Filipa Cardoso

Since the Atlantic Ocean is what separates me from Lisbon, I have to find other ways to learn about up and coming Fadistas and what's new in the Fado world. My main resource is far from sitting in a "Casa de Fado", it's the internet. I spend hours watching videos on YouTube and searching the latest news on google (I know you're probably thinking I have no life) and during one of my most recent hunts I came across someone I was surprised to never have heard about. Her name is Filipa Cardoso who was born and raised in Lisbon and she has a voice that in my opinion is the true definition of pure fado. She won first place in the "Grande Noite de Fado" in 2005 and shortly after recorded her debut album "Fragmento do Fado." You can find her singing at Maria da Fe's Restaurant "O Senhor Vinho" in Lisbon or even at a local "revista Lisboeta." Another young Fadista keeping our tradition strong!! Check out the video below and you'll understand what I mean...

Filipa Cardoso's Biography from LisboacomCarmona.net

Filipa Cardoso nasceu a 18 de Abril de 1979 num bairro típico de Lisboa “o Alto do Pina” a quem os mais antigos e historiadores apelidaram de “viveiro dos fadistas” Canta pela primeira vez em público com 10 anos , no casamento de uma prima, e cai de imediato nas graças do dono do restaurante que lhe oferece o primeiro cachet para cantar noutros casamentos… a Filipa recusa o cachet mas aceita o desafio….

Já com 15 anos, o violinista Raul Silva, ao ouvi-la cantar numa tarde em sua casa, no aniversario da neta, convidou-a cantar numa casa típica “Taverna do Embuçado”, nessa mesma noite. A partir dessa noite passou a cantar lá todos os dias, assim com na “Taverna d´el Rey” tambem esta em alfama. Mas a sua experiencia durou apenas 8 meses, nao por falta de gosto, mas dizia a Filipa que era uma menina muito feliz e de muito bem com a vida para cantar poemas tao sofridos… a sua tenrra idade, e percurso de vida, nada tinha a ver com os fados que cantava… “lavava no rio lavava”, “estranha forma de vida”, “lágrima”, ou seja, dizia ela que eram estados de alma que só poderiam ser cantados por quem realmente sentisse a amargura, a dor, a perda, a solidão… para a Filipa não é preciso ter um grande vozeirão para se cantar bem o fado, mas sim transmitir com verdade cada palavra que o poeta escreve… como diria a poetiza Maria de Lurdes Carvalho - “Os Poetas são a Alma e os Fadistas o Corpo“. Quem a ouvia a cantar na altura admirava apenas a voz e não o sentimento que tentava transmitir…

Voltou quase 10 anos depois… e aí sim tinha muito para transmitir… Já era mulher e mãe. A sua vida já tinha tomado outro rumo… sabia entao o que era dor, solidão, perda… mas sem cantar fado a sua vida não fazia sentido.

Concorreu à grande noite do fado, em Lisboa, no teatro S. Luiz e ganhou o primeiro lugar na categoria de séniores. A partir daí, não parou mais… cantou nas melhores casas de fado do país: Arcadas do Faia, Café Luso, Marquês da Sé, Clube de Fado e Sr. Vinho, onde, neste último, ficou como fadista no elenco privativo…

A convite de Mário Raínho e Helder Freire Costa é convidada como fadista para a revista no Parque Mayer, “Arre Poter qué demais” Teatro Maria Vitória. Depois dessa fez mais duas: “A revista é liiiiiiinda“, em Lisboa no Maria Vitória, e no Porto, no Sá da Bandeira e “Já viram isto?!” também no Maria Vitória.

Esteve numa tourné em Espanha a solo e fez outra com Fernando Mendes.

Em 2007 foi eleita Rainha da canção nacional numa iniciativa do jornal “O crime” ao lado do cantor Toy como Rei.

Participou no festival RTP da canção com Edmundo Vieira com a canção “Desta Vez“.

NAS marchas populares é convidada para ser a madrinha do bairro onde nasceu o Alto do Pina.

Continua a dar voz ao seu fado na casa típica “O senhor Vinho” da fadista Maria da Fé.

É mandatária da juventude de Carmona Rodrigues, porque acima de tudo AMA A SUA CIDADE - LISBOA.

