Over the next couple of weeks the Lounge will highlight all the artists that will be present in this year's Luanda International Jazz Festival, many times using posts that have already been featured here. The line-up is mouthwatering and includes such jazz virtuosos as George Benson and Ronny Jordan, funky beats by Freshlyground and 340ml, coladera and batuque by Lura, Cameroonian tunes by Blick Bassy...the list goes on. The first featured artists will be the ones performing on Friday, the inaugural day of the Festival. Nanutu will be performing after Ronny Jordan and before Freshlyground.
Nanutu is an Angolan saxophonist that incorporates his vibrant saxophone sound into a variety of rhythms, among them kizomba and semba. The majority of his songs are purely instrumental, a la Kenny G, but with a lot more rhythm and zest. It's difficult to sit still while to his song Luandei, a semba that is the perfect soundtrack to the organized chaos, explosive sound and color, and raw energy that the streets of Luanda exude. The song Canção D'Magne is a quieter, jazzier, more relaxed tune best listened to while sipping a caipirinha in front of Luanda bay, hearing the soft lull of the waves. If you don't currently find yourself in Luanda, the living room couch will do just fine. Luandei Canção D'Magne
Durante as próximas semanas o Lounge vai destacar todos os artistas que estarão presente na segunda edição do Luanda International Jazz Festival, muitas vezes reciclando posts que já foram destacados neste espaço. O elenco é mesmo 'bala' e inclui grandes nomes do jazz internacional tal como o George Benson e o Ronny Jordan, funky beats pelos Freshlyground e os 340ml, coladera e batuque pela Lura, músicas da África oeste pelo Blick Bassy...a lista continua. Os primeiros artistas destacados serão os que actuarão na sexta-feira, o dia inaugural do festival. Nanutu tocará depois do Ronny Jordan e antes que os Freshlyground, no Palco Welvitcha. Nanutu é um excelente saxofonista angolano que usa o saxofone com belo efeito nos diversos ritmos nacionais, incluindo semba e kizomba. A maioria das suas músicas são instrumentais, mas isto não tira brilho nenhum ãs suas canções. É como se o saxofone fosse uma voz em si. É um pouco complicado ficar quieto e sentado enquanto toca Luandei, o som perfeito para se apreciar o frenezim caótico, exuberante e colorido que é o dia a dia de Luanda. Ai quando entra a guitarra!... Já a Canção D’Magne é mais calma, composta, relaxada, perfeita para um pôr do sol, caipirinha na mão pois claro, na Ilha de Luanda.
Even though I’ve only just come back from Angola, I’m already starting to miss it. It’s been a week highlighted by shocking political events, but there’s no better respite than some brilliant Angolan sembas, to remind us that not all in that country is rotten. Among the many songs that made it impossible for me to sit still, Escolhe Outra by DJ Jesus featuring Yuri da Cunha and Na Gajaxeira by DJ Dias Rodrigues were standouts. As soon as either of these songs came on, the dance floor became packed. Good times, great times. Listening to them now here in Boston is nostalgic, but it brings me closer to home.
Não obstante o meu regresso a menos de três dias, as saudades já apertam. Numa semana de tristes acontecimentos políticos, é bom lembrar o bom da nossa terra, que reside na sua inegualável música. Entre muitos sons que me fizeram vibrar e dançar à toa nestas férias com os meus primos e amigos, especial realce para o Escolhe Outra do DJ Jesus e com a participação do Yuri da Cunha, e Na Gajaxeira do DJ Dias Rodrigues. Músicas que me vão no sangue e aquecem-me o espírito nestas terras longíquas do Tio Sam. E me fazem dançar sózinho, enquanto penso nas noites em que berravamos “Vai Lolita vai, deixa me em paz!” Ou então quando viamos um brada a dançar com uma angolana a sério e nos riamos a cantar, “essa dama não é pra ti, kota!” Isso sim são músicas. A saudade vai aumentando a cada dia que passa mas como disse o outro, havemos de voltar.
ComfusõesA lot of Brazilian people don’t know much about Angola. What sparked your interest in that country? And how many times have you been there?
Well, the first time I heard Angolan music was when my old friend Moreno Veloso (son of great singer Caetano Veloso) put the Alliance Française compilation "Angola 70's" to play. I felt at home with all that music, melodies, and was really affected by the lyrics, by their struggle for independence, by the way Teta Lando and Bonga sang. Later in my life, in the year 2002, just after the war ended, I was invited by a friend, the photographer Sergio Guerra, who was beginning his music label called Maianga (the label that released Comfusões). I went to Luanda to record with Paulo Flores, and since then I came back 5 times.
When did you first become interested in Angolan music?
Well, I guess since I listened to Teta Lando for the first time.
What is it about Angolan music from the 60s and 70s that brought out your passion?
Well, first of all, the sound. That unique vintage reverb and echo, then the typical Angolan guitar, EQ with many high frequencies and tap delay, and then, the soulful vocals. That time when ideology was really something important to the people, obviously the singers brought their ideologies to their vocals. Like Bob Dylan did, like Bob Marley did.
Tell us what you feel when you listen to those old records. How does it move you, and what made you want to remix them?
