Fado - An Insider Guide to Modern Fado
Fado is one of the joys of Lisbon and Portugal. It is seductive, emotional, accomplished and may change your life forever ! If you like Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell or Mindy Smith you should love these new Fado singers. The Clubs and Venues of Lisbon are the best places to see these wonderful young performers. In Summer the tickets are usually subsided by the Town Council and often entrance is very cheap or free. This page brings together biographical information with personal observations on teh new generation. My page on the History of Fado and the greatest Fado singer of all Amalia Rodrigues is I am a lover of acoustic music in general and fell under the spell of Portuguese music through living here. I am amazes by the sheer musicality of Fado singers and musicians. It seems to me that the quality of their work is unique. I hope I can do them justice and encourage people to listen to the practioners of this great city poetry. I hope this page helps you to make your own personal discoveries. I would love to hear your thoughts and comments. Lisbon Fado If you want the history start on that page - but please come back to these young charismatic singers that are keeping the flame. I am a lover of acoustic music in general and fell under the spell of Portuguese music through living here. I am amazes by the sheer musicality of Fado singers and musicians. It seems to me that the quality of their work is unique. I hope I can do them justice and encourage people to listen to the practioners of this great city poetry. I hope this page helps you to make your own personal discoveries. I would love to hear your thoughts and comments. Cristina Branco
An undisputed star of the modern Portuguese Music scene Cristina Branco was born in 1972 in the Ribatejo, not far from Lisbon The story goes that she was more interested in singing Jazz and Rock but her grandfather introduced her to Amalia with a CD for 18th birthday which changed her life. Her first recordings were in Holland after a record producer spotted her. Now a big star in Holland and Paris she seems quite happy to be less well known Lisbon. For several years she worked closely with Custódio Castelo her guitarist, music arranger and husband to create a new approach to Portuguese Lyric Song with instrumental variation, piano, two Portuguese guitars, electric guitar, simple still but with originality and vitality. Cultured and intelligent - with great emphasis on Poetry - A mythic style, open to influences, a music of discoveries- truthful to Portuguese tradition. Some traditionalists find her too experimental and she has certainly brought new emotions to the Music, including ecstasy and joy. What she has above all is freshness of spirit, and her sound is evocative and magical - it doesn't matter how you categorise her. Just listen to her version of Joni Mitchel's A Case of You, stunning in it's simplicity. Is Fado possible in English ? Cristina Branco makes it seem possible. She has an authentic voice in whatever style she sings. The CD Ulisses is a good place to start - a mythical tapestry on theme of voyaging. Her recent CD Kronos is a reflection on time. Sensus is a beautiful collection exploring relationships and sexuality. My favourite at the moment. She also knows her roots and is acclaimed for her interpretation of Amalia and Zeca Afonso. I saw her recently in an interview. When asked to explain her popularity she said simply "People hate plastic culture". There is nothing plastic about Cristina Branco. I was lucky enough to see her recently in a very small town Arcos de Valdevez in the North of Portugal, with an audience of about 80 people. She was so relaxed and carefree, you could see she was really enjoying singing and the band led by Ricardo Dias were wonderful, it was a magical unforgettable evening. Mariza
It is really daunting to talk about Mariza the biggest star of Music in Portugal. Impossible to sum up this singer who stunned the world in recent years. Now a super-star, my friends spotted her recently shopping in the local supermarket wearing pajamas under her coat !A huge hit in New York and Paris, she occasionally still sings in modest clubs in her home town Lisbon. Born in Mocambique, raised in the humble Moraria quarter, her Mother is African, her Father Portuguese, she learnt Fado at the family restaurant.Now a huge star - She was the first Fado singer to consciously cultivate an unconventional image which still seems to offend some. Her voice is strong and flexible, sophisticated. Despite her unusual look she respects the tradition and gives her all in her solo performances and with older stars. She is naturally theatrical and has tremendous presence. Influenced by Carlos do Carmo, she has used full orchestra to accompany her. These recordings have a wonderful grandeur and yet are intimate. People in Lisbon say she wants to be the new Amalia but despite her success she remains modest. She is going to be around for a long time and continue moving in new directions. She has an undeniable charisma and real star quality. Music in Portugal has been enriched by her ability to convey the power of traditions. She won the Portuguese Performer of the year award for 2008. History-of-Fado MisiaRadical, Intellectual, outsider, Misia has been singing Fado since the days when it was considered very reactionary. However, she personally has always been radical, anti establishment. For many years she was based in Paris and she has a very French style of performing. Her mother was Catalan and so she is an outsider and she sings in several languages- but she is also deeply Portuguese.Associated with an intellectual and radical group of friends in Lisbon - she has championed the work of the great Portuguese writers Antonio Lobo Antunes and Jose Saramargo. Her 2003 album Canto was a revealation, using string quartet and the music of Carlos Paredes, with poems by Vasco Graça Moura. It is considered by many her masterpiece and a milestone in the modern repertory. On Her latest Cd she sings half in Portuguese half in other languages- English Spanish French etc. It is a heady mix and not for purists but engaging nonetheless. Camané
Camané singing in a Beautiful Historic Garden to celebrate the Oeiras Festa 2009 "The Prince of Fado" Camané sings urban Lisbon mood music. He is universally admired because he does it with tremendous style, evoking the atmosphere of Lisbon at night like no other singer. He describes his best moments performing as "entering the poem", losing himself in the Fado. He is a very serious student of the music and concerned to reveal the poetry, the word stress, the flow of the language. One of three brothers all of them singers he is steeped in the tradition and began singing as a child. His style is sophisticated, cosmopolitan, but at it's heart is emotion, Saudades, an indescribable sense of loss. The family is associated with the coastal towns of Oeiras and Cascais and he sang for a long time in Casa Cordeiro/o Morangueiro in S Joao de Estoril before becoming a Lisbon Fado mega star. His albums are acclaimed and the latest Sempre de Mim is a blend of traditional songs and music written specifically for him by some of the greatest songwriters including Allan Oulman who composed for Amalia. Listening to a male fadista is a very different experience than listening to a female singer, it takes many people longer to fall under the spell, but Camané is the pure drop and should not be missed. Ana Moura
