Senegal [1960s] – Florida, USA, 2013

Instrumentalist (keyboards), arranger

Son of parents from Brava, born in Senegral, Manu Kat emigrated to the United States with his parentes at the age of 12. He began learning to play keyboards and started his musical career with the group Express One in East Providence, Rhode Island. Among the other groups he was a member of was Jamm Band. At a certain point, he began working as an arranger. His first experience in this field was on Bia, na album by Dudu Araújo that was released in cassette. Later, with the support of his brother Tony, he set up his own studio, Kat Studio/Productions, initially in the basement of his house in Cranston, Rhode Island.

For approximately tem years, Manu Kat worked intensively, at one point handling as many as 12 projects simultaneously, according to the website www.visaonews.com (which is no longer available online). The artists he worked with included Jack Pina, João Cirilo, Nando da Cruz, John Monteiro (Rome), Grace Évora, Mizé, Calú Bana, and Jacqueline Fortes. A large number of the albums released by Cabo Verdean artists in the United States during the 1990s passed through his hands.

In 1999 he moved to Orlando, Florida. There, he began a technical course in recording engineering. He also worked remotely as a consultant for his brother, who had taken over the studio they had established together in Pawtucket. In Orlando, he worked on projects by American artists and later founded the company Zemanu with guitarist Zé Timas. The first album they produced was Magia d’morna, by Lena Timas, released in 2005. Two years later, Manu Kat fell ill with cancer and was unable to continue working. He died in 2013.