The remix was something natural. As a producer, the approach was that those beautiful songs needed some contemporary versions, because it fit to them, when you listen, you can imagine that there was a drummer shuffling, but in the mix they kind of forgot him. Something like that, it's a feeling you have, that you can do something that can put light again into those beautiful tunes. I think a remix is better than another version, because no one can sing like these guys did at that time. It’s unique. It’s not their technique; it's something particular of that time, the feeling of that independence era, that unique vibe.
How did you go about choosing the remixers?
Well, I have a lot of close friends that are producers and share this love for African music in general. So it was an easy pick. I just tried to imagine the tunes that could go well with each one of them, then I sent some options, and in many cases I did the remix together.
What were your favorite tracks to remix?
My favorite is Zom Zom, the last track of the CD. I love Elias vocals, and I'm not so much into electronic music, but I listen to some deep house, so I guess it was an influence to this remix in particular. And I put some Kraftwerk-like keyboard melody at the end of the track, so it was full of good references to me.
I guess Teta Lando. He is the most representative, the most political, and Angolé is an eternal hymn, not only for Angola, but for everybody. It doesn't matter the color of your skin, like he says. I hope we're done with racism soon. This is the best anti-racism song for me.
When do you plan to release Comfusões 2? Any exclusive information you want to give us about that album?
Well, I can't say a lot because I didn't get started yet, really. But it’s definitely a promise for me, that I'll organize and produce volume 2, with a lot of surprises and new remixers. The first musician I invited to do a remix is my friend Kalaf, from Buraka Som Sistema.
Have you had a chance to expose Angolans to your work?
A I mentioned, Kalaf and Conductor, from BSS, listened to it, and they liked! That was really good for me! Well, I have some friends that are putting Comfusões finally on the raido in Angola, like DJ Znobia, and my good friend Wyza, the best singer of the new generation. Wyza is amazing, he can be as big as Salif Keita, in my opinion. Have you heard of him?
Have you had the chance to travel outside of Luanda?
Unfortunately, no. I just went to Cabo Ledo, and Barra do Kwanza, but I didn’t go to other provinces. I'd love to, next time I go there, and meet other musicians and the different lifestyles of places like Benguela.
Zom Zom and Chofer de Praça are among my favorite tracks from that album, and both stay very faithful to the original material. How did you go about choosing which rhythms went the best with the original work?
Well, I'm very experimental, that's the way I work. Chofer de praça was a suggestion of the Label director, Sergio Guerra. He showed me the track and talked about bringing Dog Murras, the kuduro superstar, to add some vocals. So I started imagining Murras vibes, and then gave to the track an uptempo beat, wich i think worked well with Murras. He normally sings at 140bpm, so this tracks was really cool and easy for him, and he did some great party vocals and definitely it's his track. Zom Zom is a hypnotic track. Normally at the end, when I master a CD, I just can't listen to it for a week or so, and in this case, I only kept listening to Zom Zom...
Besides Zom Zom, what is your favorite track from Comfusões 1?
Kuale Ngo Valodo. Lamartine is a reggae man! He's like Ranking Joe, or Taper Zukkie, you know?
Stereo Maracanã Tell us a bit of how Stereo Maracanã came into existence.
Stereo Maracanã is the union of different people from different parts of Rio. This biodiversity in a group is typical of a city like Rio, and it's good for the sound, because we change experiences, and we have one that grew in samba, the other is a reggae drummer, the other comes from the capoeira environment, and I try to balance everything in the production of the tracks. Ironically, I was called the "rocker", can you imagine? Because I play the guitar. But in the new CD that we're recording now the guitars will be more and more african, I guess...
Freestyle Love is my favorite song from the album Combatentes. What is the idea behind the song and its video?
Well, Freestyle Love is amazing, it just keep surprising us. It's in several compilations around the world every year. I think we pictured this carioca way of life in this track, and maybe that's because people associate it to Brazil, Rio, and put it into Brazilian contemporary music compilations. We just did it like that, and this track helped us a lot already. We toured Europe 2 times, mainly because of this very track.
What would you say is the genre and musical style of Stereo Maracanã?
I'd say roots capoeira eletrofunk.
Tell us about the hip-hop movement in Brazil.
Well, I like hip hop, and listen to a lot of rappers in Brazil, but I don't follow the so called hip hop movement in Brazil. I guess Sao Paulo is the main city of the movement. hip hop is strong there. In Rio, samba is everywhere, so hip hop became strongly influenced by the samba culture. Macelo D2 is a very good example of that. He is rapper, but when you see him, you could say he is a samba composer, you know?
What would you say are the main differences between the funk of SM and hip-hop?
I think SM is not hip hop. We use rap vocals, and we know a lot of hip hop, we're playing for a while now, so we know everybody, we respect a lot the movement, but we're just in another style, musically. We're closer to funk carioca and samba, with rap vocals. We do not have a DJ, we don't dress like typical rappers do, so I guess the only element of the hip hop culture that is really present is the rap, and the themes of the lyrics as well.
Sou Local and Onde É Que Tu Tá are two great tracks in which you display a lot of love for Rio de Janeiro. How has the city inspired you?
Yo, Rio is a marvelous city. Rio is like a team that you love, you know? It's like the Yankees, to New York people, and like Flamengo, to us. Everybody that is "carioca" is proud of it. We defend our lifestyle, you know? Sometimes, going to the beach for half an hour during a work day is an attitude, is not something lazy or whatever. We love the people here, the people of this city really inspires us every day.
