Unnavigable Tributaries by Luís Vicente/ Olie Brice/ Mark Sanders

Liner notes by Olie Brice

We recorded this album at the end of a wonderful tour of Portugal in May 2019. A week of fantastic gigs, sunshine, great food, beautiful wine. Listening to the music now, memories come happily to mind – an amazing meal on the balcony at Luis’ cousin’s restaurant, looking out to sea … the wonderful collective who organised our gig in Caldas and hosted us like family … the amazing venue and incredible hospitality in Lisboa … the audience members who caught the first gig and enjoyed it so much they drove across the country to hear another ... listening to the new album by the Ex while driving through the stunning valleys of the Douro … the deep pleasure and excitement of playing with such creative, responsive collaborators and finding new ways to create together each night …

I’m writing these liner notes during the madness of Covid 19, in social isolation and probably a few weeks before the height of the virus with what seems like a now inevitable huge loss of life. Hopefully by the time you’re reading this things have calmed down and moved at least partly towards some sort of resolution, but at this point in time it’s hard not to despair, to keep pushing forward artistically… Listening to our recording is helping me look both back and forwards to happier times.

So here’s to human interaction, to social collaboration, to things getting better and to a future when we can do what we do – come together to make music, to listen to music and to share in the joy of being alive.

multikulti.com