Musician for:

Cesaria Evora

Language:

Creol

Genre:

Morna Coladeira Jazz

Instrument:

Male vocals Guitar

Articles:
On Cape Verdean music

On the Internet
Concert WOMAD 2003

Biography

Born in 1964 on the island of Sao Nicolau, Teofilo Chantre came with his family, 1 year old to the island São Vicente to the town of Mindelo, the cultural centre of the islands. His father Vitorinho Chantre used to write lyrics for different composers, among them Armandio Cabral, the composer of the classic "Sodade" by Cesaria Evora.
Teofilo came to France at the age of 13 and began teaching himself to play the guitar and to write his own music. At 17 he discovered traditional music through his joint African and Portuguese background and started to play in local-community festivals.
In 1991 the producer Jose da Silva accepted three of his songs for Cesaria Evora's biggest hit album "Miss Perfumado". On “São Vicente di longe”, Teofilo Chantre provided no fewer than five songs. In 1995 Cesaria again chose one of his songs for Emir Kusturica's film "Underground".
It has often been said of Teofilo Chantre that he “appeared in the shadow of Cesaria Evora” before making a name with his own records. The expression used should be corrected, since it is hard to imagine an art as bright as that of the great lady of Cape Verde spreading anything other than light.
Since 1993, the four albums he has released in his own name (“Terra & Cretcheu” – 1993, “Di Alma” – 1997, “Rodatempo” – 2000, “Live” – 2002) have made him increasingly famous. There is a Teofilo “style”, which cannot be summed up as just Cape Verdean “authenticity”. Indeed, Teofilo Chantre has lived in France for more than twenty-five years and the diversity of his musical tastes – ranging from Bossa Nova to the classical boleros of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean – have shaped his ear and heart, opening them to wider horizons. All his influences are marvellously distilled in a writing whose melodic obviousness (his refrains often seem immediately familiar) is fully equal to its great harmonic sophistication. Suddenly, given modulations, given passages in distant keys, bring delightful surprises. And while most of his songs are steeped in “sodade” – Cape Verde’s unique insular melancholy – the elegant swing of his coladeras reminds us that dancing is still one of the finest antidotes for sadness.

Relevant artists:
Cesaria Evora
Boy Ge Mendes
Bau
Tcheka
Bonga

TERRA & CRETCHEU
Lusafrica/1993

DI ALMA
Lusafrica/1997

RODATEMPO
Lusafrica/2000

LIVE
Lusafrica/2002

Click record company for sound samples

AZULANDO  
Lusafrica/2004

We haven't really digested Cesaria Evora's last disc before another Cape Verdean nugget shows up. And I have to say it straight out: This one's as good, if not even better!
Teofilo Chantre has been writing songs for Cesaria Evora for more than a decade, and has also recorded quite a few of them himself, without receiving too much attention. This time, however, I think has has done it! I wouldn't be surprised if "Azulando" becomes his international breakthrough. Because "Azulando" is a record without weak spots. Teofilo Chantre is a skilled craftsman, he carves out songs that sticks to your mind immediately, he is a professional arranger and he has a splendid band. There's no artificial trumpery here, this is just damned well done. Teofilo himself is in place with his accoustic guitar, there's an accordion (Jacky Fourniret) a couple of violins (Kim Dan Le OC Mach & Julian Corrales Subida) a piano (Mehdi Bennani) and bass and percussion and on a couple of songs a saxophone and a trombone. And then the whole thing takes off.
Teofilo Chantre operates within the Cape Verdean tradition, but there are not really many mornas here. The man has been living in France for 25 years and his musical influences range from Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean, all distilled into his own sophisticated style. It's hard to point at a few special tracks, this all flows into a cascade of melancholic, joyful and swinging SONGS. Cesaria Evora and Bonga also show up on one track each. But maybe still there's one song that really sticks to your mind, it grabs you right away, it makes you dance on the table, it's the kind of song that you will remember the rest of your life: The Bossa Nova influenced "Segredo Na Luar".
What a song! What an album!

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