Joaquim de Pina Fajã d’Água, Brava, 1950s Singer, songwriter, producer, businessman Romantic singer, but with an eclectic repertoire where there’s room for the various Cape Verdean rhythms, from morna to funaná, including koladera, and even space for zouk at times and Brazilian music, of which he is an admirer. He Read more…
Praia, Santiago, 1960s Singer, songwriter Gardénia Benrós brings together in her work the different musical influences received throughout a journey in which at the age of 16, she found herself in the USA singing in a group composed by young Cape Verdeans, the Tropical Power. From the age 3 to Read more…
João Cirilo Pereira Monteiro Polon de Engenho, Santa Catarina, Santiago, 1954 Singer, songwriter, instrumentalist (harmonica, guitar) Although João Cirilo is always associated with funaná, mornas, koladeras, reggae, and other rhythms are also part of his repertoire, depending on the times. His first album is Ilusão dess mundo, from 1978, accompanied Read more…
Francisco de Pina Santana, Brava, 1955 Instrumentalist (drums), singer, songwriter Born on the island of Brava, Frank de Pina spent his childhood in the city of Praia, where he lived from the age of 6 to 18. As a teenager, he participated as a drummer in the group Os Vulcânicos. Read more…
José António Barbosa Silva Praia, Santiago, 1950 – USA, 2019 Singer, songwriter Living in the USA since 1975, where he owned a construction company, José Silva released the album Subi montanha, with production and arrangements by Ramiro Mendes, who plays several instruments, as well as Zunga Pinheiro. In 1985, as Read more…
Jose Alberto Rodrigues Silva Mindelo, São Vicente, 1953 – New Bedford, USA, 2005 Songwriter, singer Djô d’Eloy grew up in a musical family (nephew of Eddy Moreno and Djuta Silva) and this is how his cousin Val Xalino remembers certain family nights: “My father Armando on the guitar, his mother 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…
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…