Carlos do Carmo

Carlos do Carmo (2013)

Carlos do Carmo is the stage name of the Portuguese fadista Carlos Alberto de Ascensão do Carmo de Almeida (born December 21, 1939 in Lisbon ; † January 1, 2021 ibid). He took over the name of his mother Lucília do Carmo (1920-1999), who herself was a successful fadista and at times ran a fado bar. A few weeks before his 80th birthday, he officially took leave of the stage on November 9, 2019.

Life

Until 2000

His parents sent him to Switzerland ( Geneva ) to train as a hotelier , where, in addition to French, he further improved the German he had learned at the German school in Lisbon. His musical interests were initially rather cosmopolitan. He recorded a record at the age of nine (his mother Lucilia do Carmo was an important Fado singer, and his father, the bookseller Alfredo de Almeida, ran the Fado club O Faia ). But it was only after a few years that he decided to sing fado like his mother (he even recorded a record with her in 1969). His first record was released in Portugal in 1963 . Since then he has released 35 albums, including many groundbreaking ones, welcomed by some critics as innovative "Fado novo" and rejected by others, the purists, as alienating Fado, in particular Um homem na cidade (1977).

Carlos do Carmo at the Eurovision Song Contest 1976

In contrast to many other Fado singers, Carlos do Carmo did not come to terms with the Estado Novo dictatorship in Portugal ; He was arrested because of contacts with opposition members. For example, he had a close friendship with the communist-minded, Portuguese Nobel Prize winner for literature, Jose Saramago , who died in 2010 .

In 1976 he represented Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest 1976 with Flor de verde pinho , an adaptation of a poem by the poet and politician Manuel Alegre . Do Carmo had previously been selected internally to represent his country at the ESC. In the preliminary round, which was broadcast on Portuguese television on March 7, 1976, he sang eight songs, from which the audience chose the winning title Flor de verde pinho by postcard vote . All songs of the preliminary decision were published on the LP Uma Canção Para A Europa .

The 1980s were particularly characterized by numerous international guest performances, some of which were published. He also recorded new albums. Thus, in order homem no país 1983 the first Portuguese Compact Disc (CD), as the medium arose end 1,982th Do Carmo also tried his hand at producing in those years: in 1984 he produced the fado album Mulher, Guitarra by Simone de Oliveira . Thirty years later, the album Amália Tribute was produced for the Finnish singer Kirsi Poutanen, who interprets Amália Rodrigues' famous fados in Finnish on this work .

Since 2000

Carlos do Carmo (2007)

After he did not appear as often internationally in the 1990s and also appeared less publicly in Portugal, the 2000s were again characterized by lively activity and awards for his work. After surviving a serious illness, a book about Carlos do Carmo was published and he received a number of awards and medals.

In 2006, the Raymond Weil company launched a gold Carlos do Carmo watch. In 2007 the Museu do Fado showed a large-scale Carlos do Carmo retrospective. In 2008 he won the Goya , the “Spanish Oscar”, for his “Fado da Saudade ” from the film Fados by Carlos Saura , on which he had worked. In 2008, to celebrate the anniversary of his 45-year career, a much-noticed documentary DVD about and with Carlos do Carmo (including some titles from a recent concert in Frankfurt / Main in the bonus area) was released as a double pack together with a "Best of" - Compilation released and became a best seller.

In 2009, on the occasion of his anniversary, he sang in front of 11,000 people in the largest event hall in the country, in the Pavilhão Atlântico (on the grounds of Expo 98 in Lisbon), together with guests such as Mariza , Camané , his son Gil, the celebrated young fado singer Carminho , Bernardo Sassetti , Maria Berasarte from Galicia and the Orchestra Sinfonietta de Lisboa .

In September 2010 he sang with Douro Film Harvest (including in front of Sophia Loren ), and in November 2010 he performed a Frank Sinatra evening at the Pavilhão Atlântico in Lisbon with the Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Dennis Mackrel . In the same year his jazzy-intimate album, recorded with Bernardo Sassetti , was released, on which he is only accompanied by the piano Sassetti. A partial edition of the CD was also released on a DVD and reached second place in the Portuguese charts. He also played a key role in the coordination group for the candidacy of Fados for recognition as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO . At the end of 2011, it was entered on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity .

