Ana Moura Guarda-me vida na mao (Universal Music Portugal, 2003/World Village,
2004)Ana Moura Guarda-me vida na mao (Universal Music Portugal, 2003/World Village,
2004)
Pedro Moutinho Primeiro Fado (l’empreinte
digitale ED13203, 2004)
Cristina Branco Post-Scriptum (l’empreinte digitale ED13131, 2000)
Fado music has been experiencing a renaissance in recent years. A growing list
of innovators and traditionalists have revitalized the popular genre in Portugal.
Judging from the most recent releases, the new generation of fadistas is dominated by women:
Mariza, Mizia,
Ana
Moura,
Katia
Guerreiro and
Cristina Branco. Nevertheless, a handful of men, like
Pedro Moutinho, have generated a lot of interest.
Ana Moura met guitarist
Jorge
Fernando at a fado house. Eventually he became the producer of her album.
The passionate singer is a perfect match for Jorge Fernando on
Guarda-Me a Vida Na Mao. He leaves his
imprint throughout the album, writing some of the lyrics and using arrangements
that break away from the traditional. Fernando combines Portuguese and Spanish
guitar.
Primeiro Fado is the debut album of traditional fado singer Pedro Moutinho.
His accompaniment includes Portuguese guitar,
guitar and bass. Moutinho, in his mid-twenties, is regarded as one of the most
promising names of the new generation. A native of Oeiras, a suburb of Lisbon,
he was born in a well known family of fadistas. His two brothers are international
renowned Camané and
Helder
Moutinho. With his warm and suggestive voice
Mountinho performs mainly traditional fados, although on
Primeiro Fado he also
ventures into Portuguese folk and Brazilian music.
Cristina Branco is the better known of the three. Unlike other young fadistas,
she comes from the world of pop and jazz. These contemporary influences are
evident in her bluesy performance on
Post-Scriptum.
Other fado reviews and news stories on World Music Central:
World Music Central
http://www.worldmusiccentral.org/article.php/20050724205920533