Bitori & Chando Graciosa

Bitori and Chando Graciosa have been the greatest musicians from Cape Verde for years with their rousing, infectious, refined and at the same time raw dance music. They are therefore rightly called the king and prince of Funaná. And they will prove it during their exclusive show in GROUNDS.

In 1954, 16-year-old Victor Tavares – better known as Bitori – crossed the sea from Cape Verde to São Tomé and Príncipe with a big dream: to buy an accordion. After two years of hard work and saving, he finally succeeded in acquiring his most valuable possession ever. The two-month journey back to his home country proved to be enough to teach himself the instrument. As an autodidact, Bitori developed his own infectiously energetic style, which quickly attracted the attention of the older generation: Funaná was born. But under pressure from the Portuguese regime, Bitori's talent remained a big secret for a long time. After Cape Verdean independence in 1975, Funaná experienced a revival in a new guise, but in the mid-1990s it was taken up again in its traditional form.

Key figure in this was Chando Graciosa, a young singer from Tarrafal. When he heard Bitori’s music, he was immediately drawn to his unique style of playing – a raw and passionate sound, accompanied by honest lyrics that reflected the harsh reality of the Cape Verdean working class. Together with Bitori, he decided to go on a mission to make Funaná known beyond their own borders. In 1997, this led to the joint project to immortalize on record the sound that Bitori had shaped over four decades. Thanks in part to a formidable rhythm section, “Bitori Nha Bibinha” became a huge success and Bitori’s songs quickly became classics. They will all be reviewed during their show in GROUNDS. Mission accomplished!