2011 continued eventfully: the 72-year-old Carlos do Carmo sang in April in Angola and was a guest at Ana Moura's big concert at the Coliseu dos Recreios , in May he sang in the Azores and in June in Paris, Madrid and as a guest at Mayra Andrades Lisbon concert, and in October 2005 opened the architecturally spectacular Casa da Música concert hall in Porto.

After his successful 2010 album with pianist Bernardo Sassetti, another album by Carlos do Carmo with piano accompaniment was released in 2012, this time a project with the internationally renowned pianist Maria João Pires . The album hit the Portuguese charts.

At the end of 2013 his album Fado É Amor was released. Here he sings 10 fados in a duet with one of the most famous names in the current fado, namely Camané, Mariza, Carminho, Ana Moura , Ricardo Ribeiro , Raquel Tavares , Cristina Branco , Marco Rodrigues , Aldina Duarte and Mafalda Arnauth . He also sings the song Loucura in a duet with his mother's vocal recording of his mother's piece from 1960. The album is, on the one hand, Carlos do Carmo's bow to Fado and, on the other hand, recognition of the importance of do Carmo for the development of Fado over the last few decades. The album went straight to number one on the Portuguese sales lists.

Shortly before his 80th birthday, Carlos do Carmo said goodbye after 57 years on stage with two sold-out farewell concerts Obrigado! from the music business, one on November 2, 2019 in the Coliseu do Porto in Porto , northern Portugal, and finally the last on November 9, 2019 in the Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon. In addition to a large number of Fado campaigners and personalities from music, film and television, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa , Prime Minister António Costa , Minister of Culture Graça Fonseca and Fernando Medina Maciel Almeida Correia , the Mayor of Lisbon, and the UN Secretary General António Guterres , however as a private person. At the end of the concert, they all congratulated him on stage, and Prime Minister António Costa awarded him the State Medal of Merit for Culture, and the mayor presented him with a golden honorary key from his hometown Lisbon. Later, a variety of well-known actors and musicians took souvenir photos with him and shared them on social media. The concert was recorded by the public television broadcaster RTP and broadcast on its first program on the evening of January 2, 2020.

Carlos do Carmo was married to his wife Judite since 1964 and has three children with her: Cila, Alfredo and the singer Gil, who has performed with him several times.

Carlos do Carmo died at the age of 81 on the morning of January 1, 2021 in Hospital Santa Maria in his hometown of Lisbon.

reception

Carlos do Carmo (1976)

Carlos do Carmo is seen as the old master and innovator of fado, who made a major contribution to keeping this style of music from sliding into clichéd light music or pure tourist amusement. After the Carnation Revolution in 1974, in particular , he used new approaches to liberate fado from some of the outdated traditional clichés that had taken hold of fado during the Estado Novo regime. He always strived for musical quality and demanding lyrics, drawing on different lyricists and working with some of the best guitarists in the country. He kept in touch with the young generation of fado singers like Mariza, who in turn often sing his fados. Nationally and internationally he is considered to be the most important representative of Fado after Amalia Rodrigues .

Carlos do Carmo has performed many times abroad as the exemplary Fado singer in Lisbon. At the same time he remained a cosmopolitan and sang songs, for example by Jacques Brel , at concerts . A concert at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt am Main in 1983 was released on record, as were concert recordings from the Olympia (Paris) and the Canecão in Botafogo , Rio de Janeiro . He also published several times in English ("Have a smile on your face" 1976) and joined a. a. in the Savoy in Helsinki, in the Place des Arts in Montreal and in the Memorial da América Latina in São Paulo as well as in the USA and the former Soviet Union. His publications were similarly widespread and were published both in the then Eastern Bloc and in the West up to the then Portuguese overseas province of Angola.

In addition to various prizes (including Prémio José Afonso ), he was awarded one of the highest orders in Portugal, the Order of Infante Dom Henrique in the commanding degree, after he was already an honorary citizen of Rio de Janeiro and an honorary diploma from the Senate of Rhode Island for his artistic work.

In 2014 he received the Latin Grammy Award for his life's work.

After his farewell concert on November 9, 2019 in his hometown of Lisbon, at which a large number of well-known personalities from film, television and music, but also the President, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Culture, Lisbon's Mayor and the privately present UN Secretary-General standing applauded, Carlos do Carmo's importance for the further development of the fado after the Carnation Revolution, his enormous human charisma and his achievements during his long artistic career was emphasized from all sides.

