| Ana Moura’s ‘Arraial Triste’ keeps alive the tradition of celebrating Popular Saints (Arraial) and community in Lisbon “I left you a message on the manjerico And while the march goes, I won’t stay Trying not to get lost in the crowded street I’m in the sad arraial. Today I’ll only dance with a full moon. Ana Moura lifts the veil on her new album by presenting an impromptu video with an acoustic version of ‘Arraial Triste’. Recorded at Beco do Rosendo, an iconic alley in Lisbon, the video marks another year without the celebrations of the Popular Saints. Ana Moura is accompanied by João Ferreira on the cajon, Djodje Almeida on the guitar, Gaspar Varela on the Portuguese guitar, and Dinis Oliveira on the accordion. At this “Arraial Triste” Pedro Mafama and Pedro da Linha, co-producers of her new album, the singer Sreya and the film director Diogo Varela as well as many of her friends gather in the “arraial” that never happened. Happy “Santos Populares” to everyone! |
| Arraial A generic Portuguese word for the collection of improvised and often rickety stalls, bars, trestle tables and benches decked out under flags and lights, stages for endless live and recorded music, for a celebration . There are many of of these in June in Lisbon and Porto, and throughout the summer all over Portugal. The most popular night is June 12th. to celebrate Saint Anthony and 23rd. In Porto. Community A social unit with commonality such as norms, religion, values, customs, or identity who share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area or in virtual space through communication platforms. Santo António – St. Anthony St. Anthony of Padua is honoured on June 13th., his official day, and it is a municipal holiday, ensuring that the night of June 12 is the year’s biggest celebration. Locals and visitors celebrate through the night in arraiais across Lisbon. Sardinhas – Sardines Grilled fresh sardines sprinkled with salt served with boiled potatoes and grilled bell peppers are the official dish of the Santos Populares and often eaten on bread slices. Sardines should only be caught, cooked and served in months of the year that do not have the letter “r” in them. |
| Manjerico – Sweet Basil Sweet basil (manjerico), delicately scented, is the official plant of the season and it’s sold in a small pot with a little paper flag with a love poem written on it. Popular legend says that smelling it will result in the plant dying. Instead gently ruffle it with your hand and then smell your palm. Drinks Red wine, white wine and draught lager are the most popular drinks on summer nights in Lisbon during the arraiais. |
| Marchas Populares – Popular Marches On the evening of June 12, Avenida da Liberdade closes to traffic and stands are set up for spectators to watch the “people’s marches”. Costumed groups from each of the city’s neighbourhoods showcase their performances – songs and dance routines are written and choreographed especially for this event. They perform for the audience and, of course, for the members of the jury who decide which neighbourhood is the ultimate winner. Pimba This boom-bang popular local songs is the kind of music that takes over the city along with Portuguese classics at this time of year. |
| In a recent interview, Ana Moura opened the doors to her thinking. “This album is everything but exclusion”, declared the artist, referring to the album from which the second single is now known, “Jacarandá”. “It’s inclusion, it’s the meeting of all the inheritances that I have ”. Later, in the same interview, Ana also said that “the path is made of discoveries”. And if with “Andorinhas” Ana discovered the strength of her own freedom, with the new “Jacarandá” she lets us perceive the aroma of her vision, with a song made with equal measures of rapture and balance, of poetic words and sensual rhythms that translate an Atlantic feeling, drawn from Lisbon, but realizing what is coming here from Brazil or Africa. “Jacarandá” was made with the precious collaboration of Mike Scott, a guitarist who accompanied Prince and who brings a touch of universal class to this new song. In the new album, Ana Moura expresses, with a voice as unique as always, what sounds like a new set of emotions. “Jacarandá” begins with a felt melody expressed in her voice, without words, pure emotion. The narrative comes later: “fecho os olhos e não estás distante” “I close my eyes and you’re not far away”), “perco os sentidos, não perco o norte, por ter a sorte de ainda te ouvir chamar” (“I lose my senses, I don’t lose the north, because I’m lucky to still hear you calling”), she confesses. The production is advanced and the rhythm invites the sweet swing of a dance for two. Dancing, it is important to emphasize, is a way of expressing freedom. And Ana Moura now wants to dance. |
| The artist arrives in 2021 with a journey full of triumphs, adding sales awards to the applause of the public and of international critics, having known the most important stages of the most renowned world halls. Any artist would do it to stay in that position, but Ana Moura knows that creating is always risking a new beginning: “I am attentive to these changes and studying the best way to relate to my audience, without intermediaries”. Ana really wants to dance, directly, with her audience, a fado that has universal appeal, that assumes a tropical condition, that is both now and in the future, as much her own as it is that of whoever grabs it. |
And here’s an oldie (2012) but a goodie, a fabulous tune!
Musician Ana Moura is very cool. In 2016, when the late Prince Rogers Nelson was still alive, Ana Moura got to go shopping for music with him in Minneapolis. What did they hear? What did they purchase? We don’t know, but it’s probably something international, intercultural and way cooler than anything you’ve ever heard.
