Bana

Adriano Gonçalves (5 March 1932 – 13 July 2013 ), known by his stage name Bana and called the "King of Morna", was a Cape Verdean singer and performer of the morna style, the plaintive, melodic lament which is a staple musical style of the country.

Biography He was born in Morguin Street, Mindelo on 5 March 1932, some sources said he was born on 11 March. In his childhood years, he was surrounded by music with local singers. At age four, he appeared with local singers.

Bana lost his mother, Maria Cristina, at 16 and his father, Vasco Almeida, two years before.

Bana, who was over seven feet tall, began his musical career during Portuguese colonial rule, when he worked as a handyman and bodyguard for the legendary Cabo Verdean composer and performer, B. Leza. In the 1950s, the singer, taught Bana and many other artists the art of morna songs, whilst he would help him during his sickness. In 1958, BeLeza was presented at a round with the Tuna Académica da Coimbra which took place in São Vicente Island. Among the attendees were Portuguese poet and political dissident Manuel Alegre and Portuguese writer, poet and novelist Fernando Assis Pacheco who tried to take him to Portugal to act. He was poor, he walked barefoot and so, at that time, he was forbidden to sing in better quality places

After B. Leza died, he began working on his own. Due to several humiliations and the very hard life as an orphan, he ran away in a boat to Dakar, Senegal where he later recorded his first album in 1962 and gave his first performance. The record had four songs, and 2,000 copies were sold within the first week.

In his last years, Bana sang Cape Verdean mornas and coladeiras and was accompanied by a traditional band and by the orchestra of S. Jorge de Arroios.

Bana was honored by then-President Mário Soares (Order of Official Merit) and Cape Verdean Presidents Mascarenhas Monteiro and Jorge Carlos Fonseca. He received the Grand Merit medal by the President of Cape Verde along with the Portuguese president.

Suffering from poor health during the last years of his life, Bana died in 2013 at Hospital Beatriz Angelo in Loures in Portugal, at the age of 81, after suffering from an episode of sepsis, leaving a wife, Aquilina, and 8 children: Ademiro, Maria da Luz, Cristina, Jean Pierre, Adriana, Alcides, Luz Maria and Ricardo. According to his last will, his body will be cremated.

Relatives One of his cousins was another Cape Verdean singer Eddy Moreno, and his other cousins and distant cousins were several of the singers of the Xalino family including Armando, Eduardo, Val, Xante and Zuca. He was also related to Djô d'Eloy.

Discography

Albums Bana has recorded two songs and 41 albums. Nha Terra (1965) Pensamento e Segredo (1965) L. Morais (1967) A Paris or Bana á Paris (Bana In Paris) (1968) Recordano (Recording) (1969) Rotcha-Nu (1970) So Coladeras! (1971) Coladeras: The Best of Bana (1972) Contratempo (1974) Cidália (1976) Miss Unidos (1977) O encanto de Cabo Verde (1982) Dor di nha dor (1984) Gira sol (1998) Acaba comingo Ao vivo no Coliseu (Live at the Colosseum) Bana – a voz de ouro – mornas (Bana – Voice of Gold – Mornas) Bana canta a magia Cap-Vert (recorded in Paris) Bana e sua orquestra Camin de Maderalzim Canto de amores (Songs of Love) Fado Ganha gasta Gardenia Livro infinite (Endless Book) Mandamentos/Sodad II María Barba e Tunga Tunghinha Avenida Marginal – named after the street which runs from the center to the northwest of Mindelo all within Mindelo Bay, the Port of Mindelo is in the middle of the avenue As melhores mornas de sempre Merecimento de mãe Morabeza Mornas inesquecíveis Mornas e coladeiras (Mornas and Coladeiras, also as Mornas e coladeras) Mostero nha tentação Perseguida (Persecution) Pilon iletrico (Electric Pylon) Solidão Teresa La Zandunga

Singles "Bobista, Nha Terra" ("Boa Vista, Our Land")/"Oh Boy!" (1979), by Celina Pereira, Discos Monte Cara "Feel Good" (1979/80) "Cabinda a Cunene" (1998) "Badiu di fora" "Canta cu alma sem ser magoado", originally by Pedro Rodrigues "De bes" "Teresinha", originally by Ti Goi

Collaboration A single with Maria João in 1999