical style. Tough nut to crack, but it is an undeniable fact that few groups to date have interpreted Bill Evans with such originality.” -- François van de Linde (Jazz Journal UK)

​

"The Portuguese guitarist Ricardo Pinheiro is angular and emphatic with a commanding resonance." -- Chris Pearson (The Times, UK)

​

"Ricardo Pinheiro (...) has made his mark on jazz in Europe and the U.S. His sensitive, imaginative, and intimate way of playing is evident on albums such as Pinheiro, Ineke. & Cavalli: Triplicity (Daybreak/Challenge, 2018) and Pinheiro/ Ineke/ Cavalli: Turn Out The Stars (Challenge, 2021) (...) There is a certain boldness and experimental daring in the way Pinheiro works and plays, but he also has the discipline to adhere to the traditions and the highest standards of guitar playing and the jazz idiom". -- Victor Schermer (All About Jazz)

​

"There’s a floating luminosity to Pinheiro’s playing that particularly suffuses the pairing of Evans’s Turn Out the Stars with Time Remembered, with sustain and volume pedals brought into beguiling play, creating spacey echoes (...)" -- Jim Gilchrist (The Scotsman, Scotland).

​

"(...) the strung chords creating harmony and peace, communicating sonorously with the voice of Monica Salmaso to create a sound which stretches towards the divine. (...) At times, the quality of the voice is so emotive that it pulls at the heart, as it soars and the guitar note placement fills the gaps perfectly.

(...) Ricardo Pinheiro’s new album is different, something quite unique – and the compositions create sonic landscapes, mostly of beauty and harmony (...) A spirituality invades the music and the listener senses the wonder which is felt while observing nature in the hallowed woods. The world is right, the music beautiful." -- Sammy Stein (BBC. Radio/London Jazz Platform/Something Else Reviews)

​

"Et l’on se prend à se dire que guitare ou piano, en fin de compte, rien ne change vraiment, si le musicien joue vrai. Comme Evans jadis, comme Pinheiro aujourd’hui." -- Jean-Claude Vantroyen (Le Soir, Belgium)

​

"Pinheiro has a lilting and almost heavenly sound, a relief among all the fashionable jazz guitarists who seem married to effect equipment (...) With "Turn Out The Stars - The Music Of Bill Evans" the Portuguese Pinheiro proves that he has made the impossible considered possible and that the music of the great pianist can also be successfully played on guitar." -- Cyriel Pluimakers (Jazzenzo.nl)

​

"It requires a guitarist with sensibilities similar to Bill’s use of time and space to make the transfer work. And that’s what brings Ricardo Pinheiro’s interpretations of Bill’s music work on the guitar - he allows them to evolve, to open, to breathe - he doesn’t overplay them, but underscores them with shadings, nuances and tonal colorings" -- Steven Cerra (jazzprofiles.blogspot.com)

​

"Pour respecter les couleurs de la musique de Bill Evans, il fallait un musicien à la technique sans faille, à la sensibilité à fleur de peau et au sens de l’improvisation affuté. Et Ricardo Pinheiro a tout cela à la fois." -- Jean-Pierre Goffin (JazzHalo.be)

​

"Une merveille!" -- Alice Leclercq (Citizen Jazz Magazine, on the album "Caruma")

​

"The entire palette of human emotion is magnificently portrayed in Ricardo Pinheiro's Caruma. Gratitude, absence along with the excitement of the thunderous ocean take the listener on an inspired journey. Ricardo Pinheiro's guitar communes sonorously with the ethereal voices of Mônica Salmaso and Theo Bleckman creating a single cosmic instrument that expresses joy, introspection and hope for an enlightened world. Gratitude to Ricardo, Mônica and Theo for this wonderful sonic gift." -- Tim Hagans

​

"“Caruma” is transcendent. This music from Ricardo Pinheiro, Monica Salmaso and Theo Bleckmann fills the listener’s imagination with angels and demons, swirling around in a beautifully balanced dance full of wonder and mystery. From sparse and open atmospheres to dense and angular landscapes, these brave and agile musicians explore both joyful and haunting dimensions, sharing with us here on “Caruma” their fascinating and captivating story.” -- Chris Cheek

​

"Intimate is a wonderful word with a universe of meanings…a certain atmosphere… musical tension and release…..lyricism…and most of all passion. All of this and more are present on this beautiful recording. The music is abundanty gorgeous and truly what beauty in music can be. Great job folks!!" -- Dave Liebman (on the album "Caruma")

​

"Ricardo Pinheiro is a very special guitarist who has crafted a most honest and original project with “Caruma.” His music evokes a humanistic quality that is full of emotional expression and spirit. He also offers the very wise inclusion and cooperation of Theo Bleckmann and Mônica Salmaso, who bring a heightened sense of wonder and possibility to their united sonic spectrum. Together, they have fashioned a stunning piece that will serve as a monumental example for many to appreciate and be touched by for generations to come." -- Greg Osby

​

"Ricardo Pinheiro is an original interpreter of standards, both in conception and sound. Fusion is also part of his palette and the way that the guitarist from Lisbon, Portugal transformed the Disney tune When You Wish Upon a Star into a psychedelic drone on Triplicity was something else. But Caruma is one step beyond, a meditative record of solo guitar and the voices of Theo Bleckmann and Mônica Salmaso (...) Elegance, restraint and stillness abound. Angelic voices mingle with the oblique melodies and overdubbed soundscapes by Pinheiro, like four legs entwined beneath silken sheets" -- François van de Linde (Flophouse Magazine)

​

"He has a distinctive sound and I thought then that he had a lot going for him (...)

The trio’s set on Triplicity is a superbly collective effort (...) Each member is highly original both in their individual improvisation and their collaborative interplay but no one seeks to overshadow another. Their album is an intriguing mix of novel and imaginative interpretations..." -- Brian Payne (JazzJournal.co.uk)

​

“‘Triplicity' is one of the most exceptional guitar productions that have appeared in jazz in recent years.” -- Cyriel Pluimakers (Jazzenzo.nl)

​

" (...) I would venture to say that I’ve yet to hear another guitar-bass-drums trio that sounds so refreshingly different. What I came away with was a unique listening experience centered around a textured mood; a string and percussion sonority. As the principal melodic voice on the CD, guitarist Pinheiro brings off this role with a measured grace.  In a setting made for overplaying, he never does. While explorative, his playing is restrained and selective" -- Steve Cerra (www.jazzprofiles.blogspot.com)

​

“With thrilling solos by saxophonist Quinsin Nachoff and guitarist Ricardo Pinheiro, as well as feature work throughout the concert by flugelhornist Tim Hagans, Rathbun and The Atwood Suites were easily the crown jewel of the festival’s final five nights” -- Michael West (Downbeat Magazine)