Magda Mendes

Fado

Portuguese singer Magda Mendes is a renowned singer of fado, the wistful music that resonates with the soul of Portugal. Her impressive, touching and sensual voice quickly finds its way into the hearts of listeners.

Fado (Portuguese for fate, divine will) is a Portuguese musical style and a Portuguese performance genre that is primarily at home in the cities of Lisbon and Coimbra. Works in this style usually deal with unhappy love, social grievances, times gone by or the longing for better times. Fado contains Arabic elements, many pitch changes, prefers minor-key melodies and expresses the emotional life that connects the Portuguese with one another.

Magda Mendes will be accompanied by the Dutch guitarist Ward Veenstra, who studied guitar at the Hilversum Conservatory. Today he plays almost all types of guitar, such as the "tres", the "cavaquinho", the Portuguese guitar and the mandolin. He has opened himself up to many styles of music and is also active as a composer, arranger and producer. The percussion is provided by Udo Demandt, who was born in Germany but lives in Rotterdam. At the age of eight he was already playing drums in a brass band, and from 1995 to 2000 he studied world music percussion and drums at the Rotterdam Conservatory. He is a sought-after world music percussionist and also plays with many crossover, flamenco and Latin jazz bands. Together they form an outstanding trio that takes the audience on a wonderful musical journey with great depth, intensity and harmony.

Cast

Magda Mendes - Vocals fado
Ward Veenstra - Guitars, mandolin
Udo Demandt - Percussion