Deolinda

Deolinda is a band that I discovered about a year ago on YouTube while stumbling upon a video of a live performance of their cleverly funny "Fado Toninho". Their interpretation of their version of witty Fado full of energy and attitude instantly sparked my interest. Turns out they have just released their self-titled debut album this week! I just purchased one on cdgo.com and I can't wait until it arrives. Ana Moura's "Para Alem da Saudade" has been playing non-stop in my cd player since I bought it back in August so I think I'll try another cd before it explodes. Once I receive their album I'll update this entry and let you know what I think about it...

Their approach to Fado is slightly different than the traditional concept but check out their description of their style, band members and how they came about with their energetic take on Fado.

From Deolinda.com.pt, Os Deolinda
By Antonio Pires

Há uma longa série de clichés associados ao fado. Por exemplo, o fado tem que ter guitarra portuguesa. Os Deolinda não usam guitarra portuguesa. Ou, o fado tem que ser sisudo, sério, compenetrado, fatalista e triste. Os Deolinda não são nada disso. Ou ainda, o fado não pode ser dançado. E dança-se com os Deolinda. Ou, para terminar, a fadista tem que vestir de preto, como se estivesse no seu próprio funeral. Ana Bacalhau, a voz dos Deolinda (a Deolinda, ela própria?), veste roupas garridas, alegres, coloridas.

Mas os Deolinda são... fado, apesar disso tudo, e são muito mais que fado, por causa disso tudo e de tudo o mais que a sua música contém. Uma música que vai à música popular portuguesa - um universo que aqui abarca José Afonso e António Variações, Sérgio Godinho, Madredeus e os «muito mais que fadistas» Amália Rodrigues e Alfredo Marceneiro - e vai ainda à rembetika grega, à música ranchera mexicana, ao samba, à música havaiana, ao jazz e à pop, numa confluência original e rara de músicas-irmãs ou primas umas das outras e que, nos Deolinda, fazem todo o sentido.

Nos Deolinda, a música e as letras (geralmente de um humor fino, mordaz, por vezes absurdo, de outras surrealista, mas também capazes de fazer lembrar a pena de José Afonso, como em «Clandestino») são, em todas as canções, de Pedro da Silva Martins, guitarrista do grupo que, juntamente com o irmão - e igualmente guitarrista dos Deolinda - Luís José Martins, tinha antes feito parte dos Bicho de 7 Cabeças. Há dois anos, convidaram a prima Ana Bacalhau, então vocalista dos Lupanar, a cantar algumas das primeiras canções compostas para um novo projecto, ainda sem nome. E foi com ela - e com o contrabaixista Zé Pedro Leitão, também dos Lupanar, que se juntou ao projecto logo de seguida - que o conceito Deolinda começou a tomar forma. Um conceito que, com o desmembramento das duas bandas anteriores (Lupanar e Bicho de 7 Cabeças) nesse ano de 2006 e a vontade dos quatro em abraçar um projecto novo e original, cristalizou nos Deolinda.

Dois anos - e vários concertos memoráveis depois -, os Deolinda lançam agora o seu álbum de estreia, «Canção ao Lado», com catorze temas originais gravados pelos quatro nos estúdios Valentim de Carvalho, em Paço de Arcos, com produção do grupo e de Nélson Carvalho. No álbum participam ainda o percussionista João Lobo (pandeiro em «Garçonete da Casa de Fado») e muitos amigos dos Deolinda - Mitó Mendes (A Naifa), Norberto Lobo (Norman/Munchen), Mariana Ricardo (ex-Pinhead Society/Munchen), Joana Sá (também ex-Pinhead Society, agora nos Power Trio, ao lado de Luís José Martins), Gonçalo Tocha, Didio Pestana (ambos ex-Lupanar), Artur Serra e Carlos Penedo (ambos ex-Bicho de 7 Cabeças), entre outros - nos coros de «Movimento Perpétuo Associativo» e «Garçonete da Casa de Fado». Um grupo de amigos que se estende ao autor de banda-desenhada João Fazenda, que ilustrou o disco, e a Catherine Villeret e (mais uma vez) Gonçalo Tocha, que realizaram o divertidíssimo e surreal teledisco de «Fado Toninho», o primeiro single retirado de «Canção ao Lado».