What is the story behind the French inspired track République?
It's a Pedro (the vocalist) story. He had this girlfriend in Paris, when he lived there, and they had a date, but he couldn't make it because there was a police block and they stopped him, and the time was passing, and he didn’t have a cell phone to call her, etc...
When did you first become interested in making a living off music?
That's good. I never thought of music as something to get money. It was always a dream, to be on stage, to do an original sound and make it as a musician, but it didn't think of making a living of it. When I became a professional musician, I still didn't think I could live of that. After a while, I started producing music, recording, and then, only after all that, I assumed that I could be an artist, a musician, and that's what I do for a living and for my soul, and that's who I am. Music is my passion, and I'll always fight for it.
What first captivated you about the production aspect of music?
The frustration of not being able to build the sound that I imagined. I just decided that I had to learn it, so as I could be in charge and build my own sound.
What was the first song you ever released?
My first production was Freestyle Love, really. The first single offStereo Maracanã, my first CD as a producer.
5 musicians/band you listen to weekly, if not daily:
Steel Pulse Banda Black Rio Led Zeppelin Jorge Ben Jor Fela Kuti
Favorite late night crooners when it’s just you and the missus:
Bob Marley "turn your lights down low", great track!
Most played song on your iPod:
that's hard, but, okay, I'll play this game. Just one? I’ll pick "State of Mind", from Raul Midon. This week...
Biggest musical influences?
Jorge Ben Jor, Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, Lee Perry, Gilberto Gil, The Clash, and music from Mali, Angola and Cuba, in general.
Favorite city in Brazil? Favorite city in the world?
Rio de Janeiro, no more to say. In the world? Man, I'm too carioca to admit that any city can beat Rio. But I feel at home in Barcelona and New York, as well. Too greaaat cities!
Random thought of the day:
The most important thing is to do what you love to do, and believe in yourself. You know, sometimes we're just so self-critical, that we can't even recognize that we can be good, even though we'll never be perfect, or even close to perfection. Do the best that you can, and that's a good start, for every work.
Bonga. He is to Angola what Cesária Évora is to Cape Verde – his music put his country on the map. He has been singing since before Angola was even a country, and his pro-independence songs helped fuel the struggle against Portuguese rule. Bonga is the king amongst Angolan musicians, and it’s hard to find a single soul in Angola who doesn’t respect the man or was in some way touched by his music. But among the many Cds Bonga has recorded, Paz Em Angola stands out as my favorite. And now that I'm about to return to Luanda, it's a constant fixture on my iPod.
Paz Em Angola is among the earliest forms of recorded music I vividly remember hearing as a child. I love this album. It was released in 1991, a very turbulent time in Angola’s history, and the country was finally flirting with peace and democracy after years of among the most brutal civil wars the continent had seen. While the peace process was to end in failure, it nonetheless inspired Bonga to create this masterpiece. At the time I was living in Portugal with some family friends and my Dad would make frequent trips there, bringing along this CD (cassette back then) to play in the car as we would go on our little trips. I know the CD by heart, such was the frequency with which I asked for it to be played. And my Dad was always only too happy to comply, as Bonga and Madredeus are pretty much on constant repeat on any vehicle he owns. Songs like Camacove, Hino de Carnaval (especially this one!), and Carrumba shaped my childhood and bring me the happiest memories; when I listen to them today it’s a bit like reliving those heady days in Lisbon. I hope you all enjoy some vintage Bonga, and long live peace in Angola, because this time it's here to stay.
Aiué. O que este CD me faz. E ainda mais agora que o regresso a Luanda é iminente.
Paz em Angola é o meu CD preferido do Kota Bonga, homem este que levou a música de Angola aos quatro cantos do mundo. Nota-se o amor intenso que este cantor tem para com o seu país – cantava músicas pro-independência ainda antes de Angola ser considerado um país digno deste nome. Foi exilado um pouco pelas suas convicções políticas e um pouco pelo lastimável modo de vida da Kianda, mas nunca deixou de compor o que lhe ia na alma.
Mas voltando ao Paz em Angola. No tempo em que o ouvi pela primeira vez, ainda era uma cassete. Estava eu a viver em Lisboa com grandes amigos de família do meu pai, e o ano era 1991. As coisas em Luanda estavão a tornar-se complicadas e foi decidido que a melhor opção era levar-me para Portugal. O meu pai ficou por Luanda mas fazia visitas constantes para Portugal, e trazia sempre com ele este marailhoso CD. Como consequência, tocava sempre no carro (no carro do meu kota só toca Bonga e Madredeus) e é o primeiro CD que tenho a memória e a consciência de ter ouvido. É por isso que hoje sei de cor e salteado cada uma das 12 canções deste belo trabalho, e sempre que as oiço sou transportado para aqueles tempos longiquos em Portugal que dificilmente me lembro, de tão criança que era. Para vos ajudar a matar as saudades, e para quem ainda se lembra, aqui estão três das melhores cançoes do Bonga e do CD. Camacove do imortal João António, Hino de Carnaval, canção pela qual sempre pedia bis, e a inesquecível Carrumba. Bem haja a paz em Angola, que desta vez esta para ficar, e bem haja o Kota Bonga.
