Lusa Alternativa

The Portuguese To Conquer The Music World

2010-02-04T23:26:00.000Z

Well, not exactly, but I rather enjoyed playing with the Cotonete headline. The article goes on to further elucidate what the great and the good of the Portuguese music scene are up to, in the next few months.

- Camané is this evening playing in Luxemburg
- Deolinda are playing in Glasgow, Scotland in a BBC concert, then move on to Paris.
- The fadista Ana Moura will be performing in Canada, Germany, and New York City and Los Angeles in the USA
- Unlike last year, Buraka Som Sistema have decided to take it easy and just play New York City in April
- Marizia is playing England, Ireland and Turkey in February. in March, she's going to Germany, Austria and Holland.
- :papercutz are playing South By Southwest, Texas in March.
- The lisboetas Klepht are not traveling, however, except to record their next record in the USA

Source: Cotonete

Musical Encyclopedia of Portugal

2010-01-23T22:52:00.001Z

It's nothing if not an ambitious project: produce a comprehensive printed encyclopedia of Portuguese music in the 20th Century. But such a work has now been published, and was recently launched at Teatro S. Carlos in Lisboa.

The work, entitled "Enciclopédia da Música em Portugal no século XX" represents "a labour of love" over 13 years under the direction of ethnomusicologist Salwa Castelo-Branco. The book covers pop-rock, fado, jazz, and both popular and "erudite" music. To ensure the gravity of each entry, works were considered for a period of three years before inclusion.

The encyclopedia is published in four volumes of approximately 15,000 pages, and contains 1250 entries related to musical genres, artists, composers, writers, instruments, institutes and schools, among others. The last volume contains artists from the 1990s.

Source: SIC News

Best Portuguese Albums Of 2009

2009-12-28T16:34:00.003Z

It's the end of the year, so it must be time for the publication of the year end "best of" lists!

Cotonete have published a list of the top Portuguese national albums of 2009, as listened to on their site. They note, that six of the ten are debut albums, making it a strong year for new talent.

The list, in full:

1. OqueStrada - Tasca Beat
2. Carminho - Fado
3. Teratron - Teratron
4. Legendary Tiger Man - Femina
5. Cristina Branco - Kronos
6. Norberto Lobo - Pata Lenta
7. Diabo na Cruz - Virou
(tie)Aquaparque - É Isso Aí
9. Micro Audio Waves - Zoetrope
10. Virgem Suta - Virgem Suta

Sound + Vision have also published their version of the list, with more of an emphasis on releases slightly outside the mainstream. Their list reads as follows:

1. B Fachada, B Fachada
2. António Pinho Vargas, Solo II
3. Três Cantos, Três Cantos ao Vivo
4. Real Combo Lisbonense, Real Combo Lisbonense EP
5. Os Quais, Meio Disco
6. Fernando Ribeiro, Desiderata – A Junção do Bem
7. Tiago Sousa, Insónia
8. Bernardo Sassetti, Um Amor de Perdição
9. Micro Audio Waves, Zoetrope
10. Samuel Úria, Nem Lhe Tocava

And The Favourite Portuguese Songs Of BLITZ Readers Are...

2009-11-09T13:03:00.002Z

Readers of Portuguese music magazine BLITZ have been participating in a vote to determine the "30 ultimate Portuguese songs of the last five decades." To reflect the vote, BLITZ have now put together a page detailing videos of some of those songs.

The list includes everything from José Afonso to Linda Martini and Rui Veloso. If you'd like to have a look and a listen, visit the winner's page here.

Sónia Tavares Thinks Fado Is Boring

2009-11-04T19:43:00.003Z

How is that for an incendiary headline? I confess, this might be a quote from an interview, taken out of context. Next on the agenda is an attempt to translate from the interview itself...

According to Blitz Magazine:

After the album Amália Today, Sónia Tavares (of The Gift) confessed: "I'm still not a fan of fado."

In an interview with Bairro Alto, (RTP2 programme), the singer spoke of the success of the album Amália Today and the future of The Gift.

In the interview conducted by José Fialho Gouveia, broadcast last night, the singer spoke about the future of The Gift as the members being "anxious" to start writing a new album, and she confessed that even after giving voice to several Amalia Rodrigues songs, she still continued to not like fado, because she thought this style of music boring.

If you'd like to watch the interview, there is a link here.

Source: Blitz

Noiserv Tour The United Kingdom

2009-10-29T17:25:00.003Z

Noiserv are to visit the UK for the first time beginning next week, with a mini tour taking in cities in Scotland and England, including a gig on the 13th of November at The Angel, in London.

Noiserv's debut album One Hundred Miles From Thoughtlessness (Merzbau) was released this past October. Noiserv is David Santos, who creates melodic melancholia with vocal, electronics and a host of effects. His music runs the gamut from singer-songwriter contemplations to Depeche Mode electronica-fests. You can get the full equipment list and a bit more biography on the MySpace.

