After a year full of work and many successes, Grafonola Voadora & Napoleão Mira are not intimidated by COVID-19 and release in full pandemic and voluntary social isolation their new album entitled “Lugar Nenhum” (Nowhere) thus showing that it is possible to develop cultural activities and at the same time promote a slow spread of the disease without further damaging the national economy.
With “Nowhere” Grafonola Vadora and Napoleão Mira seek to create in an original, differentiating and with a distinctly interdisciplinary character, a permanent dialogue between the image, the music and the spoken/sung word. In a path that (re)reconstructs an affective, symbolic, visual and musical geography of audiovisual pictures referring to common places of the human being. Travelling visually and musically through urban, rural and maritime spaces in search of natural and cultural environments linked to the material and immaterial heritage of all of us.
The artistic team is composed by: Napoleão Mira – Voice; Luís Galrito – Voice and piano; João Espada – Arte Visual e Sonoplastia; Ricardo Martins – Guitarra Portuguesa; Sickonce (Rafael Correia) – Electronics; João Mestre; Mauro da Cunha e Pedro Pinto (Piano).
This album has as special guests: Carolina Fonson and Sara Espirito Santo and the Grupo Coral os Ganhões de Castro Verde.
On 25th April, Grafonola Voadora & Napoleão Mira will make available online a preview of the concert held last year at the Clube de Faro Gymnasium.
About Grafonola Voadora & Napoleão Mira
After participating in the Festival Iminente, in September 2018, conducted by the Portuguese artist Vhils and the cultural platform Underdogs, in Lisbon, the trio formed by Luís Galrito, João Espada and Napoleão Mira, was also part of the programme for the promotion and enhancement of monuments, Divam, the Regional Direction of Culture of the Algarve, decided to create in the year 2018 in an original, differentiating and with a distinctly interdisciplinary character one permanent dialogue between the image, the music, the word and the surrounding physical space.
This project gained even greater reputation with the special participation of musicians Ricardo Martins and João Palma.
JOÃO ESPADA – Visual artist, graduated in Visual and Technological Education and Master in Communication Culture and Art with Image Studies, from the University of the Algarve, is in this area, the image, namely video, who has been developing his artistic work for the last 15 years. Currently a professor at the Vilamoura International College. In his artistic career, he performed audiovisual content for musicians such as Dino D’ Santiago, João Afonso, Miroca Paris, Luís Galrito, Ala dos Namorados, Jorge Palma, Jorge Fernando, Ricardo Martins, Poli Correia, Vasco Ramalho, Tuniko Goulart, César Matoso, João Frade, Napoleão Mira, Nélson Conceição, Munir Hossn, among others. He was also mentor of the audiovisual performance A-MAR, with João Frade, where he developed a visual narrative that is accompanied by an experimental soundtrack, and also participates, with video-projection, in the multidisciplinary project “The South of José Afonso – With Luís Galrito and João Afonso and Barco do Diabo”. He is also mentor of the audiovisual project, Grafonola Voadora & Napoleão Mira and develops video-projection in the concerts of musicians Luís Galrito, Dino D’ Santiago and Lígia Pereira.
LUÍS GALRITO – Lyricist, composer, and interpreter of his songs, in 1996 he recorded his first discographic work entitled “Red Veil”, in 2002 he recorded “Matura Inculta”, revealing striking references of Portuguese music, such as Jorge Palma, Sérgio Godinho and bands of always of the national pop-rock, cases of UHF and Xutos & Pontapés. Two years later, he recorded new promotional versions, with new arrangements, of some of the striking themes of his previous albums. This work has the collaboration and production of Kalú, drummer of Xutos and Pontapés. In 2005 he started a cycle of several tribute shows to great Portuguese singer-songwriters, where he pays tribute to Zeca Afonso and other singers linked to the April 25 Revolution. ” I Want to Be Human” is the new album that launched in 2010 and which featured the production of the renowned Luís Jardim. In 2015 she edits her tribute album to Zeca Afonso, entitled Be welcome who comes for good. ” Menino do Sonho Pintado” is the new original album by Luís Galrito. Several guests participate in this work, including Dino D’Santiago, João Afonso, Reflect and Napoleon Mira, as well as collaborating in the arrangements of João Nunes, Gabriel Costa and Luís Melgueira.
NAPOLEão MIRA – Born in Entradas, Castro Verde in 1956. In 2010 he released the book «Ao Sul» a compilation of his best chronicles.In 2012 he presented his first novel with the title «Fado». In 2014 he edited the book of chronicles «De Coração D’Interiores». In 2016 he released the CD «12 Spoken Songs and 1 Desperate Poem». In 2018 he created the artistic performance «Practical Manual for Strong Emotions». In 2018 he wrote in a photographic partnership with Luís Salvador the book «Luz de Santiago». Also in 2018 debuted in travel writing with the book: Olhares – Relatos da Índia. Acts regularly with the collective Reflect and Flying Grafonola.
JOÃO PALMA – Music student, 18 years old, was, in 2018, in Lithuania, world champion in the Junior Virtuoso Category, in the 71st edition of what is the oldest contest linked to the Accordion World Cup. This contest had more than 100 participants from more than 20 nationalities and a panel of 52 judges. João Palma became the first Portuguese to win the World Cup in this category. The 71st Accordion World Cup is organized by the CIA (International Accordion Confederation: member of the International Music Council and official partner entity of Unesco).
RICARDO MARTINS – With a degree in Multimedia and influenced by several musical genres, Ricardo Martins found in the Portuguese Guitar the way to express the depth of his feelings. In March 2019 he was nominated for a second time for the International Portuguese Music Aawards. In 2018, he won the Award for Best Instrumental Music with the theme “Corre, Corre Corridinho”. This year is inscribed the theme “RICARDVS”, performed together with guitarists Ricardo Gordo and Ricardo Silva. The International Portuguese Music Awards (IPMA) is organized in the United States to promote music – of any musical genre – that has Portuguese roots. From the first hearing of Carlos Paredes’ themes, the sound of this instrument showed him the musical path to follow. In 2014, he recorded his first album of Portuguese Guitar instrumental called “Ricardo J. Martins”. This album highlights the original theme and single “Danças na Eira”. Always in search of new ways for the instrument, composing and playing – without ever forgetting its roots – he edited in 2017 the second album entitled “Cantos e Lamentos”. This work has several special participations of various musicians and instruments such as the flute, accordion, lyrical voice and percussions, bringing to the public different musical experiences, giving this work a unique personal character ranging from traditional Portuguese music to classical music. At only 35 years old, he travels around the world taking the Portuguese Guitar with him. He had the privilege of playing with great names from our musical scene as is the case of Viviane (Between Quotes), Marco Rodrigues, Filipa Cardoso, Ana Sofia Varela, Ilda Maria and Pedro Joia.
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