Tavares Brothers
Music Band, 1950
The Tavares Brothers, formed by Cape Verdean descendants was a big success in the USA during the 70’s and 80’s in the context of soul music, R&B, and funk, but it was in the beginning of the disco era that their biggest hit was released: they recorded the Bee Gees theme “More than a woman”, included in the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, a worldwide success that catapulted John Travolta’s career. They won a Grammy for Album of the Year in 1977 for Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack.
Ralph Vierra Tavares, Pooch (Arthur Paul Tavares), Chubby (Anton Lee Tavares), Butch (Feliciano Vierra Tavares), and Tiny (Perry Lee Tavares), born in Massachusetts, are the grandchildren of Cape Verdeans, sons of Flash Tavares, and nephews of Vickie Vierra. They start performing together in 1959, and at that time the band was named Chubby and the Turnpikes. The youngest brother Perry was 9 years old. It is in 1967 that their career starts to ascend when they sign with Capitol Records.
In 1973, they adopted the name of Tavares Brothers and recorded 12 albums and dozens of singles until 1983. The last LP is Words and music. In the previous year, the album New directions brought their last biggest hit, “A penny for your thoughts”, nominated for a Grammy. Six compilations were edited between 1990 and 2000. Although they were still active, the group didn’t produce hits like in the past. At one point, the group was formed only by three brothers, after Ralph’s exit and later Tiny’s, coming back in 2009.
In January of 1984, the newspaper Voz di Povo, announced the Tavares Brother’s trip to Cape Verde to perform in São Vicente and Praia, a trip that was supposed to take 10 days. Group representatives went to Praia, to initiate contacts with JAAC-CV (Voz di Povo, 01.21.1984), but the idea didn’t go to fruition because the lack of technical and material conditions in the country to build a show with the level of demand of the Tavares Brothers.
Almost three decades later, in 2012, within the scope of the Kriol Jazz Festival, the city of Praia received their previously postponed concert.
Discography
Coming soon