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…
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…
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…
James Lomba New Bedford, U.S.A, 1912 – New Bedford, U.S.A, 1999 Instrumentalist (saxophone) Son of immigrants from Brava, Jimmy Lomba became interested in music early on, particularly jazz. With money earned working in a clothing factory, at the age of 19 he bought his first saxophone. He studied music with Read more…
Joseph Calasanes Livramento New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.A., 1920 – U.S.A., 2003 Instrumentalist (wind instruments), composer Clarinetist, flautist, saxophonist, band leader and composer, Joe Livramento had a 66-year career as a music professional, which began when he was still a teenager, at 17, and continued until the end of his life. Read more…
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…
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…
Jeanne Oliver-Foster New Bedford, MA, (?) Educator Jeanne Oliver-Foster was a teacher for 42 years. The highlight of Jeanne’s career was teaching songs and background information from eight regions of the world, including the Caribbean, West Africa (including Cabo Verde), Europe, South America, East Asia, Eastern Europe, East Africa, and Read more…
Joaquim Santos New Bedford, U.S.A [50’s] Instrumentalist (drums, percussion), teacher. Percussionist Jackie Santos performed several years as a studio and stage musician, accompanied many musicians and bands, including the legend Chuck Berry, pioneer of rock, and the Tavares Brothers, the Cape Verdean descent group in the U.S. that had its Read more…