Nick Maes

Travel Writing

CAPE VERDE: SAUDADE IN SAO VICENTE

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Nick Maes

INTELLIGENT TRAVELLER Music is embedded in the very DNA of Sao Vicente; a fact that becomes rampantly clear in the run up to carnival. Its capital, Mindelo, positively thrums each weekend between Christmas and Lent as rival teams devote themselves to outdoing their neighbours with drum practise. Continue reading →

CAPE VERDE: MELODY MAKER

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Nick Maes

GUARDIAN After a swift glass of grog Chico was only too happy to chat. “Of course I knew Cesaria Evora” he said. “I played with her on a tour of the United States; hey, she was first discovered singing at my piano!” It soon became apparent that there were many in Mindelo who’d known perhaps the greatest exponent of morna there ever was. Continue reading →