Norberto Tavares

Born: 6 June 1956 in Santa Catarina, Ilha de Santiago, Cabo Verde. Died: 26 December 2010 in New Bedford, Massachussets, USA. Norberto Tavares was a songwriter, popular performing artist, social activist, and bandleader from Santiago, Cape Verde who has made a career in the United States as well as in his home country. Before he settled in Southern New England, Tavares first moved from Cape Verde to Portugal, recording several innovative albums there containing an updated form of funana (a traditional form of Cape Verdean music featuring button accordion and scraper). Tavares went on to make a significant contribution to the Cape Verdean diaspora funana movement of the 1970s and 80s. Since then, he has remained one of the most popular and influential songwriter/performers from Santiago in contemporary Cape Verdean music. Tavares is particularly admired for his distinctive style of funana, for the messages in his songs, and for his superb musicianship.