Tchiss Lopes

Tchiss Lopes (born Narciso Lopes, 27 July 1959 in São Vicente, Cape Verde) is a singer, instrumental performer, and composer.

Biography Growing up in the Monte Sossego neighborhood of the port city of Mindelo, Lopes learned music through his father's brother, his uncle Celestine, a traditional guitar player of Cape Verde better known as Dogado. Surrounded by the vibrant musical scene of São Vicente, Lopes started playing guitar at the age of 6, and parallel to his musical career, he was a professional football player for one of Mindelo's top teams. He first moved to Portugal, where he tried out for a few relevant local football teams, until he reached Rome on 20 February 1980. Once in Rome, Lopes’ cousin procured him an 11-month contract as assistant wiper on a Greek cargo ship. As his father before him, Lopes became a sailor. Less than a year later, accompanied by Cabo Verde Novo, Lopes recorded his first LP, Stranger Já Catem Traboi, which he considers his musical passport. Further experimenting with reggae and funaná, Lopes gathered some of the best Cape Verdean musicians of the time. In 1984, together with Zé António on guitar, Bebethe on bass and Alírio on drums, he recorded his second LP Já Bô Corre D’Mim. Naples and Palermo, and brought his music all over Europe: in the Netherlands, France, Portugal, Luxembourg and Germany, to name a few. He continued working on personal and collaborative projects with bands such as Tabanca, Night Rockers, Som D’Ilhas and Tropical Sound, ranging from coladeira, morna, funaná to samba, reggae, zouk-love and kizomba.

Lopes defines himself as a musical communicator.

Discography Albums Moreninha (1981) Stranger Já Catem Traboi (1982) Já Bô Corre D’Mim (1984) Tónte Sonhe Tónte Esperança (1989) Móda Bô Katem Igual (1994) Sentimento Criol (1996) Voz D’Nha Sentimento (2001) Sentimento Real (2003) Recomecar (2005) Estima (2010) Paginas d’Vida (2015) Nôs Mindel (2019)

Singles S. S. Silvestre (2005)