Rodrigo Costa Félix – Tempo (Rock CD Records, 2020)
Tempo (Time) is the excellent new album from Portuguese fado singer-songwriter Rodrigo Costa Félix. He is one of the leading fado vocalists in the current Portuguese scene and his captivating style combines tradition and innovative arrangements by incorporating other lusophone traditions like morna (Cape Verde) and samba (Brazil).
The song selection includes six original songs composed by Costa Félix along with songs penned by Tiago Torres da Silva, José Fialho Gouveia, Vasco Gato, Luiz Caracol and António Aires Mateu. The songs reflect common fado topics: love, joy, sorrow, and lessons of life. Tempo also includes a tribute to the cosmopolitan nature of Lisbon, a crossroad of cultures that still manages to keep its ancient traditions.
The lineup on Tempo includes Rodrigo Costa Félix on vocals; Henrique Leitão on Portuguese guitar; Miguel Ramos on viola de fado (fado guitar); and Paulo Paz on double bass. Guests featured: Tiago Machado on piano; Pedro Jóia on guitar; and Jon Luz on cavaquinho.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the distribution of the album. Most of the distribution is digital although physical copies that contain the album’s lyrics are available from the Museu do Fado, Portuguese FNAC stores and Rodrigo’s website: www.rodrigocostafelix.com.
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.