Ana Moura is the youngest new star of Music in Portugal. She started in rock but went on to sing Fado at the famous Sr Vinho Fado club of Maria de Fe where she was noticed by the musician and composer Jorge Fernando one of the big names associated with Amalia. They developed a musical relationship which has been magical - and fundamental to Ana's rise in the Fado world.Her voice is huskier, deeper more sensual than most singers of Portuguese music and she has a sophisticated captivating style of performing. Following the success of her CDs she has been invited to sing on some of the most prestigious stages in the world including Carnegie Hall and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.Her recent concerts in Lisbon and Porto have been recorded and released on DVD to great acclaim. She sings in a unique way, mysterious, deep, emotional. What I love about her is the way she really sings the words, the voice creates lovely soundscapes but always in service of the poetry. She is sublime and moving at the same time. She is a very traditional singer appearing with many of the older singers but she has her own unique way. She is rapidly becoming the Queen of modern fado and possibly Lisboetas favourite singer. Her new Cd "Leva-me aos Fados" with many Jorge Fernando songs has just been released and is second in the Portuguese charts behind "Amalia Today". Along with the new CD by Carminho it is in contention best Fado CD of the year. Mafalda Arnauth
Another rising star of Music in Portugal. Mafalda Arnauth is dignified, serious, literary. My road manager friend tells me she is a wonderful person to work with and speaks perfect English.She is very concerned to convey the poetry of the music. She speaks of taking the music beyond suffering yet she conveys sadness with beauty and empathy. Her style is sophisticated, a very strong presence. She has a very beautiful voice with a wide vocal range, and a touch of the Operatic in her style. She is able to create intimacy and excitement.She has also had substantial international success in London, Paris and Holland. Katia GuerreiroTrained as a doctor Katia came to Fado as a student. Her strong voice soon drew wider attention and she has gone on to become another big star on the international fado scene. Born in South Africa in 1976. Her family returned to Portugal when she was a child. She has a confident mature and powerful voice.She sings with intense concentration, her hands clasped tightly behind her back - seemingly locked into the music.She has strong connections with France and is very popular there. In her latest recordings she has commissioned poets to write for her. She is a strikingly intelligent addition to the Fado-world and Music in Portugal in general. Despite her success, she still works as a doctor in Lisbon and can often be seen riding the tram to work. Aldina DuarteAldina Duarte has been in the Lisbon music scene a long time and has served her apprenticeship in the Lisbon clubs but only made her first recording in 2004.She has a statuesque presence and a commanding voice. Once married to Camané she has emerged in recent years to be a strong solo presence.Intelectual, and realistic -there is no escapism in her music. She tells it how it is. Singing of the difficulties of life and the struggles of women in particular. She is a fan of Pina Bausch Jacques Brel and Tom Waits and when you hear her music you know why. One of her best recordings is Crua - Raw - and another Apenas O Amor- Only Love. She deserves a wider audience beyond Portugal. Joana AmendoeiraBorn in 1982 in Santarem, Joana is a highly acclaimed rising star and winner of the Amalia prize in 2008 for her album with the Mar ensemble.Very traditional in approach, she sings with warmth and intimacy. Very Portuguese, she touches people deeply " I am a traditionalist. I love to research old music and put new poems to it." She was six when she first started singing. Her parents were not musical when asked to explain why she got into this music she says simply. "Fado happened in me " She is gaining a reputation throughout Europe and recently toured Japan. Goncalo SalgueiroWith his angelic voice and looks Goncalo Salgueiro is a singer like no other. Born in the Alentejo south of Lisbon to a musical family. He has been immersed in music from an early age. His first musical success was as part of the choir of Sao Domingues. In common with Ana Moura his contemporary he was encouraged by Maria de Fe, singer and owner of Sr Vinho Club.He has also appeared as a performer in the musical based on the life of Amalia and in stage shows. He has a refreshing take on his own music. " I don't believe in tradtionalists. I like to sing about love, lack of love...and saudades. You can sing about anything you like, if you feel about it truly, if you feel something the other guy is going to feel it too - that is the magic of Fado. He has a clear voice with an impressive top range, a beautiful ethereal sound and a powerful sense of Saudades. Club StarsCidalia Moreira, Raquel Taveres, Carminho,These singers are the stars in the top clubs of the Barrio Alto and The Alfama. Sr Vinho, Mesa de Frades, Club de Fado, Parreirinha de Alfama, Faia, Adega Machedo, A Severa etc. The real spirit of the music comes alive in these sessions with a live audience.Cidalia Moreira is noted for her southern voice, she brings gypsy style - a touch of flamenco.Raquel Tavares lives and works in the Alfama, called "the new Maria Severa", she seeks an authentic Lisbon style, natural and vibrant, less like Amalia than most singers, she is drawing a lot of attention at the moment, a breath of fresh air, another potential star of Music in Portugal. The most talked about singer in 2009 is Carminho, she has been a potential new star for years due to her performances at Mesa dos Fraudes club. Her first CD Fado highlighted her fantastic atmospheric voice and has stunned the critics. Destined for great things. For a more amateur and impromptu style of singer, Tasca do Chico en Rua Diario do Noticias is the place, where anything can happen, less reverent, vital and never dull. There are no expensive trimmings here, it is more like the atmosphere of an old style Irish bar but with Lisbon-Fado taking center stage.
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