It is one of the greatest ambassadors of Cape Verdean music. It is also one of the icons of modern sounding Luso-African worldwide. With career with over 25 years Tito Paris doesn't stops and wants to launch another fusion work that mixes the sound of several Portuguese-speaking countries.
Now that Cesaria Evora disappeared, like so many other ambassadors of Cape Verdean music, you feel the weight of being one of the last of an era?
Tito Paris: A little bit, because the same source as Cesaria drank what was the master Digol, I drank and I have estimated that teaching. Although she was older, I feel the responsibility of singing the music of Green Cape.
When Cesaria Evora was launched as a singer, she said was hurt of not having achieved her first success in Portugal. Tito also felt that when you began your artistic career?
TP: You know it is said that the saint of the house are not miracle workers. Cesaria was in Portugal, her first record was made with me, and I did all the arrangements and helped her launching a career. Perhaps the Portuguese at that time did not understand the language of music of Green Cape, Cesaria and later came to understand. I've played in many places where people did not know my music and later come to appreciate it, this is normal.
It is a matter of generations?
TP: Of generations and beyond. The Portugal of twenty years ago is not the same as today, much has changed. By evolving society also develops and fetches things from the other culture. This is good, very good.
In your latest work, you used a classical orchestra, what you intended to express?
TP: I tried to express a fusion between classic lines with Green Cape. The Cape Verdean music is classic in itself. For this work I used the violins mixed with our sound.
Why an orchestra?
TP: The Cape Verdean music was always played with violins, my grandfather played the instrument and my older brothers also played and I always imagined that sound to accompany my harmonic melodies of Green Cape.
When you presented it in Cape Verde, how the audiences react?
TP: They kept their mouths wide open because it was the first time I took an orchestra to Green Cape, took ten years to get there my colleagues. We all were welcomed. It was a concert for about 5000 people, when we played for the first time.
Purists did not feel somehow usurped?
TP: No, actually not. The Cape Verdean basis is very open. It is a democratic country popularly speaking. Who does not like the culture of another does not like culture. I assume that we are our culture when we learn to appreciate others. When did this merger, Cape Verdeans just thanked.
What is the next challenge you have in mind?
TP: The next challenge is a new record that is almost ready, I am trying to mold the cultures of Portugal, Green Cape and Brazil. I'm still recording and I only have 15 songs. There is a lot of fusion in this album, there are cha-cha-cha with coladeiras, ballads with mornas and fado. Also participate in these album international musicians. But, is not ready still.
http://www.myspace.com/titoparis
Mas, porque uma orquestra?
TP: A música de cabo-verde sempre foi tocada com violinos, o meu avô tocava esse instrumento e os meus irmãos mais velhos também tocavam e eu sempre imaginei essa sonoridade a acompanhar a minha harmónica com melodias cabo-verdianas.
Quando apresentou em Cabo-verde esse disco, como é que o público reagiu?
TP: Eles ficaram de boca aberta, porque foi a primeira vez que levei uma orquestra até Cabo Verde, levei dez anos para levar até lá os meus colegas. Todos nos receberam bem. Foi um concerto para cerca de 5 mil pessoas, quando tocámos pela primeira vez.
Os puristas não se sentiram de certa forma usurpados?
TP: Não, por acaso não. O Cabo-verdiano nessa base é muito aberto. É um país democrático popularmente. Quem não gosta da cultura do outro não gosta de cultura. Eu parto do princípio que nós somos a nossa cultura quando aprendemos a apreciar os outros. Quando fiz essa fusão, os cabo-verdianos só agradeceram.
Qual é o próximo desafio que tem em mente?
TP: O próximo desafio é um novo disco que está quase pronto, é tentar moldar as culturas de Portugal, Cabo-Verde e Brasil. Estou a gravar ainda e só tenho 15 músicas. Há muita fusão neste trabalho discográfico, há chá-chá-chá com coladeira e baladas com mornas e tem também fados. Participam ainda, vários músicos de cariz internacional. Mas, ainda não esta pronto.
http://www.myspace.com/titoparis
