Fado Novato - Jordan Shipley

My recent re-discovery of this passionate and melancholy music from Portugal when approached to prepare an authentic Fado performance for an upcoming Portuguese wedding in the Midwestern U.S. city of Kansas City, Missouri was a welcome surprise. I was introduced to Fado slowly during the last 5 to 6 years at various points during my study of the Portuguese language and the music of Brazil. I have intensely studied the music of Brazil for several years including a nearly two month stay in Brazil spread between São Paulo and Rio de Janiero. Spurred by my love of the music of Brazil I began study of the Portuguese language in 2008 to prepare for my stay in Brazil. Fado was first introduced to me by my language teachers and Portuguese speaking friends and I was immediately enchanted by the emotion and raw power expressed by often only voice, guitarra (Portuguese guitar) and viola (nylon-string guitar). The music of Brazil draws direct influence from Portuguese musical traditions and traditions that people brought to Brazil from Africa during colonization and slavery in Brazil and other Portuguese colonies; which has in turn inspired the traditions of Fado music in Portugal. I am excited and overwhelmed by the task of learning the history behind this immensely expressive music and the people and culture which created Fado.

I have always had a love for the study of other cultures, music, and foreign languages which all come together with the study of Fado; a musical culture somewhat unknown within the United States. I have a background and love for playing the traditional music of Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and a solid background in Jazz and Blues music from the United States and other styles of music unique to the cultures that created them and strongly influence by the colonization of the Americas. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenging process of transcribing and arranging the music that I have been commissioned to produce and that will help spark the beginning of Fado Novato. Even with the somewhat simple structure of the music, and specifically the pieces I have been working with, the re-harmonization during each section of the songs, and subtly of each part, made the process fascinating and quite challenging. The bass lines and ever changing accompaniment provided by the nylon string guitar, and flourishing Fado guitar phrases, seem to propel the music forward and provide support for the captivating melodies. The swing and identifying feel of the music is quite familiar to me; which I believe might be because of the shared influences between Fado and the traditional urban music of Brazil created in the last two centuries. 

I share with Beau a strong love for the study of other plucked string instruments and I am looking forward to learning the Fado guitar and commissioning one of my own in the future. So far I have been making due by playing the Portuguese guitar parts on either mandolin, acoustic guitar, or a Brazilian steel-stringed version of the ukulele called cavaquinho.

– Jordan Shipley