Music history news in Portugal

Latest news and stories about music history in Portugal for expats and residents.

Recent articles

A woman, an electric guitar, an untold story: who is Zurita de Oliveira, the “mother” of Portuguese rock

A single edition was enough for Zurita de Oliveira to write her name into history, even if that history relegated her to an obscure background. “Who’s Afraid of Zurita de Oliveira?”, a documentary by Francisca Marvão premiering this Friday, May 1st, at IndieLisboa, promises to shed light on one of the great enigmas in the history of rock in Portugal.

expresso.pt28 Apr

A woman, an electric guitar, an untold story: who is Zurita de Oliveira, the “mother” of Portuguese rock

Hot Clube remembers an "unavoidable face of the history" of the institution

🎭 Culture 📜 History#music-history+2 more

The Hot Clube de Portugal highlighted today the “enormous legacy” left by the composer, visual artist, and architect José Luís Tinoco, an “unavoidable face of the history” of that institution, who died on Wednesday at the age of 93.

RTP Notícias16 Apr

Hot Clube remembers an "unavoidable face of the history" of the institution

Kris Kopke, Armando Gama's partner in Sarabanda and a pop revelation in the early 80s in Portugal, has died

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An assistant to Thilo Krassman at the Movieplay label and a member of Sarabanda alongside Armando Gama, she was a lyricist and composer for the group Doce and the singer Dina. Cristiana (Kris) Kopke attempted to launch a pop career in the early 80s, releasing a moderately successful record with Polygram, but later continued her life away from the major stages.

Expresso15 Apr

Kris Kopke, Armando Gama's partner in Sarabanda and a pop revelation in the early 80s in Portugal, has died

Paulo de Carvalho: “We thought we should carry a carnation in our hand, but RTP didn't like it. Tordo had to say: ‘either there's a carnation or there's no song.’ There was a carnation”

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A guest on the latest edition of Posto Emissor alongside his son, Agir, Paulo de Carvalho recalled his participation in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with the band Os Amigos, alongside Fernando Tordo and Ana Bola, among others. The musician revealed that, three years after the 25th of April Revolution, RTP did not approve of that symbol of the Revolution being displayed on an international stage, in this case in London. One voice, on behalf of everyone, stood up.

Expresso8 Apr

Paulo de Carvalho: “We thought we should carry a carnation in our hand, but RTP didn't like it. Tordo had to say: ‘either there's a carnation or there's no song.’ There was a carnation”

“Every time I turned to the amplifier, I would take a sip of homemade Port wine. We took 15 demijohns from Murça, one of them for Júlio Isidro”

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The concerts he performed with Roquivários are remembered on Posto Emissor by Midus, the group's vocalist/bassist and one of the leading figures of the Portuguese rock boom of the early 80s. “We always asked for beer and water. That day, what water? We had glasses with something in them”

Expresso25 Mar

“Every time I turned to the amplifier, I would take a sip of homemade Port wine. We took 15 demijohns from Murça, one of them for Júlio Isidro”

“Very rich” archive of José Mário Branco has a new online consultation platform

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A new research platform will be presented on Thursday at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, where the collection of one of the most important names in 20th-century Portuguese music has been deposited.

Público17 Mar

“Very rich” archive of José Mário Branco has a new online consultation platform

António Manuel Ribeiro (UHF): “I was recording in the studio and I let out a swear word, one of those things that just slip out. But that day, Amália Rodrigues arrived early…”

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“Amália was recording and had one day a week in the studio. At six o'clock on Thursdays, we all had to leave because she would come in with her entourage.” António Manuel Ribeiro, from the band UHF, recalls the day he met Amália Rodrigues on the Posto Emissor podcast.

Expresso12 Mar

António Manuel Ribeiro (UHF): “I was recording in the studio and I let out a swear word, one of those things that just slip out. But that day, Amália Rodrigues arrived early…”

“On a concert day, a musician told me: ‘Tó, you have to lend me a guitar because I sold mine tonight.’ Heroin entered UHF”

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“We could have gone under in those days, because hard drugs entered UHF, just as they did in a series of Portuguese bands”: António Manuel Ribeiro looks back, on Posto Emissor, at the troubled times of the 1980s.

