Fado

Some of you have asked me about some of the Portuguese traditions and culture... so here's a brief and somewhat accurate description of some of our musical traditions.

Portugal shares the Iberian peninsula with Spain, but where Spain opens mainly to the Mediterranean and the relative shelter of the Bay of Biscay, Portugal faces the wide horizons of the Atlantic ocean, and its music often reflects the country's longtime romance with the sea. Portuguese music has influenced the music born in former Portuguese colonies such as Brazil and Cape Verde, and in due course the music that arose in the colonies – bearing strong African influences—returned to Portugal to exert its influence on Portuguese music. This is particularly true with fado—the Portuguese national style. (Read more)