O álbum «Canção ao Lado» é editado dia 21 de Abril, numa parceria da Sons em Trânsito com a iPlay.

Os Deolinda são:
Ana Bacalhau (voz)
Pedro da Silva Martins (composição, textos, guitarra clássica e voz)
Zé Pedro Leitão (contrabaixo e voz)
Luís José Martins (guitarra clássica, ukelele, cavaco, guitalele, viola braguesa e voz)

A teaser of the tracks off their debut album

To learn more about them:
www.myspace.com/deolindalisboa
www.youtube.com/deolindalisboa
www.deolinda.com.pt/

UPDATE:
I love this album!! It's clever, funny, witty, serious, and very well done... It has something for everyone. Check out their music video for "Fado Toninho" below...

California!!!

I just got back from California and I am extremely tired but can't fall asleep because I can't stop thinking about how amazing my weekend was... So I'm going to write it all down and maybe by the time I'm done I'll be too tired to think any more. So it here it goes...

Me and the California Sky

For the first time in my life I flew to the west coast of the country. Until then, all of my long trips were to Portugal where all you see is the Atlantic ocean. This time the view from the plane, 43,000 feet in the air was unbelievable. I flew over Colorado's snow covered mountains and even the grand canyon. When we got to California I was blown away by how different it is from the east coast. We landed in Los Angeles first, then rushed to our connecting flight to San Jose where we shared the plane with the actor/comedian Eddy Griffin!! I was really excited but nobody said anything to him so I didn't bother him either. After 50 minutes of flying over California's mountainous terrain we arrived in the beautiful city of San Jose.

San Jose, California

I finally got to meet Sr. Manuel Escobar, the man responsible for my first performance in California, who picked me up from the airport. He was kind enough to show us around the city and pick out all of the Portuguese organizations. I thought the east coast was heavily populated with Portuguese people but California is swarmed with us!! It's pretty cool.

Later that night after dinner, Sr. Manuel and Sra. Delia, his amazing wife, were kind enough to take me on a trip to San Francisco!! I was really excited because usually when I go on these trips far away from home I usually just stay in my hotel room the whole time until the show. The trip to San Francisco was awesome. It was so beautiful!! Before that night the only thing I really knew about San Francisco was that the Tanner family from "Full House" lived there:). I don't have any good pictures from the trip because it was night time and everything came out too dark. Maybe I'll get a better camera for my birthday next week... (Are you reading this daddy? :) ) We walked around this market by the water and we saw sea lions at Pier 39!! I'm probably way too excited about this but I've never seen them just out and about like that. There was like a hundred of them!! We finished our little troll around the city with a nice cup of hot tea because it was kind of chilly that night. It was so much fun and unexpected. Then we drove around the city and passed by Lombard Street and even drove through the famous Bay Bridge. It was amazing!! I'll never forget my mini trip to San Francisco. I'm definitely going back but taking my time to actually explore the city.


The next day, I woke up early to have breakfast at Sr. Escobar's house and to meet the other guitarists and rehearse for our big show. I forgot to mention that Sr. Escobar is the viola player. I later met Helder Carvalheira who plays the Portuguese guitar and Joao Cardadeiro who plays acoustic bass. They were amazing, perfectionists, and extremely professional. I didn't know what to expect but I definitely underestimated them. I also got to know them a little better and found out that Sr. Carvalheira, who is a 1st generation Luso-American like myself, is from the same exact town in Portugal as me; Bustos! Its crazy how I met a neighbor from Portugal in California. Sr. Cardadeiro is not that far from us in Portugal either. He's from Ilhavo which is about a half hour away. We rehearsed my whole setlist and it went great which made me confident for my performance later that night.





We got to the hall early for sound check and everything was going great but I was starting to get more nervous than usual. It was my first performance on the west coast and I was headlining the event so I was starting to feel the pressure especially because I know that many Fadistas from Lisbon perform in California pretty frequently. I was confident with my setlist but I was performing the whole second part alone which I had prepared 15 Fados and I was nervous that maybe it would drag and I would bore the audience.

The first session of Fados included the performances of 3 local artists that I had the pleasure of hearing for the first time. Manuel Pacheco, Glenda Reis (who is my age), and Isalino dos Santos.








