Much of the world’s best music – jazz, blues, rock – can credit the traditional songs of one or more cultures as an inspiration. Now, many world music performers are exploring these cultural traditions, bringing local music onto an international stage.
Fresh and centered from the afternoon yoga class she teaches, Ramana Viera shared from her heart and imagination about the creative process of writing and performing Portuguese songs together with a group of other innovative musicians.
Here’s a paraphrased excerpt from my conversation with Viera – but first, she would like to thank her very supportive production company, Pacific Coast Music, for the work they put in producing her latest album, Lagrimas del Rainha.
You may visit their website, and listen to and buy the music, here: http://ramanavieira.net/
Ramana Viera (RV): People are more aware of traditional music nowadays…we’ve heard of Gypsy, or Roma, music, and Spanish flamenco. And Portuguese music has a style all its own. We have a kind of music, fado, which is more sedate, usually has three guitar players, and serves a cultural function like American blues. Fado deals with themes such as lost love, grief, and nostalgia.
Cristina Deptula (CD): So, do you perform traditional fado, or do you mix things up a bit?
RV: Our band loves the traditional pieces, and the history of that music. We do innovate when it comes to fado: we’ve used electric guitars and incorporated Latin rhythms. When we experiment with something different, that’s not at all because we don’t like the traditional way. Often, it can be hard to find very traditional fado performers in this area, so we make do with what we have.
From what I’ve seen, the Portuguese community’s great at performing music at our festas and parties, but I’d love to see people take the music to the larger world.
There are some wonderful traditional musicians around, though – Ana Moura, Mariza, Dulce Pontes, Helder Carvalhiera, for example – and we’ve learned from them.
CD: So you have a lot of influences…how exactly does one musician influence another? Is it conscious or unconscious? Does a new musician set out to emulate a person or play in a certain style, or does it just happen?
RV: Sometimes someone’s music just takes hold of you! I’m most inspired by Portuguese musician Amalia Rodrigues, along with Kate Bush and Tori Amos. I admire people such as these three, who can combine various art forms, who write and perform their own songs. Musicians who aren’t just front people for a band, but who really help create and embody the characters they present in their songs.
CD: Your new song Lagrimas de Rainha (Tears of a Queen) certainly presents many powerful emotions. Would you like to share the story behind that piece?
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