It's Angola's 34th birthday, and 34 is quite the random number, so I'll keep things light and leave the socio-economic discussions for another day. For now, I’ll let these two great, emotional songs by Matias Damasio and Waldemar Bastos speak for themselves. To all the Angolans in the Diaspora who miss their funge, to everyone living in Angola who misses those living abroad, to everyone that has had an Angolan touch their lives, happy Independence Day, and Viva a Paz (Peace).
**If Waldemar Bastos’ epic song doesn’t make you want to go to the stadium on the 14th and 18th of Nov. to watch the Palancas Negras against the Congo and Ghana’s Black Stars, I don’t know what will. Viva os Palancas! The CAN is just around the corner…
Hoje Angola faz 34 anos. Como 34 é um número um tanto quanto sem brilho (boring), vou manter este post leve e divertido. Deixemos as avaliações socio-económicas e políticas para outros dias. Por hoje, vou deixar estas duas músicas lindas e emotivas de Matias Damasio e Waldemar Bastos falarem por si. Para todos os angolanos na diáspora que sentem saudades do funge, para todos angolanos em Angola que sentem saudades dos que estão fora, pra todos aqueles que alguma vez tiveram uma experiência positiva com um(a) angolano(a), feliz Dia da Indepenência, e Viva a Paz.
*Se esta música do Waldemar Bastos não vos faz pular da cadeira e assegurar os bilheres para os jogos dos dias 14 e 18 contra o Congo e contra os Black Stars do Gana, então não sei mais. Vão ao estádio e apoem a equipa, Viva os Palancas! O CAN está próximo...
Semba is one of the musical grandparents of samba. The former originated in Angola and is the music of choice of many of Angola’s musical heavyweights, such as Bonga, Carlos Lamartine, Ciros Cordeiro da Mata, and more contemporary artists such as Yuri da Cunha, Bangão, and Banda Maravilha. Samba is the much more famous grandson of semba, an integral part of Brazil’s national identity and its genre of choice. In this particular track, Kappopola Makongo, producer Moreno Veloso gives a samba beat to Ciros Cordeiro da Mata's famous semba lament, and it seems that the two were made for each other. Paulo Flores provides the vocals in this interesting meeting between semba and samba.
O semba é um dos avôs do samba. O primeiro originou em Angola e é um dos ritmos com mais profundidade e particularidade no rico historial musical angolano. Artistas como Bonga, Carlos Lamartine, Ciros Cordeiro da Mata, e os mais contemporâneos Yuri da Cunha, Bangão, e a Banda Maravilha fazem do semba o seu ganha pão e a sua forma de se exprimir. Já o , que mundialmente é muito mais famoso que o semba, é uma parte integral da identidade brasileira. Na canção acima, Kappopola Makongo, o productor Moreno Veloso reinterpreta o velho lamento de Ciros Cordeiro com o ritmo do samba, e ate parece que foram feitos um para o outro: a música funciona de excelente maneira. Paulo Flores oferece a sua voz neste interessante encontro entre o semba e o samba.
Life is full of these funny little incidents. If I hadn’t been pretty bored a couple of days ago, I would of never logged on to Facebook at that particular time. If I hadn’t logged into Facebook at that particular time I probably would never have noticed a particular link posted by fellow blogger Bruno with that strange little CD cover of the screaming woman and the words “Comfusões1”. If I had never clicked on that link I would of never stumbled upon the most exciting Angolan/Brazilian musical collaboration project I have seen.
One of the reasons I really like bossa nova and contemporary Brazilian lounge & electronic music is its ability to constantly reinvent itself. Bebel Gilberto is still successful today reinterpreting the classics of her father and giving it a modern twist. Which leads me to a second point: I sincerely believe that some of the best music people have made comes from the 60s and 70s. To this day we listen to the Beatles, Bob Marley, The Clash, Nina Simone, Jimi Hendrix, Vinicus, Tom Jobim, the list is endless. Something about those times…I don’t know if it’s the profound socio-political changes taking place, the greater integration of cultures, recreational use of drugs…but the music from that time lives on today as if it was recorded last week. The music of Angola is no exception.
Angolan music of the late 60s and 70s was revolutionary. It was a beautiful, eclectic mix of soulful lyrics and melodies inspired from Portuguese Fado and infused with traditional African rhythms passed down from angolano to angolano over centuries. It had a healthy dose of Latin flavor and spawned other genres such as Brazilian samba. The artists of those days – Teta Lando, who has since passed away, Elias dia Kimuezo, who even after completing his 80th birthday is still making music, Carlos Lamartine, Artur Nunes, Luís Visconde, and others – actively called for independence from Portugal, sang about the fight for freedom in their music, and genuinely loved making music for music’s sake. Due to the civil war that soon engulfed the country and the notorious inaccessibility of Angolan music, their sound was never heard outside of Angola, except for a few lucky ones. Until now.
