Alias:

Rufino Almeida

Musician for:

Cesaria Evora

Language:

Creol

Genre:

Morna Coladeira Funana

Instrument:

Guitar Violin Cavaquinho

Articles:
On Cape Verdean music

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Biography

Bau (a "box" in portuguese), it's a funny name, but its briefness and its guttural sound make it easy to remember.
Rufino Almeida, a.k.a. Bau, is a native of São Vicente, one of the Cape Verde archipelago islands which was the birthplace of many artists: Cesaria Evora, Bana Titina, Tito Paris... and composers, as B. Leza, Manuel de Novas, Frank Cavaquim, Goy, Vasco Martins.
Bau's father was a stringed instruments maker in Mindelo and gave him for his seventh birthday his first instrument, a cavaquinho, which is a small four strings guitar, similar to a ukulele, used in Brazil and in Cape Verde to mark the beat. Then his father taught him how to make instruments like guitars, cavaquinhos, violins but also how to play them; and Bau won't stop until he has mastered musical skills. That allowed him to combine an instrumental virtuosity with his instinctive autodidact sensitivity. Bau's favourite cavaquinho player was the Brazilian virtuoso, Waldir Azevedo; however he also admired the "guitara flamenca" style of Al Di Meola or the violin of Stephane Grapelli. But beyond these influences, Bau gets also this islands musicians charm and this elegance that make the Capeverdean music syncopated, rhythmic, nostalgic and intimate.
In 1994, Bau integrated the band (conducted by Paulino Vieira) that accompanied Cesaria Evora on stage. In 1996, Bau became the director of this musical formation and started to travel around the world thanks to Cesaria world success. He also participated to the realization of the albums "Cabo Verde" (1997) and "Café Atlantico" (1999).
In September 99, Bau gave up the direction of Cesaria's band to the pianist Nando Andrade and went back to Mindelo, his island. That's where he conceived the album "Blimundo", which is all about finesse and musical subtleties and remains to date his most achieved piece of work.

Relevant artists:
Cesaria Evora
Boy Ge Mendes
Toumani Diabate
Zoumana Diarra
Tcheka
Swagato

TOP D`COROA
Lusafrica/1993

JAILZA
Lusafrica/1995

INSPIRACAO
Lusafrica/1998

BLIMUNDO
Lusafrica/2000

CAPE VERDEAN MELANCHOLY  
Lusafrica/2002

To sit on a hotel veranda on an island 500 kilometres out in the Atlantic Ocean, you see the sun set in the ocean, have a cool gin and tonic at hand - or perhaps some special Fogo red wine, with a taste of volcano, a warm wind in your face.... The music you'll hear at such an occasion might well be Bau's, and it will fit exactly to what you see and what you feel.
The Cape Verdean music has influences from many corners of the world, not least Portugal, Bau's musical style is clearly European influenced, with stains of Latin/South American rhytms.
On this CD, Bau has collected the best from his first four solo releases. Rufino Almeida is perhaps not basicly known as a solo artist, but more as a backing musician for Cesaria Evora, among others. It is my hope the the good Bau will be more focused as a solo artist hereafter, this compilation confirms that the man is an artist to be reconed with!
The CD consists mainly of his own compositions, elegantly arranged for guitar, cavaquinho and violin. The cover presents little information about the other musicians with whom he is playing. The sound is warm and full of soul, anyway, and the absence of voices is in fact not a big disadvantage. The Cape Verdean melancholy is always there as an undercurrant, but not very strong, it just passes you by, as a brief love affair. This music is beautiful, first and foremost. My favorite tune among this rich material, is the title track from his last CD, "Blimundo". The melody is built around a theme played on violin, delicately accompanied by guitar and cavaquinho, with shifting instruments playing lead; in the bottom lies a fast coladeira-rhythm. On the next track "Luanda", a saxophone comes lurching in. And in this manner Bau continues his playful musical game the whole record through. It's great and seductive. But after the first glow of love you start to feel a certain monotony. "Cape Verdean Melancholy" is still sweet and sensous, but hardly a record you sit down and listens carefully to for 54 minutes. One by one the songs deserve a 5'er. As a whole the CD scores a bit lower.
Tracks:
1. Raquel
2. Bau
3. Situacoes triangulares
4. Blimundo
5. Luanda
6. Toy
7. Pescador
8. Ronco di mar
9. Top d'coroa
10. Cucli
11. Luz dum Estrella
12. Nha morgadinna
13. Jailza

SILENCIO  
Lusafrica/2003

Another beautiful album from Bau, this, full of atmosphere. Bau is possibly Kapp Verde's leading instrumentalist.
The recepi is the same as earlier. tight, but lyrical arrangements for accoustic guitar, cavaquinho, flute and bass. This is the kind of music you'd love to hear after a tough day at work: Bau takes you to his peaceful and harmonious universe. The music is sensous and beautiful, but never boring. It is completely free from all kinds of vain and hip trends. This is simply charming music, played by a considerable instrumentalist who has something to say. The style springs from Cape Verdean morna and coladeira, with a side view at Brasilian music. With his instrumental consept, Bau anyway twists the whole thing in the direction of jazz. Most clearly this can be heard on the track "Enstronhe e criolo" by band member Hernani Almeida. Also Theofilo Chantre's "Nhe peadade" sounds cool and jazzy in Bau's classy arrangement. Playing with him on this disc is, in addition to the mentioned second guitarist Almeida, Luis Ramos, also on guitar. Further Jacinto Perreira on cavaquinho, Jose Paris on accoustic bass, Tey Santos percussion and Swagato, a German with an artist name from India, on flute and saxophone.
Bau has avioded to let his project grow too big in terms of time; with a playing time on 35 minutes he keeps the interest and glow through the whole album. "Silencio" becomes a very strong achievement.

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