Francisco Xavier da Cruz Mindelo, São Vicente, 1905 – Mindelo, São Vicente, 1958 Songwriter B.Léza is one of the most celebrated Cabo Verdean songwriters. His birthday, December 3rd, is National Morna Day, established in 2018 by the Cabo Verdean government shortly before the submission of Morna’s candidacy to UNESCO, approved Read more
Paulino de Jesus Santos Vieira Praia Branca, Sao Nicolau, 1956 Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, singer, producer Revered by musicians for his genius and acclaimed by audiences for the striking success of his compositions, Paulino Vieira is an icon of Cabo Verdean music of his time, leaving a profound mark as a songwriter, Read more
Carlos Alberto Lopes Barbosa Songwriter, poet Mindelo, Sao Vicente 1947 Praia, Santiago 2020 Kaká Barbosa is one of the names that rise linked to the interventionist music which marks the period immediately prior to and post-independence in Cabo Verde. His themes were recorded by the two main musical groups of this epoch, Os Read more
Jorge Matias Amado Dias Carmona, Uíge, Angola, 1974 Instrumentalist (guitar), songwriter, singer Djoy Amado emerged on the musical scene in Praia in the early 2000s, primarily as a songwriter. His works have been recorded by Mayra Andrade, Diva Barros, Maruka Tavares, Isa Pereira, and Heavy H, and others. He began Read more
The majority of individuals featured on this page are Cabo Verdeans in the diaspora. Whether in Portugal, the Netherlands, France, or the United States, emigrants have played a vital role in the development and dissemination of Cabo Verdean music – particularly when it comes to recorded works. This is not Read more
Eugénio Nozolini de Paula Tavares Nova Sintra, Brava Island, 1867 – Nova Sintra, Brava Island, 1930 Composer, poet An icon of Cape Verdean culture, Eugénio Tavares was immortalized not only as a musician and composer but also for his contributions to poetry, theather, and journalism. His birth date, October 18th, Read more
Francisco Vicente Gomes Ribeira Grande, Santo Antão, 1927 – Rotterdam, Holand, 1993 Songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Frank Cavaquinho is among the most recorded songwriters in Cabo Verdean music from the 1960s. Most of his work – around fifty songs – are coladeiras. Several of them have lyrics that, mixing irony and mischief, Read more
António Marques da Silva Mindelo, São Vicente, 1929 – USA, 2017 Instrumentalist (piano), songwriter Member of the group Ritmos Cabo-Verdianos, Tony Marques, just like his brother Lulu, was a telegraph operator, employed by Italcable. Immigrated to the USA in the 1960s. Returned and came back again, living in New York Read more
Armando de Pina Achada Ponta, Brava, 1935 Singer, songwriter Songwriter, singer and violinist, dedicated in particular to morna, Armando de Pina emigrated to the United States in the 1950s. The first time he traveled to this country was in 1957, on the historic ship Ernestina. He is the author of Read more
Baltazar Lima Barros Mindelo, São Vicente, 1949 Singer, songwriter With the right to be remembered whenever talking about intervention music Nho Balta was a member of the PAICG in the 1960s and early 1970s, having joined the party’s naval unit in Conakry, after training in Ukraine and Georgia. His first Read more