José Afonso

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Detail of the monument to Zeca Afonso in Grândola .

José Manuel Cerqueira Afonso dos Santos , short José Afonso (born August 2, 1929 in Aveiro , Portugal ; † February 23, 1987 in Setúbal ), also called Zeca Afonso or just Zeca , was one of the most important singers and composers in Portugal. His song Grândola, Vila Morena became the starting signal for the peaceful Carnation Revolution in 1974.

Graffito at Aveiro Central Station, August 2013 ( "Em cada esquina um amigo", German: a friend on every corner; quote from the song Grândola, Vila Morena )
Detail of the monument dedicated to his song Grândola, Vila Morena in Grândola

Life

Commemorative plaque on the former home of José Afonso in Coimbra

José Afonso was born on August 2, 1929 in the port city of Aveiro and lived part of the youth in Angola and Mozambique . From 1940 he lived as a pupil and student at the old University of Coimbra . There he began early to sing the traditional Fado de Coimbra - ballads that are only distantly related to the better-known Fado in Lisbon and sing about love and student life. In 1956 his first record was released . After completing his studies, he worked as a teacher in various parts of Portugal, then for four years in Mozambique, where he experienced the resistance against the colonial regime. After returning to Portugal, he became the most important singer in the opposition . During his tenure he was monitored by the PIDE secret police and had to record his records abroad.

On April 25, 1974, shortly after midnight, his officially banned song Grândola, Vila Morena was broadcast on the radio: This was the agreed signal for the initiated soldiers and civilians of the Movimento das Forças Armadas (MFA) to rise up against the dictatorship - the Carnation Revolution started. In the following years José Afonso was active as a supporter of the revolution , he sang at home and abroad and supported self-government projects without being bound by party politics.

After his time in Coimbra, José Afonso composed and wrote a large number of songs. His music is influenced by fado , folk songs and art songs as well as the music experienced in Africa. The themes of his songs are varied, central themes are loyalty and solidarity of the people.

During the last years of his life, José Afonso fought against progressive amyotrophic lateral sclerosis . He died on February 23, 1987 in the port city of Setúbal . His compositions stayed alive in the years that followed. The large part of his unaudited lyrics (more than half of the entire work) is also receiving increasing attention. After a first philological dissertation published in Vienna in 1985, the first doctoral thesis was published in Hamburg in 2013 on the complete lyric works (poems and songs) of José Afonsos. Musicians of different styles such as jazz , hip-hop or punk picked them up.

General view of the monument in Grândola for Zecas Grândola, Vila Morena with notes and text
General view of the monument to José Afonso in Grândola

Discography

Albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
PT PTTemplate: chart table / maintenance / charts non-existent
1983 José Afonso PT1 (35 weeks)
PT
Chart entry only in 2007

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More albums

  • 1960: Balada do Outono , Rapsódia
  • 1962: Baladas de Coimbra , Rapsódia
  • 1963: Dr. José Afonso in Baladas de Coimbra , Rapsódia
  • 1964: Ó Vila de Olhão , EMI / Valentim de Carvalho (single)
  • 1964: Cantares de José Afonso , Columbia / Valentim de Carvalho
  • 1964: Baladas e Canções , Ofir
  • 1967: José Afonso ,?
  • 1968: Cantares do Andarilho , Orfeu
  • 1969: Menina dos Olhos Tristes , Orfeu (single)
  • 1969: Contos Velhos Rumos Novos , Orfeu
  • 1970: Traz Outro Amigo Também , Orfeu
  • 1971: Cantigas do Maio , Orfeu
  • 1972: Eu Vou Ser Como a Toupeira , Orfeu
  • 1973: Venham Mais Cinco , Orfeu
  • 1974: Coro dos Tribunais , Orfeu
  • 1974: Viva o Poder Popular , LUAR (single)
  • 1974: Grândola, Vila Morena , Orfeu
  • 1975: República , Lotta Continua / Il Manifesto / Vanguardia Operaria
  • 1976: Com as Minhas Tamanquinhas , Orfeu
  • 1976: José Afonso in Hamburg , Portugal Solidarity
  • 1978: Enquanto Há Força , Orfeu
  • 1979: Fura Fura , Orfeu
  • 1981: Fados de Coimbra e Outras Canções , Orfeu
  • 1983: Como se Fora seu Filho , Orfeu
  • 1983: Ao Vivo no Coliseu , Orfeu
  • 1983: Zeca em Coimbra , photo Sonoro
  • 1985: Galinhas do Mato , Orfeu