An intense lover of Angolan music, particularly the forgotten classics of the 60s and 70s, Mauricio Pacheco is a popular Brazilian music producer (produced for singers like Jussara Oliveira, front-man of capoeira/hip-hop band Stereo Maracana) who decided to unearth these records and remix them with his team of talented Brazilian DJs and producers. Pacheco literally went to Luanda, scoured the annals of RNA, the national radio station of Angola, and found the gems he was looking for. With participation of artists, producers, and DJs, among them Brazil’s Moreno Veloso, DJ Dolores, Berna Ceppas and DJ Chris, and Angola’s Paulo Flores and Dog Murras, Mauricio created a transatlantic masterpiece between two Lusophone nations that was a contemporary, electronica, modernistic take on classical Angolan music. What happened to bossa nova with the advent of the electronica-influenced version of that genre is now happening to the earliest sembas and rebitas of Angola.
The CD starts off with Teta Lando’s epic song Angolé which might as well be Angola’s national anthem. Its strong political lyrics are universal, telling Angolans to unite and make something of their country, doesn’t matter if they’re white or black or mulato. “An Angola that is truly free, an Angola that is truly independent,” he sings. It’s remixed by Mauricio Pacheco and set to a hip-hop beat complete with scratches and all, but manages to maintain its identity, as do all the songs remixed on this album. The second song featured here is Chofer de Praça by Luís Visconde and also remixed by Mauricio Pacheco. It's a favorite of mine and one of my father’s most beloved songs of all time. This 21st century version of it features popular Angolan kuduro artist Dog Murras. Lastly there is Zom Zom by the gentleman in the video in the preceding post, sampled and remixed by Mauricio Pacheco and DJ Chris. For me, it is the highlight of the album. Dia Kimuezo is such a great blues singer and the fact that he still sings at an age most people can barely talk just makes him cool as hell. The laid back house beat of this track, the way it kind of builds on you, and Kimuezo’s Kimbundo lyrics make this an unforgettable track.
Literally every single song in this album is good, including songs like Merengue Rebita and Bonga's Kapakiao.If there is ever an album you should buy on this site, this would be it. Available on iTunes, Amazon, Mondomix, wherever. Angolé Chofer de Praça Zom Zom
A vida esta cheia deste tipo de incidentes. Se não estivesse sem nada pra fazer a uns dias atrás, nunca iria ter ido ao Facebook naquele momento. Se não tivesse ido ao Facebook naquele momento em particular, nunca iria ter visto o link do meu companheiro de ‘blogagens’, o Bruno, sobre aquele CD estranho com a foto de uma mulher a gritar e as palavras “Comfusões1”. Se nunca tivesse cargado no link nunca iria ter encontrado a colaboração entre Angola e Brazil e o projecto musical mais inovador que tenho visto desde que comecei este site.
Uma das razões que adoro bossa nova e música brasileira contemporânea de vertente electro e lounge é a sua habilidade de reinventar-se constantemente. A Bebel Gilberto tem o sucesso que tem porque reinterpreta as músicas lindas do seu pai, mas adapta-as para o século 21. O que me leva ao meu segundo ponto: a melhor música do mundo foi feita nos anos 60 e 70. Ate hoje continuamos a ouvir músicas dos Beatles, de Bob Marley, The Clash, Nina Simone, Jimi Hendrix, Vinicius, Tom Jobim, a lista continua. Algo estava no ar naqueles tempos...não sei se eram as profundas mudanças sociais e políticas, ou o maior contacto com culturas diferentes, ou a disponibilidade das drogas de recreação, sei la...mas a musica daqueles tempos era d’outro mundo. E a música angolana daqueles tempos não foge a esta regra.
A música angolana dos anos 60 e 70 era revolucionária. Era uma linda mistura de ritmos inspirados pelo fado português e pelos ritmos angolanos passados de kota para candengue durante gerações. A nossa música tinha uma dose de exoticismo tropical e ajudou a criar generos de música diversos, tal como o samba brasileiro. Os músicos daqueles dias, nomes como Teta Lando, Elias dia Kimuezo, que continua a fazer música mesmo depois de completar 80 anos, Carlos Lamartine, Artur Nunes, Luís Visconde, e outros, chamavam publicamente pela independência de Angola, cantavam sobre a luta para sermos livres, e via-se o amor deles pela música. Por causa da guerra maldita que atrasou o país, a sus música foi pouco ouvida fora de Angola. Ate hoje.
O homem detrás deste projecto, o productor brasileiro Maurício Pacheco (que produz talentos como Jussara Silveira e tambem tem banda própria, os Stereo Maracanã), é um grande amante e admirador de música angolana. Deliciou-se principalmente pelas músicas dos anos 60 e 70, que foi uma das alturas mais turbulentas da história angolana, devido a aproximação da independência. A convite do dono da Maianga Produções, Maurício foi para Luanda e, enamorado pela qualidade musical do país, passava várias horas nas instalações da Rádio Nacional ouvindo os éxitos de Carlos Lamartine, Artur Nunes, o Elias dia Kimuezo, e outros. Quando regressa ao Brasil, decide remixar as suas músicas preferidas com a colaborção de vários DJs brasileiros de renome, includindo o Moreno Veloso, o DJ Dolores, Berna Ceppas, o DJ Chris, e conta também com a participação do kudurista Dog Murras e do pai grande, o Paulo Flores. O resultado foi uma discográfica de alta qualidade que transforma os éxitos daqueles anos glorioso de musica angolana em algo moderno e contemporâneo.
O CD começa com a música imortal de Teta Lando, Angolé. Música esta que não me importava se fosse hino nacional.
