Antoninho Travadinha

“I heard the sound of the violin and I began searching who was playing it . 
It was there in the font , a small man, almost hidden, but his music was fantastic”.
from João Freire's memories

Antoninho Travadinha was one of the greatest violinists that ever came out of  Cabo Verde
and his name is still revered  among the next  generations of musicians at home and in diaspora.
Travadinha was born on the island of Santo Antão to a music family:
father violinist and seven brothers who played the violin.He  was participating to the local balls with his rabeca since he was nine, despite the objections of his father.
Besides the violin he played wonderfully well the viola(12 string guitar) the cavaquinho and  violão;
his  interpretations and improvisations  on the traditional mornas ,coladeiras and mazurkas had a unique style
Due to his humble social status the recognition of his talent was not easy:
Travadinha had  to wait until he was  40  to start becoming  little known as a musician,
particularly after 1981 and this thanks to  a visit  to Portugal 
where he was "discovered" and promoted by João Freire .

With the help of Associação De Amizade Portugal - Cabo Verde
his only record whille living,Feiticeira De Cor Morena was released in Portugal in 1986 and was welcomed  enthusiastically by the press and   music lovers.of the time....

Travadinha died few months later, in 1987....

Feiticeira De Cor Morena

for the record:
Antonio Travadinha: violono,viola de dez cordas,cavaquinho
Armando  Tito:violão solo,viola dez dez cordas,cavaquinho,baixo electrico,chocalho,reco-reco,voz
Ildo Ramos:violão
Micau:bongos,reco-reco,chocalho
Ana Firmino :voz

Dona Tututa Évora

Epifânia de Freitas Silva Ramos Évora, better known as Tututa, was born in Mindelo, on the island of São Vicente, on January 6, 1919, the daughter of António da Silva Ramos and Eugénia Maria e Freitas Silva Ramos. Following in the footsteps of her father,the pioneer coladeira composer Anton Tchitche, Tututa became an excellent pianist, who enchanted the city of Mindelo in the 1940s and 50s.
Also an excellent composer, Tututa Èvora, who now resides on the island of Sal, has also given Cape Verde two singers: her daughters Sónia and Magda Évora.

with Taninho,a really beautiful record  

Cap-Vert 1969-1999

&

Dona Tututa on her 90th birthday celebration in Mindelo :

Abel Lima e Les Sofas cantam Nos Bida

Abel Lima from the island of Boa Vista,Cabo Verde,better known as  Don Abel was (and still is) an important and politically committed artist .for today,stories of immigration, exploitation and saudade in funk and coladeira from his first personal lp -mid 70's after his participation in  the PAIGC sponsored KaoGuiAMo group

read some more in muzzicaltrips

Nos Bida

Da Cruz and his typical ensemble

Da Cruz (with his typical ensemble) was playing on violin
some of most sublime mornas,coladeiras  and sambas
during the (musically) golden 60's of São Nicolau  
let's  dance again for life's wonders

a typical miracle