They have quite a lovely official website published in both English and Portuguese, composed of sweet line drawings and some clever interactive soundscapes. Have a look here.

Ana Lains Sings Fado for Boy George

2009-10-23T23:51:00.003+01:00

The Boy George interview with Jonathan Ross was just broadcast here in the UK, and at the end of the interview (a quite fascinating detailing of his prison stint), Boy George promoted his upcoming single "Amazing Grace". The single will include a vocal contribution by the fado singer Ana Lains.

According to the website BoyGeorgeUK.com, it appears that Lains' vocals will be integrated with George's on the single. Visit BoyGoergeUK.com if you'd like to hear a sample of the track.

To learn more about Ana Lains, visit her MySpace.

A Landmark Called Por Este Rio acima

2009-10-22T17:58:00.007+01:00

I am positively gutted that I can't get to Portugal to see the "os três cantores" gigs (José Mário Branco, Sérgio Godinho and Fausto) in Lisbon and Porto. This is a collaboration which may never happen again. It has been described as "a concert without a unifying theme, other than this clear conceit: the reunion of three artists who worked to modernize Portuguese popular music. 'We are the heirs of Zeca Afonso, of Edmundo Bettencourt and all who came before, but we are modernizers of our cultural legacy,' said Fausto."

Diario de Noticias have published a few articles on this landmark get-together, which is specifically in celebration of the Fausto album Por Este Rio acima.

Briefly, the Angolan background of Fausto deeply influenced his work: he spent his childhood and adolescence in the former Portuguese colony, where he formed his first band, Os Rebeldes. In 1968 he was attending college in Lisbon, where he got closer to the student movement and the political activism of the time. It was there that he would feel the influence of musicians like José Afonso and Adriano Correia de Oliveira. "Shortly after landing in Portugal on 30 April 74, I met Fausto," said José Mário Branco. "At the time, I heard some songs that he had just finished recording for the second album, and I felt a great complicity, musically and poetically."

It is through Jose Mario that Fausto would know Sérgio Godinho, in 1974. "Although we played together in many shows, but I didn't know his music before his arrival to Portugal," says Godinho.

In 1982, Fausto edited Por Este Rio acima, the first disc of a trilogy about the Lusitanian diaspora (which would continue with Terra Ardente, the second disc, in 1994, after a wait of 12 years). Por Este Rio acima was a work that would mark irrevokeably Portuguese popular music. A Ópera Mágica do Cantor Maldito (2003) is the last record of originals from the composer, who is currently finishing the last chapter of this trilogy. "[The third of the trilogy] will be a double album, with more than 20 songs," said Fausto. "The disc will have orchestrations by José Mário Branco. It's a thing we never did before."

Um marco chamado 'Por Este Rio acima'

Um palco para três lendas da música portuguesa

The End Of You Should Go Ahead

2009-10-14T16:15:00.004+01:00

Sadly, You Should Go Ahead have decided to call it a day as a band, as reported by Santos Da Casa. Here's a quick translation of their statement:

"YSGA have reached the end of their road. After nearly five years of togetherness, two albums and many concerts, we divulged musically and this dictated for us the end of our path.

Thanks to everyone who accompanied us on this adventure and we hope to see you soon. All the band members continue to make music, none of them are to become fisherman...

See ya later!"

X-Wife Tour America

2009-10-09T23:28:00.002+01:00

Cotonete entitle the X-Wife tour a "mini-tour" but eight cities in total is sizeable, if you ask me. The Portuguese trio visit the following cities and venues:

16th October - Springfield MO (Outland Ballroom)
17th - Kansas City MO(Czar Bar)
18th - Chicago IL (Abbey Pub)
20th - Philadelphia PA(The Barbary Philadelphia)
21st - NYC (Union Pool)
21st - NYC (Public Assembly)
22nd - NYC (88 Palace)
23rd - NYC (Littlefield)

The band have been nominated for the European MTV Awards for the category of Best Portuguese Act (naturally). The full list of nominees is:

* Buraka Som Sistema
* David Fonseca
* Os Pontos Negros
* X-Wife
* Xutos e Pontapés

Cotonete

Revisiting Amália Rodrigues

2009-10-06T17:33:00.003+01:00

It is ten years, since the passing of one of the greatest voices in fado.

Most of the Portuguese broadsheets and major blogs are running stories to commemorate this date, here are a few:

Diário de Notícias is running several articles, including a page dedicated to videos.

Sound + Vision is running a personal commemoration.

BLITZ have run an article which includes links to other articles.

Finally, Grandes Som have included an article detailing a dedicated radio station called amalia.fm.

Quilómetro Zero

2009-08-27T20:18:00.004+01:00

Twenty districts, and 39 bands and/or musicians... that's Quilómetro Zero, an indespensible television archive of new Portuguese bands broadcast on RPT2.

