Folk magazine about present and past, from freak folk to minstrels. In this Folk It! we travel to Portugal for the music of Carlos do Carmo and Carlos Paredes.
Carlos Paredes was born in Coimbra in 1925. Paredes’ father, Artur, was also known as a virtuoso on the Portuguese guitar, but the merit goes to Carlos for giving this instrument a place, be it modest, on international concert stages.
The Portuguese guitar is inextricably linked to the fado music and contains 12 strings which are tuned in pairs. Of the three lowest strings one octave is tuned higher than the other, the other three pairs, however, are tuned equally. It is an instrument which occurs in particular in cities such as Lisbon and Coimbra, who each have their own variant.
In the 1950s and 60s, Paredes was a member to the Communist Party and was imprisoned by the dictatorial regime in solitary confinement. He is supposed to have been walking around in his cell, imagining himself that he was composing music. Fellow inmates thought he was insane, but later it appeared that he was laying the basis for compositions which he would work out and note down after his release.
Paredes has composed songs for Amalia Rodrigues. The Kronos Quartet also arranged and recorded his Romance no. 1.
Do Carmo was born in Lisbon in 1939. His mother, Lucília do Carmo, was during her life, which lasted till 1999, a well-known fadista. Carlos has also contributed in transitioning the performance of the fado from small-scale locations, such as bars and brothels, to concert stages. He also allowed influences of, for instance, Brazilian Bossa Nova, French chansons and jazz.
Moreover, Do Carmo did participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1976 and ended at 12th place. In April this year, prior to his 80th birthday in December, Do Carmo announced that he will stop performing.
01. Carlos Paredes. Movimento Perpetuo. (Movimento Perpetuo, 1971)
02. Carlos Paredes. I Variacoes sobre uma Danca Popular. (Guitarra Portuguesa, 1989)
03. Carlos Paredes. II Mudar de Vida (Tema). (Guitarra Portuguesa, 1989)
04. Carlos Paredes. III Mudar de Vida (Musica de Fundo). (Guitarra Portuguesa, 1989)
05. Carlos Paredes. IV Antonio Marinheiro (Tema de Peca). (Guitarra Portuguesa, 1989)
06. Carlos Paredes. V Cancao. (Guitarra Portuguesa, 1989)
07. Carlos Paredes. Romance No. 1. (Guitarra Portuguesa, 1989)
08. Carlos Paredes. Divertimento. (Guitarra Portuguesa, 1989)
09. Carlos do Carmo. O madrugar de um sonho. (Fado Maestro, 2008)
10. Carlos do Carmo. Meu nome é Fado. (O Melhor dos Melhores, 1994)
11. Carlos do Carmo. Bairro Alto. (Fado Maestro, 2008)
12. Carlos do Carmo. Canoas do Tejo. (Fado Maestro, 2008)
13. Carlos do Carmo & Bernardo Sassetti. O Sol. (Carlos do Carmo & Bernardo Sassetti, 2010)
14. Carlos do Carmo & Bernardo Sassetti. Foi por ela. (Carlos do Carmo & Bernardo Sassetti, 2010)
15. Carlos do Carmo. Duas Lágrimas de Orvalho. (Fado Maestro, 2008)
16. Carlos do Carmo. Fado Da Saudade. (Fado Maestro, 2008)
17. Carlos Paredes. Canto Do Amanhecer. (Uma Guitarra Com Gente Dentro, 2002)
18. Carlos Paredes. A Noite. (Uma Guitarra Com Gente Dentro, 2002)
19. Carlos Paredes. Cancao. (Movimento Perpetuo, 1971)
More information: https://stokstaartje.nl/mijn-folkit-blog/2019/05/30/folkit-13-juni-2019-carlos-paredes-en-carlos-do-carmo/
