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Alias:

Uli Bracher

Musician for:

Bau

Genre:

Jazz Morna Coladeira

Instrument:

Saxophone Flute

Articles:
On Cape Verdean music
Interview in German

Biography

Born on June 13, 1949 in Heidenheim, South West Germany, Swagato has been a jazz musician since the age of 15, after studying classical flute for 2 years as a teenager.
In February 1980 he met his spiritual Master Osho on his journey to India, who gave him the new name «Swagato» which means «Welcome». He lived in the international commune of Osho in India, Italy and United States, where a very creative group of people from around the world. had been gathering. In this period Swagato studied, played and recorded Indian music, New Age and World Music.

In 1989 and 1990 he toured Europe with his own «Ah, This!»- Band inspired by the «Music from the World of Osho». This beautiful band disbanded after Osho’s death in 1991 and Swagato continued to perform with the Brazilian band «SambaZen», based in Amsterdam.
In 1994 he founded his own World Music and Jazz label «Global Music», which he now will transfer to Cabo Verde.
Between 1997 and 2000 he also performed with the «World Percussion Project OGUM» and recorded the CD «GeoRhythm».
In January 2001 he visited Cabo Verde for the first time, and immediately received a warm welcome and invitation from many Cape Verdean musicians. He decided to settle down in Mindelo, S. Vicente and with his partner Roshani J. Hetzel he created the Marketing-Project «Cabo Verde is Music» to give support to the musical scene and thus to Cabo Verde itself.
Already in the first year 2001 he performed at the Gamboa Festival with Tito Paris and on the Baia das Gatas Festival with Bius and Gabriela Mendes.
In the same year he also began his co- operation with Bau and has ever since been a very appreciated soloist in Bau’s Band. With Bau, who became the greatest inspiration to his own musical development he also recorded numerous albums: «Silencio», the fifth Solo Album of Bau, then with Dulce Mathias, Nando da Cruz, Tcheka, Homero Fonseca and the Carnival songs of Tchala.
On stage in Cabo Verde and Europe he performed many times with Ildo Lobo, Marianna Ramos, Lura, Dudu Araujo, Bana, Bius, Kompass, and has been enjoying a continuous cooperation with the young singer Mayra. With Bau and Dudu he has been recently touring in Cabo Verde, Europe and United States.

Relevant artists:
Cesaria Evora
Bau
Teofilo Chantre
Tcheka
Boy Ge Mendes
Lura

BLACK INSIDE
Global Music 1993

AMAZED BY YOUR FACE  
Global Music 2005

So, this is the Cape Verdean mourning again? Not really, even if this record sure has some of this well known melancholy. But this is something slightly different: A jazzy version, that takes the Cape Verdean experience a bit further. The German saxophone and flute player Swagato, his artist name ("Welcome") was given to him by late Indian philosopher Osho, has gathered some of his musical friends and set up the band Olinôs, making up a quintet consisting of Hernani, Ze Paris, Micau and Jenifer Soledade; the lady on vocals. Generelly this works very well, this crew makes this kind of easy going, sunny jazz that makes you happy. It is not superficial, just light, sometimes it makes you think of Stan Getz and the bossa nova, especially in the track "Enkantod k'bo rosto", a little gem. In Swagato's own composition "Amazed by your face" singer Jenifer comes in with her playful voice, a little hoarse, she reminds me of Lura, this being meant as a compliment. Jenifer Soledade adds a nice variation to the instrumentals, anyway. My favorite on this album is perhaps Vasco Martin's melancholic ballad "Filosofia", the group builds this song with a nicely done interplay between Swagato's sax and Hernani's guitar solo.
Listening through the whole album I sometimes feel the atmosphere is too light, I miss some punch here and there. Perhaps it's just a matter of recording, the sound could be more compact. But at the end of the day, "Amazed by you face" comes out as a warm and sympathetic album, well worth listening to. A fine musical statement for Swagato and his group.
(To buy Swagato's CDs online, click record company, then "music")

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