Fado
Far from being the preserve of the Lisboners, fado is a national treasure cherished throughout the country, including the Algarve. Derived from fatum, which in Latin means "fate", this song with its rough poetry is the very expression of saudade, the bittersweet melancholy that is uniquely Portuguese. Its origins are still a matter of debate, and no one is quite sure where it comes from: goualante from ports, local evolution of Moorish chant, gypsy lament or vocal modulations from brought-back Brazilian rhythms? Probably a bit of all of the above. For centuries, the fado has been a true folk song that comes from the guts of the child or adult who sings it - and embraces those who let themselves be conquered. Generally sung by a woman dressed in black, accompanied by guitarists, the genre is forever immortalized by the most famous of fadistas, Amália Rodrigues, a huge star who died in 1999 and is buried in the national pantheon. During her lifetime, the singer could move an audience to tears, her style so full of humanity that it supported the subtle timbre of her voice.
Today, fado is far from simply being part of our heritage. Each generation has seized upon it, and has seen excellent artists keep it alive, such as Madredeus and the moving voice of its fantastic singer Teresa Salgueiro, Camané, once considered "the greatest fadista since Amália Rodrigues", outstanding stars such as Dulce Pontes, Mariza and Cristina Branco, and the great voices of the new generation: Ana Moura and Cuca Roseta.
In the Algarve, Fado concerts are a regular feature, and many restaurateurs bring in musicians on weekends to liven up meals. This is particularly true in Tavira, where the Casa do Polvo Tasquinha hosts fado evenings. Tavira is also home to Fado Com História, a forty-minute show featuring a number of the genre's most popular songs, sung by Tereza.
Traditional music
While each Portuguese region has its own folklore and musical traditions, the Algarve stands out for its dances, such as the particularly lively corridinho, all accordion, bailes mandados and bailes de roda. Also, whatever the folk style played in the Algarve, certain instruments are played more often than in the rest of the country. These include castanets, the cavaquinho - a typical small guitar - the triangle and the pandeiro, a tambourine-like instrument.
The best way to hear traditional Algarve music is to attend local folk festivals such as the Festival Da Sardinha de Portimão in August.
Popular music
Naturally, the Portuguese don't only listen to Fado, and many artists from all walks of life are very popular in the country. Among them are Zeca Alfonso and José Mário Branco, two beloved figures of song, famous for standing up against the dictatorship, and singer-songwriter Rui Veloso, whose lyrical, intelligent lyrics have accompanied the Portuguese in their daily lives for some 30 years, and who is considered the father of Portuguese rock. In fact, rock is a stainless steel genre in Portugal. Pioneers Xutos e Pontapés are still played on the radio, and The Legendary Tigerman (Paulo Furtado's artist name) and his band the Wrayguns have been a cult (or near-cult) since the late 1990s.
And let's not forget to mention pimba, a local accordion-based speciality, a cousin of the German schlager or Balkan turbo-folk, epitomized by the exuberant Quim Barreiros. He is a frequent visitor to the Algarve, and most popular festivals feature pimba at one point or another.
In the Algarve, the Cais Club d'Olhão is the epitome of Portuguese popular music, mixing a lot of 1980s music, rock and Portuguese variety in a great atmosphere.
Current music
Over the past few years, Portugal's youth has shone out on the international scene with its dynamism and capacity for innovation. Drawing on the roots of Portuguese-speaking African countries (Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Sao Tomé), the young generation has given birth to new aesthetics, blending African kuduro, kizomba and taraxo with electronic music such as house, grime and techno. A superb avant-garde represented in the past by groups such as Buraka Som Sistema and now embodied by the fabulous Principe Discos label.
While the creative scene is mainly divided between the two urban centers of Lisbon and Porto, there are paradoxically many dedicated scenes in the Algarve. And of course, as the capital of the Algarve, Faro had to have a cultural facility worthy of the name: the Teatro municipal de Faro, a beautiful 772-seat amphitheatre with an often high-quality program. Otherwise, in Lagos, the Centro Cultural offers some good concerts, and in Portimão, the Nosoloagua, a huge bar decorated in Balinese style, hosts numerous DJ evenings.
The dance
The Algarve may not be Portugal's most danceable region, but it does boast some interesting folklores, often seen at popular festivals. These include the madeira, a dance originally from Madeira, which responds to the more exotic sounds of castanets. There's also the minho and its many variants, whose spectacular costumes make them particularly popular. There is also a dance for seducing one's partner, the ribajeto, in which a man circles a woman while singing a few verses. That said, the Algarve's most typical traditional dance is without doubt the corridinho. Coming directly from Scotland in the 19th century, corridinho and its lively music are danced in couples, the women on the inside of the circle, the men on the outside. The couple then circles just as quickly. Good footwork is recommended to keep up with the speed of the steps.