Discography

Albums

year	title	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)	Remarks
		PT
2003	Thu Tempo do Vinil - 40 Anos de Carreira	PT13 (4 weeks) PT	Universal Music Portugal
2004	Ao vivo no Coliseu dos Recreios de Lisboa - 40 Anos de Carreira	PT13 gold (6 weeks)PT	Universal Music Portugal CD + DVD
2008	Fado Maestro - 45 Anos de Carreira	PT5 platinum (11 weeks)PT	Universal Music Portugal CD + DVD
2010	Carlos do Carmo / Bernardo Sassetti	PT2 gold (10 weeks)PT	Universal Music Portugal with Bernardo Sassetti
2012	Carlos do Carmo / Maria João Pires	PT13 (5 weeks) PT	Universal Music Portugal with Maria João Pires
2013	Fado é Amor	PT1 gold (22 weeks)PT	Universal Music Portugal
2018	To Homem no Mundo	PT48 (1 week) PT
2019	Oitenta	PT2 (31 weeks) PT

More albums

• Mário Simoes e seu Quartet apresentando Carlos do Carmo (1963, Alvorada)
• Carlos do Carmo e Orquestra de Joaquim Luiz Gomes (1963, Alvorada)
• Fado Razão da Minha Vida (1965, Decca)
• Fados do Meu Coração (1965, Decca)
• Mais Fados por Carlos do Carmo (1965, Alvorada)
• Carlos do Carmo in Paris (1967, Philips)
• Carlos do Carmo (1967, Tecla)
• Fado Lisboa - Evening at the Faia (1969, Philips)
• Carlos do Carmo Canta Fado (1969, Philips)
• O Fado de Carlos do Carmo (1969, Alvorada)
• Carlos e Lucília do Carmo - O Fado em Duas Gerações (1969, Decca)
• Por Morrer Uma Andorinha ( 1969, Philips)
• Carlos do Carmo no Curto-Circuito (1970, Tecla)
• Carlos do Carmo (1972, Tecla)
• Canoas do Tejo (1973, Tecla)
• Carlos do Carmo - Êxitos (1973, Tecla)
• Ferro Velho (1973, Tecla)
• Carlos do Carmo (1973, Tecla)
• Gaivota (1973, Tecla)
• Não Se Morre de Saudade ... (1973, Tecla)
• Partir é Morrer um Pouco (1973, Tecla)
• Por Morrer Uma Andorinha (1973, Philips)
• Something / Love Story (1973, Tecla)
• Vim para o Fado (1973, Tecla)
• Pomba Branca (1974, Tecla)
• A Voz Que Eu Tenho (1975, Trova)
• Pedra Filosofal (1975, Edisom)
• Carlos do Carmo e Don Byas (1976, Philips)
• Have a Smile on Your Face (1976, Crystal)
• Have a Smile on Your Face (1976, Movieplay)
• Lisboa Menina e Moça (1976, movie play)
• O Que Sobrou De Um Queixume (1976, Philips)
• Uma Canção Para a Europa (1976, Movieplay)
• Um Homem na Cidade (1977, PolyGram)
• Carlos do Carmo com Guitarras (1978, Tecla)
• Dec Fados Vividos (1978, Trova)
• Os Putos (1978, Trova)
• Fado dos Cheirinhos (1979, Philips)
• Carlos do Carmo - O Maior Interprete da Música Portuguesa (1979, Philips)
• Álbum (1980, Philips)
• Ao Vivo no Olympia (1980, PolyGram)
• Carlos do Carmo (1980, Polskie Nagrania)
• Retalhos (1980, Philips)
• A Arte ea Música de Carlos do Carmo - 25 Anos (1982, PolyGram)
• Carlos do Carmo - Live Alte Oper de Frankfurt (1983, Philips)
• Um Homem no País (1983, PolyGram)
• A Touch of Class (1985, Henda)
• Mais do que Amor é Amar (1986, PolyGram)
• Carlos do Carmo ao vivo no Canecão (1988, Portugal Musical)
• Que Se Fez Homem de Cantar (1990, PolyGram)
• Margens (1996, EMI - Valentim de Carvalho)
• Ao vivo no CCB - Os Sucessos de 35 Anos de Carreira (1999, EMI - Valentim de Carvalho)
• Nove Fados e Uma Canção de Amor (2002, Universal Music Portugal)
• À Noite (2007, Universal Music Portugal)
• 100 Canções - Uma Vida (2010, Universal Music Portugal / Jornal Público)

There are also numerous secondary publications such as Os Imigrantes Soundtrack, Un parfum de Fado Vol.1 and Vol.6 (Playa Sound), O melhor de Carlos do Carmo ( Selecçőes do Readers Digest ), Portugal - Fado (Airmail Music 2009), and a number of relatively arbitrary compilations, and countless participations in Fado compilations.

