ARTIST...: Bitori
TITLE....: Legend Of Funanß (The Forbidden Music of The Cape Verde Islands)
YEAR.....: 2016
LABEL....: Analog Africa
CAT.NO...: AA081
GENRE....: Ethnic
TIME.....: 43:30
SIZE.....: 99,73 MB
QUALITY..: 320kbps/44,1kHz/Joint Stereo
ENCODER..: LAME
SOURCE...: WEB
RLS.DATE.: 2017/09/19
WEBSITE..: https://play.google.com
TRACKLIST
01) (05:39) Bitori Nha Bibinha
02) (05:19) Rabelado
03) (06:18) Cruz Di Pico
04) (06:28) Cabalo
05) (04:18) Munana
06) (05:11) Natalia
07) (04:58) Julinha
08) (05:19) Didi Di RΘz
In 1997, a quiet, unassuming man of 59 years old named Victor Tavares - better know
as Bitori - walks into a studio for the very first time to record a masterpiece which
many Cabo Verdean consider to be the best Funana┤ album ever made.
Bitori's musical adventure had begun long before this point. It was 1954 when he
embarked on a journey across the seas to the island of Sao Tome┤ & Principe. The
young man's hope was to return to Cabo Verde with an accordion.
Following two years of hard labour Bitori had succeeded in saving enough money to
acquire what was to become his most valued possession, his cherished instrument. The
two month journey back to Santiago, his island of birth, proved time enough to master
it. Self taught, Bitori developed his own style, an infectious blaze, that quickly
caught the attention of the older generation. Before long Bitori was being asked to
share his musical talents, igniting the local festivities around Praia with his
music.
But not everybody welcomed the rural accordion-based sound. Perceived as a symbol of
the struggle for Cape Verdean independence and frowned upon as music of uneducated
peasants, Funana┤ was prohibited by the Portuguese colonial rulers. Performing it in
public or in urban centres had serious consequences - often jail time and torture
awaited musicians that were ôcaught in the actö. In light of such persecution the
genre of Funana┤ began to slowly disappear.
In 1975 Cabo Verde achieved independence from Portuguese colonial rule. Along with
Cabo VerdeÆs independence came a lifting of the ban placed on Funana┤. The musical
repercussions in Cabo Verde were plenty - many upcoming artists embraced Funana┤,
translating and adapting its musical form in new ways. It was not to be until the
mid-1990Æs, however, that Funana┤ in its traditional form was actually recorded.
It was a young singer from Tarafal, Chando Graciosa, who was to play a key role in
this event. Upon hearing Bitori, Graciosa immediately felt drawn to Bitori's unique
playing style - a raw and passionate sound accompanied by honest lyrics that
reflected the harsh reality of the Cabo Verdean working class. He eagerly approached
Bitori suggesting they join forces and travel overseas with the objective of taking
Funana┤ beyond its rural roots. The two of them, with others in tow, achieved their
goal and travelled to Europe, introducing a receptive European audience to the
vibrant energy of Funana┤. Eventually Bitori returned to his beloved Cabo Verde.
Graciosa opted to settle in Rotterdam in order to pursue his career - he vowed,
however, to bring Bitori across to Holland at a later date to record an album.
In 1997 the time was ripe to immortalise the sound Bitori had shaped over a time span
of four decades. Built around a formidable rhythm section, formed of drummer Grace
Evora and bass player Danilo Tavares, "Bitori Nha Bibinha" was recorded. The
recording catapulted Chando Graciosa to stardom, making him Cabo Verde's No.1
interpreter of Funana┤.
The success in Cabo Verde was phenomenal and Funana┤ rapidly gained the recognition
it deserved, especially in urban dance clubs. Bitori's songs quickly became standards
- classics known and loved throughout the country. The musical success, however, was
solely limited to the Cabo Verdean islands - until now!
Analog Africa is proud to contribute to the worldwide promotion of Funana┤ - the once
forbidden sound of the Cabo Verde archipelago - by releasing a worldwide re-issue of
Bitori and Chando Graciosa's legendary recording.
The release will herald Bitori's first European tour taking place during the summer
of 2016. Watch this space! And listen!
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