Today most of the Big Bands concentrate on traditional music that has been heard many times.
TORA TORA chose another way: The arrangements and original compositions of TORA TORA are in the style of the dance grooves of today.
TORA TORA is dedicated to music that is connected to jazz, popular music and world music with particular accents on african rhythms. The arrangements are oriented with elements of Afro, Arabic, Funk, Trance, Reggae and Drum´n Bass. The jazz characteristics are maintained in the arrangements so the soloists can show their best.
The concerts that they have had confirm the success of the project: Take the Big Band (further than jazzclubs and concert halls)where they were in the 30´s, in the dance halls(the discotheques of today), to the bars and the jazz music, popular music and world music festivals. Music with many horns to make the people dance, interpreted by musicians of a high professional level. A unique formation of musicians in Portugal.
“It is the free circulation of ideas that fascinates someone who listens to the group(...) of which can result in a new era of the tradition of big bands cultivated beyond this side of the border. (...) there is in this hybrid language a serious capacity to spread “joie de vivre” to yours it returns (...) the structural solidity, the collective discipline, the melodic invention, the harmonic wealth and the freshness of the.....) they will give you a tempting fruit.” Ricardo Saló in “Expresso”
“The debut of the Tora Tora Big Band brings back an idea that is almost 100 years old. But with Cuba and Arabia. That is: Count Basie and Duke Ellington flirted with funk. Hot things. (...) faultless interpretation, tasteful arrangements, the variety of albums. This is a rare thing for this country, Tora Tora's world (...) a type of United Nations of groove.” João Bonifácio in “Y”
“(...) the 12 members created a sophisticated, vibrant atmosphere, a true dance party. The disk, until the end, is an elevated dose of vitamin C, full of energy and effervescence, with all the ingredients to loosen the feet of the inhibited (...) To the marvelous horn section which rises to the level of the historic big bands (...) in a cultural exchange that settles in this music”
Sofia Freire in “Jornal de Letras”
“The premises of this project (...) the results had to be an excellent disk (...) disguised, in a case of total orange, it can be one of the best medicines to help you walk with good humor this Summer.”
Pedro Dias de Almeida in “Visão”
“(...) to say if it is or is not jazz that the group plays is to say little of the quality of its work, which is excellent (...) all the energy is vitamin enriched, able to infect any dance track (...) it is the swing that moves Tora Tora. And two things that remain after listening to this disk: a tired foot from beating the time and the appetite to taste their peeled orange live.” João Pedro Oliveira in “Diário de Notícias”
“ É a livre circulação de ideias que começa por fazer o fascínio deste colectivo (...) do qual poderá resultar uma nova era da tradição orquestral cultivada aquém-fronteiras.
(...) há nesta linguagem híbrida uma séria capacidade de espalhar “joie de vivre” à sua volta (...) a solidez estrutural, a disciplina colectiva, a invenção melódica, a riqueza
harmónica e a frescura da expressão (...) darão um apetecível fruto”. Ricardo Saló in “Expresso”
“A estreia da Tora Tora Big Band recupera uma ideia com quase 100 anos. Mas com Cuba e as Arábias. Isto é: Count Basie e Duke Ellington a flirtar com o funk. Coisa quente. (...) interpretações irrepreensíveis, o bom gosto dos arranjos, a variedade de registos. É coisa rara por cá, o mundo dos Tora Tora (...) uma espécie de Nações Unidas do groove.” João Bonifácio in “Y”
“ (...) os 12 elementos criaram um ambiente sofisticado, vibrante e dançante de uma verdadeira festa. O disco, até ao fim, é uma dose elevada de vitamina C, cheia de
energia e efervescência, com todos os ingredientes para fazer soltar o pé dos mais inibidos (...) À portentosa secção de metais acrescentam algo de novo à história das big bands (...) num intercâmbio cultural que se sente nesta música” Sofia Freire in “Jornal de Letras”
“As premissas deste projecto (...) tinham de resultar num excelente disco (...)disfarçado, na capa, de laranja sumarenta, pode ser um dos melhores remédios para andar bem-disposto neste Verão”.
Pedro Dias de Almeida in “Visão”
“ (...) dizer se é ou não jazz a música que o grupo faz é dizer pouco da qualidade do seu trabalho, que é excelente (...) tudo é energia vitaminada, capaz de contagiar
qualquer pista de dança (...) é o balanço que move os Tora Tora. E duas coisas sobram da audição deste disco: um pezinho cansado de tanto bater e a vontade de provar a laranja descascada e ao vivo.” João Pedro Oliveira in “Diário de Notícias”
