Cavaquinho and Braguinha Marvels

Júlio Pereira – Praça do Comércio (Tradisom, 2017)

Praça do Comércio is a beautifully-packaged album + book by Portuguese multi-instrumentalist Júlio Pereira. He’s one of the leading performers of the cavaquinho, the small Portuguese guitar which is also the ancestor of the Hawaiian ukulele.

This time, Júlio Pereira has added the braguinha to the collection of instruments he performs on Praça do Comércio. The braguinha is another small guitar, from the island of Madeira, closely related to the cavaquinho.

The 111-page book is a wealth of knowledge, with notes in Portuguese and English. It provides details and photos of the cavaquinho and braguinha, illustrations, as well as music notation.

In addition to his skill as a musician, Júlio Pereira is a talented composer. His music incorporates traditional Portuguese music as well as sounds from northern Africa, jazz and classical elements, Brazilian and Mozambican rhythms, flamenco and other influences.

The lineup on Praça do Comércio includes Júlio Pereira on cavaquinho, braguinha, bouzouki, synthesizer, viola braguesa, guitar, backing vocals; Miguel Veras on guitar; Sandra Martins on cello; Luciano Vasconvelos on bass; Quiné on percussion; Diego Duque on trumpet; James Hill (ukulele); José Manuel Neto on Portuguese guitar; Pedro Jóia on guitar; Norberto Gonçalves da Cruz on bandolim.

Guest vocalists: António Zambujo (Portugal), Olga Cerpa (Canary Islands, Spain), Chney Wa Gune (Mozambique), Luanda Cozetti (Brazil), Teresa Melo Campos (Portugal), Mariana Abrunheiro (Portugal), Inés Melo Campos (Portugal), and Andreaia Joao Lopes.

Praça do Comércio is an exquisitely-crafted album that highlights the beauty of the small guitars from the eastern Atlantic.

Buy Praça do Comércio (Amazon) or from Tradisom

Author: Angel Romero

Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.