Artist Profiles: Ala Dos Namorados

Ala Dos Namorados is one of the most innovative groups of Portuguese music. Its repertoire includes different styles, ranging from rhythms from Cape Verde and reminiscences of medieval singers to music-hall with taste and jazz, although its music is born from the melancholy of fado and from the urban traditional Portuguese folk songs, a mixture of troubadour songs, and contemporary music.

One of the most striking aspects of the band is the unbelievable melancholic voice of singer Nuno Guerreiro, who many would mistake for a feminine voice. It goes beyond the sounds of a tenor into the range of a contralto.

Ala Dos Namorados are: Joao Gil, acoustic guitar and vocals; Manuel Paulo, piano, accordion and vocals; Nuno Guerreiro, lead vocals

Accompanying musicians: José (Zé) Antonio Santos, clarinet; Zé Nabo, acoustic bass; André Rocha, percussion.

Discography:

Ala Dos Namorados ‎(EMI-Valentim De Carvalho, 1994)
Por Minha Dama ‎(EMI-Valentim De Carvalho, 1995)
Alma ‎(EMI-Valentim De Carvalho, 1996)
Cristal (EMI-Valentim De Carvalho, 2000)
Ao Vivo No S. Luiz (EMI-Valentim De Carvalho, 2004)
Mentiroso Normal ‎(Universal Music Portugal, 2007)
Razão De Ser ‎(Farol Música, 2013)
Felicidade ‎(Farol Música, 2014)

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.