Video albums

• 2004: Ao vivo no Coliseu dos Recreios de Lisboa - 40 Anos de Carreira (PT:silver)

literature

• Viriato Telles: Carlos do Carmo - do fado e do mundo . Garrido Editores 2003, ISBN 972-8738-98-6
• Carlos do Carmo - Um homem no mundo (Casa do Fado e da Guitarra Portuguesa 2003)
• Augusto Macedo, Rafael Fraga: Carlos do Carmo - Songbook . Edições Nelson de Matos, Lisbon 2008, ISBN 978-989-95597-9-0 (bilingual engl./port)
• Salwa Castelo-Branco: ENCICLOPEDIA da Música em Portugal no século XX, A-C . Círculo de Leitores / Temas & Debates 2010, ISBN 978-989-644-091-6

Web links

Commons : Carlos do Carmo  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Carlos do Carmo on MusicBrainz (English)
• Carlos do Carmo on AllMusic (English)
• Carlos do Carmo at Discogs (English)

Individual evidence

1. ^ Morreu Carlos do Carmo, um dos mais carismáticos fadistas portugueses
2. ↑ http://natfinals.50webs.com/70s_80s/Portugal1976.html
3. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Carlos-Do-Carmo-Uma-Can%C3%A7%C3%A3o-Para-A-Europa/master/686812
4. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/artist/475501-Carlos-Do-Carmo?filter_anv=0&subtype=Production&type=Credits
5. ↑ www.acharts.us , accessed on June 19, 2013
6. ↑ www.acharts.us , accessed on June 19, 2013
7. ↑ ditto
8. ↑ ^{a b c} Carlos do Carmo despede-se dos palcos no dia em que é condecorado pelo primeiro-ministro - "Carlos do Carmo says goodbye on the day of his award by the Prime Minister" , article of 9 November 2019 in the Público newspaper , accessed on January 9, 2020
9. ↑ Carlos do Carmo despede-se dos palcos - “Carlos do Carmo says goodbye to the stages” , article from November 11, 2019 on www.topinfluences.com, accessed on January 9, 2020
10. ↑ Entry on the broadcast of the concert recording and link to the media library , RTP website, accessed on January 9, 2020
11. ^ Salwa Castelo-Branco: Enciclopédia da Música em Portugal no século XX, AC . 1st edition, Temas & Debates 2010, p. 243ff.
12. ^ Viriato Teles: Carlos do Carmo - do fado e do mundo . 1st edition, p. 9ff (foreword)
13. ↑ entry in the Pathfinder , the online encyclopedia of Porto Editora , accessed on June 19, 2013
14. ↑ Person encyclopedia Quem é Quém - Portugueses Célebres . 1st edition, Temas & Debates, Lisbon 2009, ISBN 978-989-644-047-3 , p. 126.
15. ↑ Morreu Carlos do Carmo , report from January 1, 2021 by the public broadcaster RTP , accessed on January 1, 2021
16. ↑ ^{a b} Carlos do Carmo despede-se dos palcos nos coliseus - "Carlos do Carmo says goodbye to the stages in the Coliseus" , article from November 1, 2019 in the Correio da Manhã newspaper , accessed on January 9, 2020
17. ↑ Mention on the Grammy website , article dated June 30, 2014, accessed July 20, 2014
18. ↑ Article from July 1, 2014  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. of the Diário de Notícias newspaper , accessed on July 20, 2014  
19. ↑ Chart sources: PT
20. ↑ Gold for Ao vivo no Coliseu dos Recreios de Lisboa - 40 Anos de Carreira in Portugal ( Memento from December 12, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
21. ↑ Platinum for Fado Maestro - 45 Anos de Carreira in Portugal ( Memento from May 15, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
22. ↑ Gold for Carlos do Carmo / Bernardo Sassetti in Portugal ( Memento from December 4, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
23. ↑ Gold for Fado É Amor in Portugal ( Memento from December 20, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
24. ↑ Silver for Ao vivo no Coliseu dos Recreios de Lisboa - 40 Anos de Carreira (video album) in Portugal ( Memento from November 20, 2010 in the Internet Archive )