Expresso10 Mar

“On a concert day, a musician told me: ‘Tó, you have to lend me a guitar because I sold mine tonight.’ Heroin entered UHF”

How Not to Bet on Culture and Other Caricatures

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Music is a universal language, despite containing a set of more or less symbolic codes that go beyond linguistic expression. The universal nature of organized sounds is exemplified by Lisa Gerrard, who uses her powerful voice as an instrument without concrete lyrics. During a recent event at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, conductor Jordi Savall discussed the foundational moment of European music with baritone Jorge Chaminé and fado singer Katia Guerreiro, highlighting the creation of Ars Nova in the 14th century as a significant innovation in musical notation. This moment is described as the 'most beautiful thing' created in Europe, influencing all musical expressions to this day. The discussion also touched on the fragility of culture and the need for investment in the arts, with government representatives acknowledging the importance of cultural diversity. However, there was a disconnect as government officials left without addressing artists' criticisms, reflecting ongoing challenges in cultural investment.

Dinheiro Vivo27 Feb

How Not to Bet on Culture and Other Caricatures

Brazilian and Portuguese musicians perform 18th-century modinhas: origins of fado

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Research by Alberto Pacheco, from Minas Gerais, reveals links between Brazilian and Portuguese music in a repertoire spanning 230 years. The songs are also among the roots of MPB (Brazilian Popular Music).

Público14 Jan

Brazilian and Portuguese musicians perform 18th-century modinhas: origins of fado

Black on White. Episode 49

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In 1957, cornet player Domingos Vilaça recorded the first jazz track in Portugal (Dixieland). He and his band also livened up the rock'n'roll dance contest at the Lido in the Feira Popular. Portuguese Radio and Television covered the event, apparently with a single purpose: to denigrate Portuguese youth.

RTP Notícias7 Jan

Portugal news explained

Portugal news explained

The Lisboeta

The Lisboeta

Music history news in Portugal

Recent articles

A woman, an electric guitar, an untold story: who is Zurita de Oliveira, the “mother” of Portuguese rock

Hot Clube remembers an "unavoidable face of the history" of the institution

Kris Kopke, Armando Gama's partner in Sarabanda and a pop revelation in the early 80s in Portugal, has died

Paulo de Carvalho: “We thought we should carry a carnation in our hand, but RTP didn't like it. Tordo had to say: ‘either there's a carnation or there's no song.’ There was a carnation”

“Every time I turned to the amplifier, I would take a sip of homemade Port wine. We took 15 demijohns from Murça, one of them for Júlio Isidro”

“Very rich” archive of José Mário Branco has a new online consultation platform

António Manuel Ribeiro (UHF): “I was recording in the studio and I let out a swear word, one of those things that just slip out. But that day, Amália Rodrigues arrived early…”

“On a concert day, a musician told me: ‘Tó, you have to lend me a guitar because I sold mine tonight.’ Heroin entered UHF”

How Not to Bet on Culture and Other Caricatures

Brazilian and Portuguese musicians perform 18th-century modinhas: origins of fado

Black on White. Episode 49

Recent articles

A woman, an electric guitar, an untold story: who is Zurita de Oliveira, the “mother” of Portuguese rock

Hot Clube remembers an "unavoidable face of the history" of the institution

Kris Kopke, Armando Gama's partner in Sarabanda and a pop revelation in the early 80s in Portugal, has died

Paulo de Carvalho: “We thought we should carry a carnation in our hand, but RTP didn't like it. Tordo had to say: ‘either there's a carnation or there's no song.’ There was a carnation”

“Every time I turned to the amplifier, I would take a sip of homemade Port wine. We took 15 demijohns from Murça, one of them for Júlio Isidro”

“Very rich” archive of José Mário Branco has a new online consultation platform

António Manuel Ribeiro (UHF): “I was recording in the studio and I let out a swear word, one of those things that just slip out. But that day, Amália Rodrigues arrived early…”

“On a concert day, a musician told me: ‘Tó, you have to lend me a guitar because I sold mine tonight.’ Heroin entered UHF”

How Not to Bet on Culture and Other Caricatures

Brazilian and Portuguese musicians perform 18th-century modinhas: origins of fado

Black on White. Episode 49