Then the moment of truth arrived!! I was introduced by the Mayor of Gilroy, Mr. Al Pinheiro and as he read a little about my Fado career to the audience, they applauded some of my accomplishments which made me relax a little more because the audience was really welcoming. When the guitars began playing the intro to my first Fado of the night I could feel myself shake but as soon as I started singing I realized that the ambiance was perfect for Fado with a dark, candle lit room with 250-300 people completely silent which put me at ease for the rest of my performance. Throughout the whole show I received their complete participation and attention. And then just like that... The performance I had been awaiting for such a long time was over. It was definitely one of my most memorable.







I met so many wonderful and supportive people after my performance and despite it already being late they didn't mind waiting around to talk to me. The weekend went by so quickly. But since I got back I've heard nothing but great feedback. I owe it all to the great team I had behind me Helder Carvalheira, Manuel Escobar, and Joao Cardadeiro (who received my album and recommened to the rest of the "7 colinas".) And an extra special thank you to Sr. Manuel and Sra. Delia for their hospitality and everything they did for me. Also thank you Ricardo and Mafalda Amarante for taking a chance in me and inviting me to perform at your event.

Here's a quick review from Jornal Tribuna Portuguesa da California by Jose Raposo:

Lá findou a primeira parte e quando chegou a vez Nathalie Pires, só pela sua presença eu pude ver e disse ao meu amigo João Neves: "temos fadista".

A moça é um espectáculo e não tenho a mínima dúvida que se ela continuar a balançar o fado como deve balançar os livros da contabilidade que está cursando, o saldo será sempre positivo, pois que os algarismos na coluna do HAVER, serão sempre mais altos do que na coluna do DEVE.

O seu penúltimo fado, "Povo que lavas no rio", resolveu cantá-lo sem o microfone. Se bem que os corpos presentes na sala absorvessem uma parte do som, conseguiu cantar com timbre e intensidade, para que todos os presentes, mesmo os mais afastados do palco, pudessem ouvir perfeitamente. Terminou a sua actuação com o "fadinho serrano" O baloiçar do seu corpo e o movimento de cadência que dava aos ombros, trasmistiam perfeitamente o que lhe ia na alma de fadista.

Gilroy Noite De Fados - Nathalie Pires

Irmandade da Festa do Divino Espirito Santo posted this video of the performance on their myspace profile. (I think it might be the first video of me on the internet.)

Mio Matsuda

Everyone knows that Fado is very well excepted in Japan. The great Amalia Rodrigues had huge success in Japan, performing there various times and even releasing a cd of one of her concerts in Japan . Now the most successful Fadistas follow in her footsteps and constantly perform to Fado's loyal Japanese fans. It is no surprise that Fado has inspired even a Japanese young artist to express its sentiment to the world; Mio Matsuda.

Mio Matsuda is a Japanese Fado singer who has already successfully released 3 albums since 2005 with influences from Portugal, Cabo Verde, Japan, but especially Brazil. With her distinct voice and style, she has made me a fan of her diversified and nontraditional version of my favorite genre of music, Fado.

To learn more about Mio Matsuda visit her website:
www.miomatsuda.com
and to listen to some of her tracks off her albums visit her offiicial myspace page:
www.myspace.com/miomatsuda

From MioMatsuda.com, Mio Matsuda's Biography

Mio Matsuda began her singing career when she discovered fado, the magical traditional music of Portugal. Living in Lisbon and learning the culture, she developed fado as a form of her own self-expression. While studying fado in traditional Casa de fado (fado houses) in Lisbon, she became familiar with the music from the diasporas of Portuguese influenced countries.

In 2004, she traveled to Minas Gerais, Brazil, representing Portugal, to sing in the event called "Na Ponta da Língua," as a representative vocalist. In the same year, she was invited to sing for a month in the Cape Verde islands where she discovered the beauty of Creole music. Her trans-Atlantic musical experience led her to record her first album "Atlântica" (2005 JVC) in Rio de Janeiro. "Atlantica" united songs from the many Atlantic Ocean ports of Portugal, Cape Verde and Brazil, mixing the lovely sounds of these three highly musical countries.

In the following year, Mio recorded her second album “Pitanga!”(2006 JVC) in Rio de Janeiro. On "Pitanga," she recorded her own compositions inspired by the northeast Brazilian rhythms and rituals. Her voice mixed with the many instruments and musical styles of that highly musical area.