“Angolano segue em frente, teu caminho é so um. Se você é branco isso não interessa a ninguém. Se você é mulato isso não interessa a ninguém. Se você é negro isso não interessa a ninguém. Mas o que interessa é a tua vontade de fazer Angola melhor. Uma Angola verdadeiramente livre, uma Angola independente.”
Palavras intensas que seguramente muita gente ja esqueceu, ou finge que esqueceu. Imagino o orgulho de quem ouviu estas palavras cantadas pela primeira vez, naquele tempo. A remix é feita pelo Maurício e o beat é de hip hop progressivo, algo que não fere a integridade da música original (o respeito pelas músicas originais esta presente em todo album). A seguir temos Chofer de Praça de Luís Visconde, som que ouvi pela primeira vez no carro do meu kota quando ainda não fazia ideia da qualidade das musicas antigas da terra. Mesmo naquela altura em que ouvia muito mais rádio e as musicas dos top 40, gostei imenso daquela canção e escutando-lhe agora remixada por Dog Murras e Mauricio Pacheco é bastante interessante. Pra terminar vem Zom Zom do kota Elias dia Kimuezo, artista pelo qual o Mauricio Pacheco nutre uma admiração particular. Penso ser esta a melhor canção do album. Dia Kimuezo tem uma voz sábia e cativante que mesmo não percebendo o seu teor, é hipnotizante. O beat escolhido por Mauricio e o DJ Chris ara remixar esta música é um house leve que cresce subtilmente.
Aconselho-vos a todos a comprarem este album, principalmente se são amantes de musica boa. Conta com um remix duma velha música de Bonga, conta ainda com a participação de Paulo Flores, musicas de Wyza e Kissanguela, enfim,varias delícias aurais. O album esta a venda no Mondomix, no iTunes, no Amazon.com, portanto não há desculpa! E a melhor parte é que vem aí o Comfusões 2...
This video of the master of Angolan Music, the Grandaddy of Semba, even before Bonga, the great Elias dia Kimuezo, is an appetizer of what’s coming later today. Enjoy Luanda, c. 1989 (I was but a toddler), in the midst of civil war and communist rule, rations and isolation, but pure love and joy, because above all, Angolans love a good time. Long live Elias dia Kimuezo.
Aiuééé. Este é um video do Mestre de Música angolana, do Avó do Semba, do Kota dos mais Kotas, ate mais que o Bonga…este é um video de Elias dia Kimuezo, e serve como aperitivo para o que vem aí mais logo. Este é uma pequena janela para Luanda dos tempos uaué, c. 1989 (eu ainda tinha uma chupeta na boca), numa Angola em plena guerra civil (ou em vésperas de um cessar fogo enganador?), em pleno tempo de partido único, “calças velhas”, uma só televisão que abria as 19 e fechava as 23, como disse um comentarista deste video, e um isolamento profundo para que com o resto do mundo. Mas olha a alegria das pessoas. Observe as gargalhadas, os sorrisos, as puras passadas improvisadas. Como diz o velho ditado (que acabo de inventar agora mesmo), o angolano sempre sabe disbundar. Longa vida a Elias dia Kimuezo.
Get this. Angolan semba master Yuri da Cunha is currently on a 60 day tour throughout Italy and the rest of Europe in a bid to begin selling his records worldwide. He deserves nothing less. One of Angola’s most popular, talented, and beloved artist, the ‘showman’, as he is called, is on tour with Eros Ramazzotti and is the opening act for all of the Italian’s concerts in a journey that includes stops in Spain and France. The two might also record a double-CD together. If you live in Europe and love semba, I honestly don’t know what you’re waiting for to book your ticket. Eros Ramazzotti is a star of course, his singing is phenomenal, but there is nothing, absolutely nothing, like seeing Yuri da Cunha perform live. You see the dance moves he does below? He does that on stage, and even better. Yuri has done one concert already in Rimini, and the Italians loved him. Below is the video for his hit single Kuma Kwa Kié, sung in the Kimbundu dialect, which he will be performing with gusto wherever this tour takes him.
- Photo: Yuri da Cunha at Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon, by pestanarui
Em Angola isto ja não é noticía, mas para os outros leitores deste blogue que falam a lingua de Camões, o nosso grande artista e show man Yuri da Cunha está delirar os povos europeus e vai continuar delirando-os por mais dois meses. É que Yuri da Cunha está fazendo uma digressão pela Itália, Espanha, e França a convite do italiano Eros Ramazzotti; Yuri esta encarregado de abrir os concertos do gigante da música italiana. E há quem diga que os dois vão fazer um disco juntos para poder facilitar o lançamento de Yuri da Cunha em terras europeais. Por isso, e porque este cantor é um verdadeiro tsunami em palco, este é uma série de concertos a não perder. Eros Ramazzotti é um cantor com classe e detentor de um historial rico, é de salientar, mas devo dizer que não ha ninguém, ninguém mesmo, que usa o palco da mesma maneira que Yuri da Cunha o faz. Está lançada a alerta. Acima está o vídeo de Kuma Kwa Kié, que o ganhou o Top dos Mais Queridos em Luanda. E, claro, é uma música que Yuri vai cantar em todos os palcos desta sua digressão.
