Tera Grandi includes Cape-Verdean traditional music and international music of Latin, Caribbean, African and European rhythms and flavors. The lyrics are written in Cape-Verdean Creole, Spanish, Portuguese, and English.

10 MP3 Songs
WORLD: World Traditions, WORLD: African



Details:
Henrique Silva (Djiki) was born in Brava, a tiny island of the archipelago Republic of Cape Verde. He learned to love the fine and sweet melody of morna, the Capeverdean national song, hearing his mother sing while removing flowery tassels from corn plants in preparation for harvest. His childhood musical experience would be complemented with the passionate serenades performed at their door steps by youthful neighbors, with the rhythm and chorus of the traditional celebrations of patron saints, and by walking behind musicians filling the streets of his small town with acoustic music in the mornings of New Yearâs Day.

As a teenager, living in the city, he started listening to a lot of international music that in the meanwhile had invaded Cape Verde coming from countries like Brazil, French Antilles, and the United States. Djiki says that he âstill have fresh memories of dancing cumbia (from Colombia) or cadence (from Dominica) in parties, or routinely listening to Brazilian samba and French song on the radio.â As he later went to college abroad and ended up as an immigrant in the United States, his exposure to and appreciation of international music increased dramatically. The musical influences from foreign cultures seem to have planted roots in his heart and soul.

His debut album, âTera Grandi,â includes Cape-Verdean traditional music and international music of Latin, Caribbean, European and African flavors, music and lyrics all composed by Djiki himself. The lyrics are written in Cape-Verdean Creole, Spanish, Portuguese, and English. Rather than venturing into any confusing fusion of musical styles from different parts of the world, Djiki wrote songs based on a variety of ethnic musical traditions, like someone who has been drinking from the sources. These songs, are collected in an album of stunning variety that makes the listener wonder how can the same person write songs with such a clear cut separation of international styles and flavors. With these ten beautiful songs -some of which incite us to dance, while some invite us to quite listening in romantic settings- Djiki has established himself as a gifted world music songwriter with talent to impress and satisfy the most demanding of music listeners. His beautiful and warm voice, combined with an amazing versatility, lift us to the enjoyment of his songs as to make us replay them and explore their richness of sound and poetry.