Quadra de manjerico

Here's my contribution to the Portuguese "Santos Populares" folklore tradition of writing rhymes and putting them on top of a manjerico (Greek basil). This is what I came up with.

Junho é mês de bailias
A encher os arraiais
É tempo de alegrias
Desde o monte até ao cais.

Folgando pela noite fora
Celebrando a sua fé
Secam lágrimas na hora
Que amanhã logo se vê.

Cheiros bons, cheiros vadios
Da sardinha à febra assada
Muitos copos, desvarios,
Derramados pela calçada.

Tristes fados são cantados
Nestas noites de esperança
A uma só voz sublimados
Exortando à mudança.

Deolinda in London

Unfortunately, it's too far for me to go and especially in the middle of the week. Hopefully the Portuguese community in London can drop by and have fun listening to Deolinda live at Institut of Contemporary Arts. Gig is next Thursday, the 4th of June. Tickets cost 15 £. Check details here.

Well done, HMV!

Deolinda's classification mistake has been corrected after only 1 e-mail I sent to HMV. They thanked and were really fast correcting the problem. I am amazed! Well done, HMV! Now... don't stop with your great promotions, please. :)

1 year

1 year in the UK.

Deolinda at HMV

Deolinda's debut album is on sale at HMV. Check it out!

The classification is wrong - they put it under the Americas menu - but at least it is being distributed. No worries... I have already sent my complaint to HMV for the mistake.

First Singles

Click to listen and enjoy!

"Oxalá te veja" from Oquestrada

"Gaivota" from Hoje

Wish List

It is not a surprise that my wish list should include music, so I'll just get started. Summer is approaching and I believe many interesting albums are about to see the light of the day.

My current wishes are:

1) Hoje - Amália Hoje (to be launched on the 27th April)

2) Oquestrada - Tasca Beat: O Sonho Português (to be launched on the 27th April)

3) Gomo - Nosy (to be launched soon)

Can't wait to have this! I am especially happy for Oquestrada whose work I've been following in the past years. I miss seeing them @ Incrível Almadense. I just hope people don't start saying they are copying Deolinda... Oquestrada have been out there for ages and after a lot of time playing live they now moved to the next stage, not that they chased it. Maybe Deolinda's success led to it, and before Deolinda we had A Naifa. I really don't think that is the point. What really matters is that is is great Portuguese music, they are all different projects with a Portuguese feeling and vibe, and we should just embrace it. It is the sort of music that makes us feel good, at home, happy and proud.