In 2007 she recorded her third album "Asas"(2007 Omagatoki) in Rio de Janeiro. On this brand new album,Cristovao Bastos(piano)and Joao Lyra(guitar), the two masters of Brazilian music have accompanied her Japanese and Brazilian songs of "Saudade",In October, she toured all over Japan with Joao Lyra.

While becoming an important figure in interpreting the music of Portuguese culture in Japan, Mio has collaborated with artists from all over the world, such as the already legendary Yamandú Costa (Brazil) and the inspired Jadranka Stojakovic (Sarajevo).Also in August, 2007, she was invited to Kodo's 20th Earth Celebration to sing among Giovanni Hidalgo,Zakir Hussein,Yosuke Yamashita,Tamango and Kodo.

Mio's unique singing style and sensibility reflects her colorful back ground and inspiring journeys.

Up Coming Shows...

Raquel Tavares: New Album May 5th!!

Recent and Exciting News from Fado.com:

Raquel Tavares: New album, "Bairro," released on 5th may!!! Live presentation day 7 may in teatro da trindade... The fadista raquel tavares is preparing to edit a new work of originals, called "bairro" on may 5. the same will be presented live in the theatre of trinidad, in lisbon on may 7. For the recording of "neighborhood", the winner of the 2006 prix revelation amália rodrigues, has remained faithful to the environment of the traditional fado, and with the musicians that followed in its debut record: diogo clemente in viola of fado, bernardo couto in the portuguese guitarra , and yami on acoustic bass. "bairro" still counted with the participation of special guest guilherme banza and angelo freire, the portuguese guitar players, and fatima fernandes, in the voice. "Bairro" will be published in cd format and digipack. the latter contains a dvd consisting of a concert of raquel tavares recorded in namouche studios, in lisbon, on march 8, and two interviews: the raquel tavares and diogo clemente, producer and musical director of "bairro”

Hey Raquel, when are you coming to New York? I'll be first in line to buy a ticket and I know a couple of people that would be waiting right behind me...

I'm really looking forward to having her next album and DVD. She is taking the Fado world by storm and is by far one of the best, even though she's only 23. Check out her bio also provided by Fado.com (in Portuguese).

Raquel Tavares: Bio

Considerada pela imprensa como a nova Severa Lisboeta, Raquel Tavares tem o dom de ser Fadista.

Para ser intérprete, não basta saber cantar, colocar a voz e afinar nas notas da melodia; é importante criar, pegar na poesia e casá-la com a música, sugerir uma história, e Raquel faz isso de um modo perfeito.

Reconhecimento público pela artista já se fez sentir: a Fadista foi galardoada com o Prémio “Revelação Feminina do Fado”, atribuído pela fundação Amália Rodrigues e distinguida com o Troféu “Melhor Nova Voz do Fado”, pela Rádio Central FM de Leiria, que tem na sua Comissão de Honra figuras tão ilustres como o Presidente da República, Prof. Doutor Aníbal Cavaco Silva, ou o Primeiro-Ministro, Eng. José Sócrates.

A Fadista têm pisado palcos nacionais e internacionais, arrastando multidões, como foi o caso do espectáculo em Torres Novas neste verão, onde compareceram 3.000 pessoas para a verem cantar, ou o espectáculo na Casa da Música, no Porto, onde presenteou o público tocando Guitarra Portuguesa.

Com passos pequenos mas seguros, Raquel Tavares procura internacionalizar o seu trabalho, actuando em países como Espanha, Itália, Irlanda, Inglaterra, Turquia ou França.

Versátil, talentosa e até musa inspiradora, Raquel Tavares deu um espectáculo único em Junho deste ano, juntamente com o grande Tito Paris, na Festa do Fado em Lisboa, no Castelo de São Jorge, onde a fusão do fado tradicional com a música cabo-verdiana atingiu um expoente de magnificência, ao qual o público correspondeu, abandonando as cadeiras e juntando-se aos artistas, num agradecimento espontâneo e sincero.
É esta a história de Raquel Tavares, a história de uma cantadeira.

Raquel Tavares: Fado Lisboeta (From her debut album)