Group (1920s-1930s) Johnny Perry’s Portuguese Criolo Trio was the first Cape Verdean group to record an album. On January 29, 1929, he recorded a waltz and a polka, on a gramophone record released by Columbia, in New York. The group later made other recordings, under different names: Johhny Perry’s Instrumental Read more…
Manuel Rodericks Cape Verde (?) (19th Century) – U.S.A (?) (20th Century) Instrumentalist (harp and violin), songwriter. Boboi, or Boboi de Tai (nickname that refers to his mother, Tai), had some of his themes recorded in 1929 by Johnny Perry Instrumental Trio. After more than 60 years, a morna of Read more…
Augusto Abreu Fogo Island, 1890 – Sacramento (California), USA, 1965 Instrumentalist (violin), songwriter Augusto Abreu was a musician that lived in the U.S.A and lead a formation that bore his name, in an Americanized way: Abrew’s Portuguese Instrumental Trio. The trio was among the first groups formed by Cape Verdeans Read more…
Band (1920-1930) Between 1929 and 1935 some musical groups formed by Cape Verdeans recorded with Columbia Records in New York. The Abrew’s Portuguese Instrumental Trio was one of them. The others were the Johnny Perry’s Portuguese Criolo Trio and the Orchestra de Notias. They were probably the first Cape Verdean Read more…
Albert Oliveira Lopes New Bedford, USA, 1917 – New Bedford, EUA, 1988 Instrumentalist (strings), music publisher Enterprising musician that founded his own orchestra and label. Al Lopes is appointed by Joli Gonsalves in his text included in the book A Salute to the Cape Verdean Musicians and Their Music (Ron Read more…
Group, 1920-1949 B-29 was a string instrument group formed by Cape Verdean immigrants in New Bedford and existed for more than two decades. They played Cape Verdean and North American music, animating dances and parties in clubs, hotels and other venues, in addition to performing in radio studios. It is Read more…
Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silver Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S.A, 1928 – U.S.A, 2014 Instrumentalist (piano), songwriter The American pianist and songwriter, appointed as the creator of hard-bop and one of the biggest names in jazz since the 1950’s is a son of a Cape Verdean immigrant from the island of Maio Read more…
Paul Pena Hyannis, Massachusetts, USA, 1950 – San Francisco, California, USA, 2005 Instrumentalist (guitar), composer, singer “From all the sons of the Cape Verdean community in America that had some success in music, Paul Pena (originally Pina) is without a doubt the most intriguing and curious case”. Writes the journalist Read more…
John Pires Gonsalves New Bedford, USA, 1925 – New Bedford, USA, 1998 Singer, multi-instrumentalist, editor Joli Gonsalves is a son of parents from Brava, he was a prominent figure in the Cape Verdean community in the Massachusetts region. He developed activities as a musician, cultural animator, educator, broadcaster and founder Read more…
Paul Gonsalves Brockton, U.S.A, 1920 – London, United Kingdom 1974 Instrumentalist (saxophone) Paul Gonsalves is one of the biggest examples of a Cape Verdean descendant who developed a musical career in the host country – in his case, a brilliant career – that remains little known in Cape Verde. Son Read more…