Ricardo Ribeiro

Ricardo, the Great
Ricardo Ribeiro is great, the greatest of his generation. The only one that really achieves fado performer’s transcendence, that extra something that takes us beyond traditions, conditions and trends. One who belongs to Fado or lives around it know best. When performing live, few are the ones that are able to rise such a state of mind in an old and new singing way of his own. However there was another link missing – to release a record with the same emotional work. His previous records, despite the great success, didn’t achieve that mirror effect. “Largo da Memória” is the first one that brings justice to what Ricardo really is. A sacred record to be listened as one’s would be praying. Not to be listened in all occasions or moods, as a matter of fact it is recommended to be listened in small pieces – the emotional over feelings maybe armful to health.
As the first song says “Destino Marcado” – a minor Fado with lyrics by Fernando Farinha, “Fado has something/that ties our soul; an emptiness one can´t see; a whole that everybody feels”.
The comparisons, the little subtleties of his singing are only found in names of the past (Fernando Maurício, Maria Teresa de Noronha, Fernando Farinha…), nowadays no one sings like Ricardo Ribeiro – no one uses the interpretation shades, the good styling as the old Portuguese way, the capability of transforming a note as it is sung. Ricardo Ribeiro starts the record with his two feet steady on the bottom of the tradition, just like himself, with The Minor and The Corrido. But during the record, he shows that his fado soul doesn’t have deaf walls and it is sensible to other senses creating here clear bridges.
Ricardo has already recorded an album with Rabih Abou Khalil once middle-east, classical as well as flamenco music are his greatest passions. In the new record and within this tradition, we can find “Fado Alentejo” adapted from a former Rao Kyao’s theme (lyrics by Rosa de Lobato Faria) and arrangements by Rabih Abou-Khalil. In a logic sequence we also find “Tarab”, an adaptation from a poem by an Arab based in Silves Hasan ibn al-Missisi (Algarve-Portugal – XI century).
Along the record there’s another coming into to force through the classical (or contemporary) music in two extraordinary moments: “Cantiga de Seguir” with Pedro Caldeira Cabral playing the guitar (based upon a poem by Manuel Alegre). Later, another one “Romance” a baroque arrangement by Ricardo Rocha for a poem by Afonso Lopes Vieira/Carlos Gonçalves. Now, with Ricardo’s voice, Ricardo Rocha brings closer Fado to Bach (already done in the past with Maria Ana Bobone).
But there are still time, a great surprise - a solo act by Ricardo Ribeiro dedicated to his daughter. And to finish it and to bring consistency to the trip: “Fado é Canto Peregrino” by Mascarenhas Barreto e António Santos.
Manuel Halpern, Jornal de Letras Newspaper, December 2013. - Jornal de Letras

"One will not get deceived. Put the record on and you can tell whose singing. Ricardo's voice is unforgettable. Once heard, always remembered. It's one of those voices that do not need to grow bigger. Deep, strong, magnificent, as if it’d been born weighed. But there's nothing to doubt of because fado sounds like fado, tastes like fado, smells like fado. "
Alexandra Carita in Expresso, 12 October 2013. - Jornal Expresso

“A minha vida renasce/ Neste meu canto magoado/ Cada um é para o que nasce/ E eu nasci para o fado’.
There was no need to face this earthly truth like a slap in our faces, to prevent us from reading something different from this new Largo da Memória record. When singing, Ricardo Ribeiro offers a visceral and volcanic artistic expression and if by chance he’d sing the popular Moldavian songbook; his initial statement wouldn’t get pinched whatsoever”.
Gonçalo Frota in Ípsilon, Público, October 2013 - Jornal Público

A sweltering night in Lisbon distilled into album form

Maybe you’ve heard of him through Rabih Abou-Khalil and the brilliant Em Português – a collaboration on which the Lebanese tried to make of Ricardo Ribeiro some sort of Portuguese Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Whatever the reason, it’s unlikely you’ve been prepared for this. It took Ribeiro six years to get to Porta do Coração (The Door to the Heart), but it’s worth every second of this long wait. Contrary to some of the new fado interpreters that have been rising at a freakish rate in Portugal, Ribeiro’s take on fado doesn’t need a pop sweetening or a more exotic approach. It’s as traditional as they come. No more, no less.

Each syllable of Porta do Coração smells of Lisbon: it’s like sardines, cheap red wine and hot nights in every alley of Alfama or Mouraria’s neighbourhoods. A proud follower of Fernando Maurício and Alfredo Marceneiro’s street spontaneous singing, Ribeiro guarantees with his second official record (his teen debut album doesn’t really count) a male voice to follow the steps of Camané. Being this good at 28, one can only dream of what he’ll be doing in the next ten years.

Listening to Porta do Coração, even if you don’t understand a single word of Portuguese, you can’t help but wave a little white flag surrendering to this sad and deep voice. It makes no effort whatsoever to avoid shedding its emotions all over the place. Taking it this high is rare and absolutely extraordinary.

Gonçalo Frota - Gonçalo Frota