AL'FADO
Al’Fado is a new musical program constructed mostly of music originating from the Iberian Peninsula. This music goes back to the Jewish / Hebrew communities living in the region in medieval times and it’s sang in an ancient dialect of Spanish mixed with Portuguese and Hebrew called Ladino. Al’Fado is half Israeli and half Portuguese.
The group features singer Gal Tamir, Avishay Back on bass guitar, João Roque on guitars and Diogo Melo de Carvalho on percussion. The group is based in the rich and varied music scene of Lisbon, the multicultural capital of Portugal. The beauty of this music is now available to new audiences.
This tradition is very much inspired by other local musical genres such as Fado and Flamenco, which are noticeable in this musical program.
Gal is a singer/songwriter, born in Kibbutz Nir David, Israel. He was brought up in a musical house, studying piano, flute, clarinet and singing from an early age, including studying theater and acting in High School. Gal is trained in the genres of classical music, contemporary rock, pop, folk and jazz. He has trained with teachers Gila Abrahamson, Agnes Masinni, Vered Dekel and Robin Wiesel-Capsouto. Gal also studied with Ilan Mochiach, Ilan Salem, Guri Agmon, Yasmin Gamliel, Boris Gammer, Albert Beger, Slava Ganelin, Rafi Kadishsson, Menachem Perfekovic, Michael Wolpe and more. He holds a BA degree and teaching diploma from the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem from the multidisciplinary department.
Gal gained a rich background performing with musical ensembles of contemporary and modern music. He has appeared in concerts with the “A-cappella choir” of Jerusalem, in various concerts at the “Abu Gosh” Festival and “The Spring Festival” and as soloist with the Chamber Choir “Oratorio” during “The Jerusalem arts festival”. He has also participated as a lead singer in numerous shows with the Israeli “Sinfonietta Beer Sheva orchestra” as part of the contemporary folk program “Singing with the Orchestra” (also functioned as executive producer of this program under the musical direction of Prof. Michael Wolpe and conductors – Maestros Doron Solomon and Karin Ben-Yosef – orchestra’s house conductor) and as lead singer in concerts for children and youth within the framework of the “Karev” educational foundation.
Gal has participated in musical productions at the “Cameri” Theater, ” The Israeli Music Holiday Festival” and the “Music in the Desert” festival.
Gal combines ongoing work in performing contemporary music, jazz, rock, pop, soul, blues and even cantorial music. Gal’s original music is influenced by Israeli artists such as Shalom Hanoch, Matti Caspi, Shlomo Gronich, Yoni Rechter, Shem-Tov Levi, Yehudit Ravitz, and more, alongside international musicians such as Sting, Phil Collins, Joni Mitchell and others.
Now-a-days Gal focuses on a Portugal based Ladino and Fado music program.
João started playing classical guitar at the age of 10. 5 years later he switched to the electric guitar. Influenced by the musician Mário Delgado he later on began studying Jazz guitar with him in the JB JAZZ music school leading to João’s joining the Superior School of Music of Lisbon, and graduating in Jazz Music.
He has studied jazz guitar with Mário Delgado, Pedro Madaleno, André Fernandes and Bruno Santos as well as combo, ear training, harmony, improvisation and jazz orchestra with Afonso Pais, Nuno Ferreira, Pedro Moreira, Ricardo Pinheiro, Gonçalo Marques, João Moreira, Nelson Cascais, and others. He has participated many workshops and masterclasses with Lee Konitz, Dave Holland, Ohad Talmor, Dan Weiss, Peter Bernstein, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Carlos Bica, and many other admirable musicians.
Along the years he has participated and initiated many musical projects, playing originals but also arrangements to the music of others. Among them; with MADJEZZ (fusion jazz, triphop and electronic music) attending Festival Meo Out Jazz (2014) and Festival Palavras C@ntadas at Teatro da Comuna (2015), where they were the support band of a three day slam poetry festival. They were also invited to represent Portugal in the Festival Jazziberia in Badajoz, Spain (2012).
In 2016, his former harmony and combo teacher Nuno Ferreira asked him to join and record with his new pop/rock group REVERSO, including the performance of original compositions to the poems of well known Portuguese poets like Fernando Pessoa, Miguel Torga, Sophia Mello, Breyner Andresen, Alexandre O’Neill, along side with some original texts from his authorship.
Recently, João has recorded his first LP as a lead musician and composer “ROQUE”, including 10 original themes. The album was first presented in January 2017 and it’s been touring Portugal since then.He has already played at Casa da Música, Centro Cultural de Belém, Casa da Cultura de Setúbal, Café Tati, Cossul, Pois Café, Pensão Amor, Palácio do Egipto, Duetos da Sé, CineIncrível Almadense, among other venues.
On top of his activity as a composer and the leader of his group ROQUE, he also plays and records a lot as a freelance musician playing Jazz, Rock, Pop, MPB, Funk, and also Classical music. In 2017 took part as one of the 18 musicians ensemble that played live on 51st edition of “Festival da Canção da RTP”. This concert was held at the Coliseu de Lisboa and was broadcast live on television to millions of viewers, along side some of the most well known Pop voices of Portugal. He has been teaching guitar since 2003 in a multitude of different schools. Nowadays he is teaching guitar, music theory and jazz combo at the Musicentro, Escola de Jazz Luiz Villas Boas, the Hot Clube de Portugal and Lycée français Charles Lepierre.
As a drummer and percussionist, Diogo currently plays with Portuguese guitar master António Chainho, singer Viviane, the band The Lucky Duckies and the Al’Fado ensemble.
His work in music is international, having collaborated with renowned personalities including Danny Boyle, Kim Gavin, Underworld, Antony Gormley, Hofesh Shechter and Audrey Riley.
He participated as a performer in the opening and closing ceremonies of the London Olympic Games and at the TEDx Goodenough College conference, along with the freelance work with Monda, Tora Tora Big Band, Rogério Charraz, Michal Atkins, Miguel Gizzas, Kika Cardoso, Tumbala, Jules Drade, Polly Money, Sarah Warwick, Bruno Correia, Rui Andrade, The Guest, among others.
Diogo holds a Master in Music Teaching and a BA (Hons) in Musicology from the New University of Lisbon, as well as BA (Hons) in Popular Music Performance from the University of East London, where he was awarded the prizes of Best Overall and Best Drums in his year. Diogo also attended the Berklee College of Music – Berklee Online (USA – Boston), The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance (UK – London), JBJazz and Musicentro music schools.
Born in Israel, Avishay started playing the classical guitar at the age of 12, only to shortly after switch to the electric bass. music studies in high school were followed by a 2 year attendance at Rimon school of jazz and contemporary music in Israel, before relocating to the Netherlands to pursue and obtain a BA degree from Conservatorium Van Amsterdam with a major in jazz performance.
During 25 years of musical activity, Avishay has attended numerous classes and workshops from various world class teachers and artists, such as Arnon Palty, Arie Volnits, Richard Bona, David de Marez Oynes, Dominique di Piazza and many more. During his period of studies in Amsterdam he was also working as a freelance musician with various groups around Europe, while participating in original projects, ranging from Afro-beat and electronics to jazz, hip hop and jewish folklore music all over europe.
Since 2008, Avishay Is residing in Portugal.
He is one of the founders of Acclaimed Lisbon based Bling Projekt, and has collaborated, played and produced with artists such as Sam the kid, DJ X-Acto, Beware Jack and many more.
This days Avishay is active as an educator, producer and session player as well as a founding member of Al’Fado Ensamble.
