“There is a big, big generation of Cape Verdeans and other Africans here in Lisbon, in Paris, in Boston, all over… with a kind of messed-up identity,” says Lisbon’s Sara Tavares, who released Alive in Lisboa on the World Connection record label. “Our generation feels very lost because there is no culture specifically for us; that talks about our reality.”

“When I walk around with my friends, it’s a very, very interesting community,” Tavares explains. “We speak Portuguese slang, Angolan slang, some words in Cape Verdean Crioulo, and of course some English. In Crioulo there are already English and French words. This is because slaves from all over the world had to communicate and didn’t speak the same languages. We are a metisse culture.”

Multilingual wordplay shows up throughout Tavares’ work, and she hops across cultural references as much as she embraces any.  Tavares’ sweet voice and gentle arrangements communicate their meaning even if you cannot understand all of the lyrics.  Her voice has a healing power which comes from someone who has struggled with her place in the world and then accepted herself fully.  This is the voice of a woman whose parents left her.  In the ever so Cape Verdean search for a better life, her father left for America; her mother moved south.  Tavares was raised by an older Portuguese woman.  Through music she sought out her family and cultural roots, along with the help of veteran African musicians in Lisbon and back in Cape Verde where she travels every year.

The 2 cd & 1 dvd box Alive in Lisboa brings a complete selection of Sara Tavares’ best work, brimming with her magical ‘sunshine soul’.  It includes a DVD recording of a home coming concert in March 2007 in her town Lisbon.  It also contains Sara Tavares’ previously released album Balancê (2005, World Connection) and the sought after album Mi Ma Bô (1999, Sony BMG Portugal) that was produced by Lokua Kanza and so far only published in Portugal.

Alive in Lisboa came off the heels of a very busy 2006 for Sara Tavares.  Her album “Balancê” turned platinum in Portugal.  She was nominated in the category “Best New Artist” for the BBC Radio 3 Awards and played at the British TV show “Later with Jools Holland”.  Sara Tavares played sold out concerts in among others Holland, Germany, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, did a Japanese tour with Sadao Watanabe and performed at festivals and in theatres in Belgium, England, Italy, Canada and the USA.  After extended touring, she returned to her home base of Lisbon, Portugal, where she and her band did a beautiful come back concert in the former Cinema São Jorge on March 27th 2007.

The dvd Alive in Lisboa is a document for lovers of Sara Tavares songs.  It’s a documentary about her search for sonority and about her musical path of the last 3 years.  The band playing with Sara Tavares that evening consists of: Ndu - drums, Gogui Embaló - bass, Ricardo Alves – voice and guitar, Miroca Paris – percussion and Boy Ge Mendes as a special guest – voice and guitar.  One of the songs, recorded as an extra on the dvd, is a magnificent duet with fado singer Ana Moura.  March 27th was a magical night, full of  “bom feelings” and a genuine bond between audience and artist.  It’s exactly what Sara Tavares tries to achieve in every concert and what characterizes her as a performer with integrity.

“I want to be a part of a movement like the African Americans were, like the African Brazilians were,” Tavares says.  “Instead of doing the music of their ancestors, they have created this musical identity of their own.  And it is now respected.  It is considered whole and authentic and genuine.   It will be a long time before the people from my generation do not have to choose between being African or European.  I think you shouldn’t have to choose.  You should just be there.  Celebrate that. Be that!”

05/06 Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ - Amsterdam - NL

05/08 De Roma, Antwerpen - BE

05/09 Ancienne Belgique, Brussels - BE

05/12  Oude Luxor – Rotterdam - NL

05/13  Fabrik, Hamburg - GER

05/15  Kesselhaus, Berlin - GER

05/16 Brotfabrik, Frunkfurt - GER

05/17 Geselschaftshaus, Ludwigshafen - GER

05/19 Konzerthaus, Dortmund - GER

06/01 Africa Festival, Wuerzburg - GER

09/24 Gewandhaus, Leipzig – GER