I love this song so much. So full of hope and longing…and saudade. No other song takes me back home like this one…it’s like the homecoming anthem for Angolans living abroad. It’s Paulo Flores at his best. This song is not just about Luanda, as it also references other Angolan particularities such as Serra da Leba in Lubango and the Welwitschia plant in Namibe desert. But its main line is “I’ve seen the sea bathe the sands in Luanda,” and later on he reminisces on the “farras” (parties) he used to go to in Luanda. Good, good times. I miss my city.
Aiueee, essa musica o que me faz! Eu amo esta canção. É cheia de esperança, amor a terra...e saudade. Nenhuma outra canção me faz sentir Angola como esta. É como um hino para angolanos que vivem na diáspora. Esta canção é Paulo Flores no seu melhor. Ele canta não só de Luanda mas também doutras particularidades da terra, tal como a Serra da Leba em Lubango (como ela é linda) e a Welwitschia Mirabilis no deserto do Namibe. Mas o titulo da canção é uma referencia a Luanda, tal como a primeira frase da musica. “Já vi o mar banhar areia...em Luanda!” Tenho saudades da minha cidade.
- Photo: Luanda as seen from Clube Naval, by Kool2bBop
I once went to see a concert by popular Angolan R&B singer Anselmo Ralph in Cine Karl Marx in Luanda. One of his guests was a Mr. Yuri da Cunha, a singer that I had heard little of at the time and had even dismissed attending his concert on the beach the day before because I assumed his music was for ‘old people’. Huge mistake on my part. In the Anselmo Ralph concert, Yuri da Cunha completely stole the show. He came into the stage and, through his antics, completely invigorated the audience and worked them into a frenzy. He is a showman extraordinaire and has an impressive talent for semba on top of that. He is a storyteller on his songs, and many of them detail really funny episodes common to Angolans but appreciated by his audience, which includes Portuguese, Brazilians, and Mozambicans, among others. Here is the video for my favorite song of his, and included here are two of his popular semba jams, with As Kizombas featuring popular Angolan singer Proletário.
Uma noite, durante umas das minhas férias em Luanda, fui ver um concerto de Anselmo Ralph no Cine Karl Marx. Um dos convidados especiais era um tal Yuri da Cunha, um artista que eu na altura não conhecia e do qual pensava que era ‘musica pros kotas’. Ate decidi não ir ao concerto dele na noite anterior no Jango Veleiro. Qual quê! Musica dos kotas?! Logo que entrou em palco durante o concerto do Anselmo, o Yuri da Cunha rebentou com tudo. Foi demais. “Derrepentemente”, como ele diz, o povo começou a vibrar e a dançar, acordando um pouco do sono provocado pelas canções de Anselmo. Não que o Anselmo não seja bom, era só que naquele determinado momento tenha tocado varias canções em R&B lento, que não mexiam muito com a platéia. Yuri da Cunha dançou, pulou, fez o Anselmo dançar semba, e foi o ponto alto da noite. O homem sabre dar concerto. As suas musicas são quase todas em estilo semba, com algumas kizombas por ai, e muitos dos seus sembas provocam risos e gargalhadas, tal é o seu sentido de humor. “Não me toques na minha saia...na minha saia tem um choque que mata homem,” diz ele em As Kizombas com o Proletário. E olha então este vídeo dele para a musica Makumba.
Every country has that type of singer that perfectly captures the mood of a time in history, of an entire generation, and creates just the right type of music with just the right type of message, containing certain nuances that only his native audience can fully appreciate. Brazil has Caetano Veloso, Djavan, and others, the US has Billy Joel and Bob Dylan, Angola has Paulo Flores.
His music of choice is semba, but Paulo also dabbles in kizomba and other native Angolan genres. With a calm, emotive voice, Paulo’s songs deal with the Angolan day to day and are at times intensely political, especially when he talks about corruption and the daily grind of living in Angola. At other times they are apolitical, beautifully written ballads like the three tracks featured here, two of which are from earlier works of his written in the early 90s. Cabelos da Moda is a humorous semba in which he talks about how women in Angola dig white-haired men, and Canto a Solta is a bare, bilingual roots reggae track in which he lays naked the pain he feels about his cousin’s passing.
Cada país tem aquele tipo de cantor que captura por completo os sentimentos de uma geração e um povo, a sua maneira de ser, e a sua identidade, e cria a música perfeita com a mensagem perfeita contendo certas piadas e situações que só este povo compreendiría. Brazil tem o seu Djavan, o Caetano Veloso, e outros, os americanos têm o Billy Joel, o Bob Dylan, e os angolanos têm o Paulo Flores. Somos nós o povo dele.
O seu estilo de música de eleição é o semba, mas ele também canta umas kizombas bem feitas. Tem uma voz calma e emocionada, uma voz que fala do quotidiano angolano de tal forma que só um amante do país consegue. Muitas das vezes as suas letras são políticas ou falam de algum tema social, e outras vezes são lindas canções sem temas políticos como as duas expostas aqui. Uma delas, Cabelos da Moda, é dos anos 90, e Canto a Solta é de um cd mais recente intitulado Recompasso. Cabelos da Moda, o meu som preferido dele, é um semba engraçado e nos dias de hoje o seu conteúdo até pode ser verdade! Por último, Canto a Solta é um reggae puro, angolanizado e triste em que Paulo Flores fala da dor em perder um primo seu.
