| A child prodigy, Agusto Cego (Blind Agusto) was born in 1960 at the small village of Bobossó, Fogo, Cape Verde. He began playing the ukulele at the age of eight (8) and the guitar at eleven (11). By the time he lost his vision at the age of fourteen (14), he had mastered both instruments.
Self-taught, Agusto is a multi-talented musician who dominates many musical instruments, including the violin, clarinet, saxophone, flute, ukulele, harmonica, piano, and six and ten string guitars. In addition, he is a gifted singer with a beautiful mellow voice.
The Boston Globe, in its Music headline - “Giving voice to Cape Verde” – referred to Agusto Cego as “A warmly swinging singer; if he does not have Evora’s depth (and who does?), he is more imaginative in his phrasing and rhythm, and has the same gentle intimacy and old-time acoustic feel. (6/16/00)”
Since 1993, Agusto has represented his native island of Fogo and Cape Verde in numerous national and international music festivals, including appearances in Switzerland, France, Germany and Sweden. In 1995, he was invited by the Smithsonian Folk Live Festival to represent the island of Fogo, during the two weeks cultural exposition dedicated to the islands of Cape Verde, held at Washington Mall, Washington D.C.
Agusto is an active member of the association for the blinds of Cape Verde (ADEVIC) and the organizations’ official representative in the island of Fogo.
Bobossó is Agusto Cego’s debut album - an upbeat mélange of Cape Verdean musical styles, including talaia baxu, morna, coladera and mazurka. The album prominently features Agusto Cego on vocals, violin, guitar, ukulele, sax and clarinet. Filled with proverbs and yearning, Bobossó, encompasses ten original compositions deeply rooted in the traditions of the island of Fogo and Cape Verde.
The album is arranged, produced and co-authored by Ramiro Mendes, a graduate of Berklee College of Music, Boston MA. Ramiro holds a degree in Commercial Arranging and Film Scoring. With over 30 albums to his credit, Ramiro has produced all the top Cape Verdean artists, including Cesaria Evora, Bana, Tito Paris and the Angolan artist Waldemar Bastos.
Bobossó – loosely translating to “alone” or “by yourself”- is a fitting title to this first album by a blind Cape Verdean artist; a title which also defines the long and arduous journey which Agusto Cego has had to travel to reach his dreams – alone. |
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