Sandrine Carrecabe

AURELIO SANTOS, alias AURAS, MUSICIAN AND SINGER

Aurélio Santos, also known as Auras was born in Praia (Cape Verde) in 1975, one month after Independence Day. Auras is his stage name, it’s also a compilation of his first name and last name.

1- CAPE VERDE AND MUSIC

Cape Verde is internationally known as the country of the music. At the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and the Americas, the archipelago of Cape Verde consists of 10 islands discovered in 1460, it is a mixture of the cultural and artistic interbreeding whose first consequence is the "Creole" language. People from those shores were forced out as African slaves and yet they were able to use both music and language as expression to better bear their torments/sufferings and express their vitality. Césaria Evora, (1942-2011), was recently the musical ambassador of this archipelago, then still underestimated. Now some musicians as Auras (Aurélio Santos) want to extend their career and produce a new expression of Capeverdean music.

2- AURAS’ BIOGRAPHY

Born in a relatively modest family, Auras played guitar and «cavaquinho» from the age of 18. After many successful evenings in restaurants in Praia, Auras made his real debut during the tour of Gardenia Benros’ tour, a Capeverdean singer. A year later, he played again with her for a concert at the Cultural Center of Belem (CCB) in Lisbon. Since then he has been regularly sought after by Capeverdean artists, such as Ildo Lobo, Mariana Ramos and Djosinha. In 2002, Auras left Cape Verde to continue his academic career in Lisbon. It was an opportunity to integrate a new musical genre, which made it possible for him to play with many Capeverdean artists like Bana, Celina Pereira, Titina, Maria Alice, Nancy Vieira and Ritinha Lobo, but also with other international artists as Costa Neto (Mozambique) and Eneida Marta (Guinea Bissau). In 2004, the singer Lura invited him to join her band as guitarist and vocalist, which inspired the composition of the sixth track on the CD "M'Bem di fora", dedicated to him. During almost four years they made numerous international tours, and appeared on stages and festivals in France, Canada, the United States, Australia, South Africa, and yet they found time to lead traditional Capeverdean music workshops. Throughout his career, Auras also participated in recording several CDs, including the compilation of traditional Cape Verdean music, Vadu’s, Celina Pereira’s, Lura’s albums and batukadeiras Cidade Velha. He was also featured on the Live at the Grand Rex Lura DVD. Since 2010 he has been living in France to further his career and plans. On top of concerts he leads and tutors music workshops, participates in musical conferences and European artistic in-service-training. Only recently he has been dedicating himself to Information technology in order to participate in the web revolution because networking and computers are main tools of music projects, and mostly an indispensable tool of development/competitiveness. However, he remains in close contact with all kinds of project bringing together music, language and culture.

3- AURAS AND THE NEW VERSION OF CAPEVERDIAN MUSIC

Thanks to a collaboration with Beñat Achiary, Artistic Director of Errobiko Festibala Itxassou Festival (Basque Country), Auras became aware of his other talents: singing and composing. He made his first solo performance in Bayonne in 2009 together with Beñat Achiary percussion. As a musician, singer and composer, Auras offers us a brand new approach of the Capeverdean rhythms which are influenced by African-European music and he relies on his guitar skills and passion for words. As a result of a harmonious cultural mix, the world of Auras tells us about the daily life of his fellowmen on his Creole island, never forgetting to praise his country independence. On stage, Auras leads a dynamic and original trio where drums, bass and guitar/vocals are harmonized around the Creole identity. His atypical music is composed by some of Brazilian rhythms, African legacy and, of course, the Capeverdean melodies. His very own interpretation of Blues and Jazz is conveyed by sequences of improvisation on the guitar/the ukulele.

4- DISCOGRAPHY • 2010 – Skrabu d’Afrika Participation in other CD • 2006 - M'Bem di Fora- LURA

5- REFERENCES

6- LINKS

Mariage du jazz et du Cap-Vert : www.sudouest.fr/2010/06/01/mariage-du-jazz-et-du-cap-vert-106141-4344.php Auras in BCA’s auditorium : http://www.asemana.publ.cv/spip.php?article70196&var_recherche=aur%E9lio%20santos&ak=1 Interview de Auras : http://www.asemana.publ.cv/spip.php?article70724&var_recherche=AURAS&ak=1 Soundcloud : https://soundcloud.com/aurastrio Aurastrio’s facebook : www.facebook.com/aurastrio Skrabud’Afrika on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DU_JVXiJUU Music travel in Cape Verde- RIOLOCO festival : http://metissarteprod.herokuapp.com/docs/rioloco.pdf Aquisuds : http://www.aquisuds.fr/405-auras-sonorites-cap-verdiennes/#more-405 Lusophonie and Auras' show : http://www.larepubliquedespyrenees.fr/2011/05/05/la-der-des-espaces-de-la-lusophonie-au-melies,192757.php Sud-ouest's article 16/05/2011 : http://andernos.blogs.sudouest.fr/archive/2011/05/16/echange-culturel-au-lycee.html Sud-Ouest Gironde's article : http://www.sudouest.fr/2011/05/16/la-richesse-des-echanges-399409-2729.php