Antonio Zambujo: Por Meu Cante

Paulo Parreira, portuguese guitar; Joao Mario Veiga, classical guitar; Luis Pontes, classical guitar; Ricardo Cruz, double bass & acoustic bass

Por meu cante - the literal meaning of the title is Through my singing - was recorded live and released in Portugal in 2004 to immediate critical acclaim; it was considered one of the loveliest albums of the year. Today, with hindsight, this album reveals not only an outstanding singer, but also the triple influences at the basis of António Zambujo's art: the cante of Alentejo, polyphonic singing from the region of his birth in southern Portugal; Brazilian music - the bossa nova and M.P.B.; and finally, cool jazz from the West Coast of the United States. These elements have eventually become the "trademark" of the contemporary fado António Zambujo has built up over time; its stellar brilliance became obvious in the albums that followed, Outro sentido (2008) and Guia (2010).
Por meu cante is a seminal album for understanding how fado can remain alive and blend with other types of music of today in a twofold philosophy of sharing and tolerance, without, of course, ever losing its own identity.

Price: $24.98