Putting together a new Fado music project from almost nothing is a very exciting and daunting task and to publicly share the process on the internet even more frightening. I've long been very attracted to Fado in a sort of femme fatale way for many years. I often thought to myself "you really should stay away from that Fado girl...what a disaster she is." It's stylistic connections to Argentine tango and Andalusian flamenco make Fado feel familiar to me. It's simplicity of form and long standing conservative tendencies are also very attractive. I also believe Fado to be the saddest music I've ever heard so what's not to like?
My dear friend Christine Brebes turned me on to guitarist Carlos Paredes in the '90s and of course the fado/pop group Madredeus was huge then. I also loved the Wim Wenders movie "Lisbon Story" featuring Madredeus. I've recently commissioned a Portuguese guitar to be made by local Kansas City luthier David Bucher. He specializes in building bouzoukis and citterns which are very close relatives to the Portuguese guitar. I have never played one in my life but I suspect I will really enjoy it. I'm currently collecting the extremely sparse material available for this esoteric guitar style. I managed to find Portuguese Guitar: Fados and Counter-Melodies Book 1 by Eurico Cebolo from this fine website by Portuguese guitarist, Ron Fernandez.
The Portuguese guitar is tuned very strangely in no way similar to the normal guitar and to make things worse, the Portuguese guitar tradition is divided into two factions, Lisboa and Coimbra. I've decided on the later because it is the style of Carlos Paredes and the instrument is slightly bigger and tuned a whole-step lower than the Lisboa guitar. I located the book Portuguese Guitar Method: basic techniques for the Coimbra Guitar by Paolo Soares but it has long been out of print. My good friend Libby Hanssen from the UMKC library located a copy via inter library loan. I am most grateful to her for this. My Coimbra guitar will be completed in early August and I'm very anxious to get my hands on her.
- Beau Bledsoe
Good afternoon,
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time to see the website. Very interesting. I am so very happy to know that there are non-Portuguese people who are very passionate about fados.
I, myself, am Greek, but I love fados for many years. I have a Portuguese Lisbon-style guitar that was made here in the USA.
I do not play frequently as I should and I am not a professional player. I know some of the basics of the Portuguese guitar.
I wish you people the very best to continue the tradition of fados.
Best friendly regards,
George of Boston USA