Albums after his death

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
PT PT
2019 José Afonso ao vivo PT1 (9 weeks)
PT

More albums after his death

  • 1987: Os Vampiros , Edisco
  • 1993: Zeca Afonso no Coliseu , Strauss
  • 1997: Baladas e Canções , EMI (2nd edition)
  • 2001: José Afonso , Movieplay
  • 2010: José Afonso ao vivo no Coliseu RTP / CNM (partial edition with DVD, edition of his last concert in 1983)

Tribute projects (selection)

  • 1994: Compilation : Filhos da Madrugada cantam José Afonso (double album)
  • 1994: Compilation: Canções com aroma de Abril (album)
  • 1995: Maio Maduro Maio: Cantam Zeca Afonso (double live album, project by José Mário Branco , Amélia Muge and João Afonso )
  • 1998: Filhos da Madrugada: O andarilho continua (live album, group from Berlin dedicated to José Afonso)
  • 2000: João Balula Cid & Victor A. Silva: Tributo a José Afonso (album, Fado de Coimbra project)
  • 2007: Cristina Branco : Abril (album)
  • 2010: Zeca Semper : O que faz falta (album)
  • 2018: Por Terras do Zeca (project of various musicians led by Davide Zaccaria, published by Tradisom )

literature

  • Martins, Alexandre: The Portuguese poet and songwriter José Afonso (1929–1987). Dr. Kovač, Hamburg 2013, ISBN 978-3-8300-6747-4 .
  • Salwa Castelo-Branco: Enciclopédia da musica em Portugal no século XX, A – C. 1st edition, Temas & Debates, Lisbon 2010, ISBN 978-9896440916 .
  • Irene Flunser Pimentel / Joaquim Vieira: Fotobiografias do Século XX - José Afonso. Temas & Debates, Lisbon 2009, ISBN 978-9896440596 .
  • João Afonso dos Santos: José Afonso - To Olhar Fraterno. Editorial Caminho, Lisbon 2002, ISBN 978-9722114943 .
  • José Fanha / José Jorge Letria: José Afonso: O Que Faz Falta. Campo das Letras, Lisbon 2004, ISBN 978-9726108122 .
  • José Jorge Letria: Zeca Afonso - O Andarilho da Voz de Ouro. Campo das Letras, Lisbon 2007, ISBN 978-9896251543 .
  • José Jorge Letria: Zeca Afonso ea Malta das Cantigas. Terramar, Lisbon 2002, ISBN 978-9727103096 .
  • José A. Salvador: José Afonso. O Rosto da Útopia. Edições Afrontamento, Porto 2003, ISBN 978-9723604931 .
  • Todas as Canções collection : Partituras, letras, cifras de José Afonso. Assírio & Alvim, Lisbon 2010, ISBN 978-9723715675 .
  • Viriato Teles: As Voltas de Um Andarilho - Fragmentos da vida e obra de José Afonso. Assírio & Alvim, Lisbon 2009, ISBN 978-9723714562 .
  • António dos Santos e Silva: Zeca Afonso - antes do mito. MinervaCoimbra, Coimbra 2000, ISBN 972-8318-88-X .

Web links

Commons : José Afonso  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

swell

  1. ↑ a b Chart sources: PT
personal data
SURNAME Afonso, José
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Afonso, Zeca; Afonso dos Santos, José Manuel Cerqueira (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Portuguese singer and composer
DATE OF BIRTH August 2, 1929
PLACE OF BIRTH Aveiro , Portugal
DATE OF DEATH February 23, 1987
Place of death Setubal