Voz de Cabo Verde (III)

Group, 2002-2003

In 2002, the II Congress of Cape Verdean Cadres In the Diaspora (a periodic meeting organized by Cape Verdean emigrants) decided to pay tribute to the group Voz de Cabo Verde (I) by momentarily bringing together its members in the archipelago. The original lineup was nearly complete, with Luís Morais, Morgadinho, Toy d’Bibia, Djosinha, Jean da Lomba and Chico Serra all present – only Frank Cavaquinho (1927-1994) was absent. In the final phase, Toy Paris, replaced the drummer while Bana did not participate.

Scattered across different countries and with some members only occasionally involved in music, they reunited for the congress and were honored by the government. The concert, held in the auditorium of the National Assembly, moved those who had witnessed the group’s rise. More than 30 years late, the members still managed to establish “the same empathy with the audience, the same electric current between artists and spectators; it was a return to youth that infected everyone, even the youngest who had never heard cumbia – yet were swept away by the overwhelming wave”, wrote the columnist Fátima Bettencourt (Horizonte, 12/04/2002). In addition to Praia, they performed in Mindelo, including an open-air show on Rua de Lisboa (Lisbon Street), reminiscent of the performances that had mobilized the city in the late 1960s.

A few months later, in August, the group performed at the Baía das Gatas festival, but without Luís Morais, who had already left for medical treatment in the USA, where he passed away in October of that year. The recording of this concert was released on the album Voz de Cabo Verde Live in 2003. Participants included Luís Morais (saxophone, clarinet), Morgadinho (trumpet, vocals), Troy d’Bibia (guitar), Jean da Lomba (bass), Chico Serra (keyboards), Djosinha (vocals), and Toy Paris (drums). This reunion led to the creation of a second studio album, produced without Luís Morais. For this album, Chala played the clarinet, Nolito replaced the bassist, and Tey Santos took over the drums and percussion. Additional musicians included Nando Andrade (piano), Zé António (cavaquinho), Djini and Miroca (percussion), while Lura contributed to the chorus. The album’s cover text also honors two lesser-known figures from the years: Constantino Delgado and Djosa Bernarda, immigrants to the Netherlands, “for their moral and financial support” which helped the newly arrived musicians from Dakar to settle in Rotterdam. Interestingly, there is no mention of Djunga de Biluca.

Discography

• Voz de Cabo Verde live, CD, Lusafrica/BMG, Paris, 2003.
• Voz com paz e amor, CD, Harmonia, São Vicente, 2004.

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Collaborated in the research: Francisco V. Sequeira