V/A – Calafonas: Music From The Azorean And Portuguese Diaspora 1970’s-1980’s – LP

Release of “Calafonas: Music from the Azorean and Portuguese Diaspora 1970’s-1980’s“: A Musical Rediscovery of Azorean Communities in North America

It is almost a common saying that no Azorean family is without a relative or friend who has emigrated to Canada or the USA. However, when it comes to the cultural and musical production of the Azorean diaspora, collective memory often focuses on a few well-known names like Jorge Ferreira, Nelly Furtado, Nuno Bettencourt, and Sandro G. Yet, between the 1970s and 1980s, a vibrant musical scene emerged from emigrant communities in the US and Canada that has been largely forgotten—until now.

“Calafonas: Music from the Azorean and Portuguese Diaspora 1970’s-1980’s” is a compilation that seeks to revive this rich history, bringing to light 9 carefully selected tracks from original vinyl records. The musical selection and the concept of the album were curated by the azorean DJ Milhafre. This limited edition, with only 300 physical copies on vinyl and a digital release, offers a new perspective on the musical output of the Azorean diaspora.

The term “Calafonas”, as explained in Fátima Sequeira Dias’ Dicionário Sentimental da Ilha de São Miguel, humorously refers to Azorean emigrants returning from the USA, with a playful nod to California. However, the music in this collection goes far beyond simple caricature. It reflects a generation of young emigrants who, immersed in North American modernity, transformed their parents’ traditional folk and acoustic roots into new musical expressions like pop, rock, new wave, disco, and funk.

Through this compilation, we invite the public to rediscover this forgotten part of Azorean and Portuguese musical history, fostering a renewed connection between present generations and the Portuguese descendant communities across North America.

Discos Milhafre

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