Concept and Executive Producer: Francisco “Fininho” Sousa
Francisco started as a techno DJ around the year 2000 and later in 2009 co-founded Celeste/ Mariposa, a project dedicated to discover and promote the fantastically diverse music from Lusophone Africa at a global level. They developed a solid career as international DJs with 6 european tours while playing music almost totally unknown in the West, and in 2015 founded their own label and released the award-winning album “Kudihohola” from Chalo Correia, as well as the critically acclaimed “Space Echo” compilation for Analog Africa. In 2016 Francisco left Celeste/ Mariposa to develop a career as an independent executive producer offering a unique understanding of the diversity and possibilites the music from the African diaspora in Lisbon can bring to the worldwide urban music scene.
Band from Guiné Bissau
Musical Director of the Guiné Bissau Band and Bass Player: Juvenal Cabral
Juvenal and his brother Micas arrived in Lisbon from Bissau more than 30 years ago to search for new possibilities for their hugely promising band, Tabanka Djaz, that has meanwhile become quite simply the biggest music phenomenon in all the portuguese-speaking african countries, recording 6 albums and packing stadiums, festivals and top concert halls around the world, as well as modernising the heavy heritage of previous greats Super Mama Djombo, Nkassa Cobra and Cobiana Djaz. Juvenal is also musical director of this band as has other smaller collaborations.
Sidia Baio (Rhythm Guitar)
Sidia Baio was a member of the world famous psych-Gumbé innovators Super Mama Djombo as a guitarrist, although he is also a very skilled bass player. He is a frequent guest to participate in the recordings of younger artists such as Américo Gomes, and is recognized for his very delicate technical abilites.
Eliseu Imbana (Solo Guitar)
Eliseu is part of the most recent formation of Super Mama Djombo but also is deeply involved with other reknown musicians such as Binhan, Karyna Gomes or Manecas Costa. He is in the forefront of the new generation of musicians that are determined to innovate while preserving the essence of Gumbé. He frequently flyes from Guiné-Bissau to Europe to participate in concerts or recordings.
Ernesto da Silva (Percussion)
Ernesto, now living in Verona, Italy, is a young percussionist bringing along new ideas meant to consolidate Gumbé´s worldwide identity. He has played with Manecas Costa around the world, is director of a musical school, plays frequently with Tabanka Djaz and was also a key member of the game-changing band from the 90s, Gumbezarte in their only album, Camba-Mar.
Toni Bat (Drums)
Toni is a frequent drummer for the contemporary version of Super Mama Djombo. He has simply been a part of all the most relevant bands in the last 20 years, from Justino Delgado to Sidónio Pais. He is requested to modernize the hi-hat-and-cymbal drum playing style from the 70s to our days.
Iragrett Tavares (Voice)
Iragrett is a young talent who just finished recording her first studio album and has had fruitful collaborations with artists such as Sabá Miniamba´s Sidónio Pais, has a unique energy, frequency range and power. A promising career awaits her.
Micas Cabral (Voice)
Micas arrived in Lisbon in the 80s together with his brother Juvenal to develop the greatest band in the portuguese speaking afircan world, Tabanka Djaz. His voice is a brand in itself.
Eric Daró (Voice)
Eric Daró is a very young artist that has built a career as a songwriter and performer, being extremely successful with the younger generation. He fuses traditional gumbé with more modern digital elements and is also known for his exuberance onstage.
Band from Cabo Verde
Musical director of the Cabo Verde Band: Lúcio Vieira
Lúcio Vieira arrived in Lisbon from S.Vicente (Cabo Verde) in the 80s and was involved in very diverse projects from portuguese superstar pop band Sétima Legião to Justino Delgado and Tino Trimó (Guiné Bissau) to Don Kikas and Eduardo Paim (Angola) to other great artists from Cuba, Brazil and Mozambique and also frequently played with some of the best jazz musicians in town. His vast experience gives hum a unique vision of global Groove.
Daya Teclas (Keyboard)
Daya is a very young talent living in Lisbon for only 2 years, but is already massively requested by the top musicians like Tito Paris, Sara Tavares or Lucibela.
Jair de Pina (Percussion)
Jair is part of the band of Tito Paris, and Mirri Lobo, and is also an organizer and promoter of Caboverdean culture through his restaurant with live music transmitted live through the radio. He is a true cultural figure.
Ivan Gomes
Ivan stood out as the rarely mentioned revolutionary Caboverdean band “Kalaka”, that successfully fused psych-rock with traditional funaná, and later went to develop a truly international career by playing with artists such as Sara Tavares and Tito Paris, and is also part of the acclaimed resident band from legendary african discotheque B.leza
Cau Paris
From a famous musician family, Cau started out as a heavy metal drummer in São Vicente, Cabo Verde, and later built a very solid reputation as a brilliant drummer, main drummer of Tabanka Djaz and part of the resident from the reknown african discotheque B.leza.
Débora Paris
Another member of the Paris family, Débora is only 18 years old but grew up between artists. She has a soft, powerful voice.
Mário Marta
A singer of great depth and collaborator of great artists such as Djodje, Mário has been a part of various projects and is versatile enough to master morna, coladeira and funaná. He has had a great influence in the musical education of many key musicians from the younger generation like Daya and Débora Paris.
Chantó Santos
Chantó was the main singer of under-the-radar band “Ponto Final”, that was a popular act in Santiago, Cabo Verde, with their modern funaná compositions including unfluences from other continents and opening up a new door for melody and rhythm.