Name: Legend of Funana (The Forbidden Music of Cape Verde Islands)
Brand: Bitori

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

aacd081

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2016-07-22

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Proper

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

4260126061118

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Total Cap

1 / CD / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

Bitori

Genre GB

Rest of World

Label GB

Analog Africa

Analog Africa is a renowned music label that specializes in releasing rare and obscure African music from the 1970s and 1980s. With their series, Analog Africa (2), they have curated an impressive collection of vibrant and soulful sounds that showcase the rich musical heritage of the continent.

Since its inception, Analog Africa has been dedicated to unearthing hidden gems and forgotten masterpieces from across Africa. Their meticulous research and passion for preserving these cultural treasures have earned them a reputation as one of the leading authorities in African music.

With each release in their Analog Africa (2) series, this label takes listeners on a captivating journey through time and space, introducing them to incredible artists and genres that have largely been overlooked by mainstream audiences. From Afrobeat to Highlife, Soukous to Juju, Analog Africa presents a diverse range of musical styles that are sure to captivate any music lover's ears.

Check out our latest restocks of vinyl records, CDs, books and merchandise at Rough Trade. Dive into rare finds, classic albums and add something special to your collection.

Back In Stock

The follow up to the highly acclaimed 'Space Echo' compilation is another offering from the magical Cape Verde islands. In 1997, a quiet, unassuming man of 59 years old named Victor Tavares - better known as Bitori - walks into a studio for the very first time to record a masterpiece which many Cabo Verdean consider to be the best Funaná 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 and 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. Self-taught, Bitori developed his own style, an infectious blaze, that quickly caught the attention of the older generation. 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 "caught in the act". 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 Verde's 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-1990's, 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. 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.

Legend of Funana (The Forbidden Music of Cape Verde Islands)

Music GB