- country:Cape Verde
- style(s):Jazz, Cape Verde
- label:Galileo MC
- type:Band, Solo, Composer/Songwriter
- gender:female
- instrumentation:instrumental, vocal
- artist posted by:Melo Music Productions
Line up
- Carmen Souza (Voice, Acoustic Guitar, Wurlitzer or Rhodes)
- Davide Giovannini (Percussion)
- Jonathan Idiagbonya (Acoustic Piano)
- Theo Pas'cal (Bass, Double Bass, Backvocals)
Links
After 2 critically acclaimed albums, "Ess e nha Cape Verde/This is my Cape Verde" (2005) and "Verdade/Truth" (2008), Carmen Souza returns in 2010 with the impressive "Protegid" (Protected) that blends perfectly with elegance and sophistication the African and Cape Verdean traditional rhythms with Contemporary Jazz and Afro-Latin. This groundbreaking album presents a highly innovative sound & a continuation of the work already initiated in the two previous albums: pushing the limits of what constitutes the Cape Verdean music, World Music and Jazz.
This new set of songs showcases Carmen Souza's excellent ability for melodies and lyrics while exploring her mesmerizing colourful, versatile and expressive voice. "Expressive, able to tell these wonderful texts without losing a single syllable and giving them an impressive intensity. The timbre records show domination and sensitivity that goes through states of mind difficult to translate musically." Say Portuguese Ethnomusicologist Domingos Morais.
Besides co-producing and featuring on Rhodes and Guitar, Carmen Souza also signs all the lyrics, like in previous releases, to the exception of an exquisite version of the song 'Sodade' that became famous on the voice of Cesaria Evora.
Her outstanding songwriter talent gives emphasis to her mission as a messenger of Human understanding and Faith. "No jumble of disconnected phrases masquerading as coherent thought; instead, cogent observations on the monetary value some place on life, the hope given by children, intimate questions of faith, or inner desires." Said journalist Simon Rowand, talking about her lyrics while reviewing her last album.
"Protegid" also includes a version of the well-known song from Horace Silver's 'Song for my Father' and Carmen wrote a new lyric in Creole to dedicate to her Father just like Horace Silver did with his Father.
In this album you can feel the almost palpable musical chemistry between, two talented free spirit composers, Carmen Souza and her long-time composer/producer and Bass player, Theo Pas'cal, who signs all the music.
"After working together for more than 8 years, we know each other very well, the process of building new songs is very natural, we always try to compose "out of the box" without prejudice, creative limitations or commercial impositions. We can only write and compose what we feel and believe in, always looking to be faithful to our roots and influences. "Say Carmen Souza and Theo Pas'cal.
This record has the particularity of having been recorded in London, Lisbon, Toronto, New York, Paris, etc, mostly on a mobile studio that accompanied Carmen Souza and Theo Pas'cal for over 5 months into their Tours and Trips.
"The compositions and the bases of the songs with voice and bass first and then some pianos and percussion were recorded in London, pretty much everything else was recorded in the mobile studio, sometimes using only special rooms to capture the instruments, because of the acoustic requirements necessary. It was a great experience, because we had the opportunity and freedom to record and mix on super quiet inspiring environments without being obliged to be stuck to a common studio somewhere... "
Say Carmen Souza.
"Protegid" exceptional group of musicians from Jazz and World backgrounds, most of them from her band, come from several different countries around the world (Portugal, Cuba, Angola, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Nigeria, Canada, Palestine, France, UK), were somehow already linked to the project, performing live, or were invited by Carmen for the musical and artistic identification.
Names like this year Grammy nominee, Cuban pianist Omar Sosa, French Accordionist Marc Berthoumieux, Portuguese based Tora Tora Big Band and French based Oud player Adel Salameh from Palestine were some of the ones that add richness to this album.
"...The most unusual instrumental exploration can be found in the lament "Mara Marga" (Bitter Mara), the story of a three-year old girl who had to die because she was unwelcome on Earth, accepted neither by her mother, nor by her father. Carmen wrote the text which was then recorded, involving Adel Salameh on the Arabian/Egyptian Lute ('ud) and Naziha Azzouz with her wailing voice. The song takes us almost on a time-journey to the remote past when the Iberian Peninsula was still part of the Islamic World. It shows the extent to which music can be reconfigured and recreated." Say the Ethnomusicologist Gerhard Kubik, perhaps the most broadly knowledgeable and prolific of scholars on the music traditions of Africa and the Black Diaspora.
Carmen Souza is undoubtedly one of the most important singers/songwriters of the new generation who, despite being born outside of Cape Verde, is a true ambassador of the mixed culture of her ancestors. She gives the traditional rhythms of the islands, like Funana, Morna, Batuke, Mazurka and others, a unique approach always looking for Excellency. "The language with its phonetics is the strongest determinant of her art. Reinforced by the specific quality and wide range of her voice, the intonation and accents, giving her music a Cabo Verdean identity." Say Gerhard Kubik.
Her successful "Verdade/Truth", last album, led Carmen Souza to some of the most important stages in the world. With 'PROTEGID', she will surely win over audiences with her charisma, relaxed presence on stage, exceptional musicians, and her amazing vocal sound; so personal and unique.