The series is hosted by JP Simões (vocalist of Belle Chase Hotel)and he loans his suave tones to a variety of band interviews. The series is now an archive, but the website contains a collection of excellent and exclusive performances from the likes of The Weatherman, Norberto Lobo, Stowaways, U:Click and more.

Liga Dos Ultimos

2009-08-27T19:08:00.002+01:00

Because it's the start of the football season, and everything always starts on a high at the beginning... so spare a thought for those who can't go any lower. :)

New Project for Madredeus and Dead Can Dance Members

2009-07-01T10:33:00.001+01:00

Francisco Ribeiro, a former member of Madredeus, is about to launch a new project with the help of Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance) and Natalia Casanova (Diva).

The project calls itself Desiderata, and the album is entitled A Junção do Bem. The album is scheduled to be in shops from November of this year.

The album will be recorded in September at Casa da Música in collaboration with the Orquestra Nacional do Porto (Porto National Orchestra), led by conductor Mark Stephenson (winner of an Oscar for his music for the animation film Peter and the Wolf).

Musical contributions to the project will also be given by Marta Plantier, José Perdigão and Pedro Jóia on guitar.

Source: Blitz

Goodbye

2009-06-26T21:58:00.001+01:00

RIP Clinic.

Portuguese Summer Music Festivals 2009

2009-06-23T23:53:00.002+01:00

By far the most accurate (and beautiful) compendium of all the summer music festivals in Portugal, comes from Diário de Notícias.

If you'd like to know the lineup for everything from Optimus Alive! to Jazz Em Agosto, then please do visit it here.

Portugal Day Part 2

2009-06-10T23:28:00.001+01:00

peixe : avião on MySpace

2009-06-10T21:48:00.003+01:00

peixe : avião have posted two new songs on their MySpace: the tracks "Oito" and "Tirar e Voltar a Dar". You can listen to those songs here.

Dia de Portugal

2009-06-10T17:43:00.001+01:00

Happy Portugal Day!

Video provided courtesy of Santos Da Casa.

New Template And Work In Progress

2009-06-08T14:15:00.002+01:00

That's right, it's a work in progress right now, but I'm working on making this place even lovelier...

Rodrigo Leão Makes A Mother

2009-06-03T23:12:00.002+01:00

The new album by Rodrigo Leão, entitled A Mãe, contains a very special collaborator: Stuart A. Staples, vocalist from Tindersticks.

Staples both wrote and performed the words to the track "This Light Holds So Many Colours" and will perform the track with Leão in a concert at Casino Estoril, Portugal on 4th June.

Leão explained "I make intuitive music, and during the creative process of this project two voices were imprinted upon my mind: Melingo (Argentine singer of the tango 'No Sè Nada'), and Stuart A. Staples, vocalist of Tindersticks. Despite not knowing them personally, I contacted them and I was fortunate enough to get them to come to Lisbon to work with me. In the case of Stuart, in addition to adding his voice, he also wrote the lyrics to 'This Light Holds So Many Colors."

A Mãe (Mother) is a "pointedly melancholic" record recorded in memory of Leão's mother, and made in various locations such as Goa or New York.

Source: Blitz

Old Jerusalem Streaming on MySpace

2009-04-08T20:18:00.003+01:00

The new album by folk/alt songwriter Old Jerusalem, entitled Two Birds Blessing (Bor Land), is streaming now on MySpace. Well, the poster says it all really: think slow and stately alt-country, along the lines of Will Oldham or Giant Sand.

Want a listen? Go here.

Radio Space Dedicated To Portuguese Bands

2009-04-08T20:04:00.003+01:00

A Trompa have set up a super graphical page, cataloguing "Portuguese music" shows on Portuguese radio, set out day by day. They describe it as "a space dedicated to all the radio programmes that play exclusively Portuguese music... or nearly exclusively." And it looks lovely! You can have a look at the schedule here.

Map Of Auditoriums

2009-03-28T14:56:00.002Z

If you're a gigging musician (or just someone looking for equipped auditoriums in Portugal) this is an interesting site.

Mapa De Salas includes thumbnail images of auditoriums and theatre rooms across the whole of Portugal, as well as the location on a map.

There Is Still Money in Music Mobile Tie Ups

2009-03-26T22:54:00.004Z

Optimus, the Portuguese mobile carrier, have linked up with Henrique Amaro (Antena 3) to deliver a series of free compilations, showcasing Portuguese music.

Through October, the series will showcase 18 groups/musicians, and will be exclusive material as well as "interesting" collaborations.

The tracks will be available to download free from the Optimus site, or available in physical format in FNAC stores in Portugal.

A spokesperson for Optimus, Hugo Figueiredo, said in an interview with Agência Lusa, that this is a way to "associate the brand of the telecommunications operator to music".

"It's a way to not only create a habit of free and legal downloads, but also to help establish new ways of disseminating music."

So, if anyone doubted the value of music... it still has value as a brand enforcer. And for the artists involved, this is a wonderful piece of exposure.

Source: DN