Nanutu is an Angolan saxophonist that incorporates his vibrant saxophone sound into a variety of rhythms, among them kizomba and semba. The majority of his songs are purely instrumental, a la Kenny G, but with a lot more rhythm and zest. It's difficult to sit still while to his song Luandei, a semba that is the perfect soundtrack to the organized chaos, explosive sound and color, and raw energy that the streets of Luanda exude. The song Canção D'Magne is a quieter, jazzier, more relaxed tune best listened to while sipping a caipirinha in front of Luanda bay, hearing the soft lull of the waves.* *If you don't currently find yourself in Luanda, the living room couch will do just fine.
Nanutu é um excelente saxofonista angolano que usa o saxofone com belo efeito nos diversos ritmos nacionais, incluindo semba e kizomba. A maioria das suas músicas são instrumentais, mas isto não tira brilho nenhum ãs suas canções. É como se o saxofone fosse uma voz em si. É um pouco complicado ficar quieto e sentado enquanto toca Luandei, o som perfeito para se apreciar o frenezim caótico, exuberante e colorido que é o dia a dia de Luanda. Ai quando entra a guitarra!... Já a Canção D’Magne é mais calma, composta, relaxada, perfeita para um pôr do sol, caipirinha na mão pois claro, na Ilha de Luanda.
Semba can safely be considered the national genre of Angola. It is the musical predecessor of both the Brazilian samba and the slower kizomba/zouk. It also greatly influenced the fast paced kuduro beat, which will be explored in a later post. Semba is played in nearly all Angolan social gatherings, from parties to funerals to nightclubs. Singers normally incorporate a story within their lyrics, many times a humorous one. It is a true generational bridge, as both young and old dance it enthusiastically. Here are three tracks in the semba style - Kakixaka by Bangão is a party classic that always brings the roof down, while Estamos a Vir is a heartfelt ballad written by Puto Prata and Yuri da Cunha (the subject of a later post) in honor of the Angolan football team making it to the World Cup in 2006. The third one, Poema do Semba, by Paulo Flores, who will also be featured in this blog, is a beautiful description of what semba means to him.
O semba é a lingua oficial de Angola. É do semba que estilos como o samba brasileiro, a kizomba, e até o kuduro surgiram. O semba é tocado em practicamente todos os evento sociais em Angola, desde óbitos a festas a discotecas. O semba é uma forma de contar uma história, uma anedota, um lamento. O semba é uma ponte entre as gerações de ontem e as de hoje, uma forma de todos se entenderem. O respeito pelo semba é universal. Aqui estão trés homenagens à este estilo de música, trés sembas que ja nos fizeram vibrar em diferentes ocasiões. Kakixaka, do nosso conhecido Bangão, será sempre um clássico em qualquer festa. Durante o inesquecível Mundial de 2006, tinhamos o Estamos a Vir do Puto Prata e o Yuri da Cunha. E o terceiro, Poema do Semba, de Paulo Flroes, é a melhor explicação existente do que é que o semba realmente é. Uma explicação muito melhor que este post.
“Without music, life would be an error.” Friedrich Nietzsche
Caipirinha Lounge is all about music in Portuguese or by Lusophone artists. It's born out of a sincere belief that Lusophone music should reach a much larger audience. The lounge features music from Brazil, Angola, Portugal, Guine-Bissau, Cabo Verde, São Tomé & Principe, Mozambique, Galicia, and even Timor-Leste. Occasionally, there will be posts about singers so good that the fact that they do not sing in Portuguese is momentarily overlooked.
The purpose of this bilingual blog is purely educational. Plug in your earphones and hear rhythms from places you have never heard of, from artists you have never heard about, sung in the world's most beautiful language. If you like a song, you can download it by right clicking on it and then clicking "save target as". If you like it a lot, buy the cd, support the artist, keep good music alive.
If you are a singer or a label and want a particular song taken down, please contact me. Or, if you have music you think I will enjoy, do send! claudio.silva(at)caipirinhalounge.com
Unless otherwise expressly stated, all text in this weblog and any related pages, including the weblog's archives, is licensed by Cláudio C. Silva under a Creative Commons License.
Over the next couple of weeks the Lounge will highlight all the artists that will be present in this year's Luanda International Jazz Festival, many times using posts that have already been featured here. The line-up is mouthwatering and includes such jazz virtuosos as George Benson and Ronny Jordan, funky beats by Freshlyground and 340ml, coladera and batuque by Lura, Cameroonian tunes by Blick Bassy...the list goes on. The first featured artists will be the ones performing on Friday, the inaugural day of the Festival. Nanutu will be performing after Ronny Jordan and before Freshlyground.
Durante as próximas semanas o Lounge vai destacar todos os artistas que estarão presente na segunda edição do Luanda International Jazz Festival, muitas vezes reciclando posts que já foram destacados neste espaço. O elenco é mesmo 'bala' e inclui grandes nomes do jazz internacional tal como o George Benson e o Ronny Jordan, funky beats pelos Freshlyground e os 340ml, coladera e batuque pela Lura, músicas da África oeste pelo Blick Bassy...a lista continua. Os primeiros artistas destacados serão os que actuarão na sexta-feira, o dia inaugural do festival. Nanutu tocará depois do Ronny Jordan e antes que os Freshlyground, no Palco Welvitcha.
Posts
