When you attend to the celebration of the “national day of”, already know before leaving home that, left out exception, you will find with the typical collection of commonplaces and clichés that usually nothing (poquito) have to see with the authentic reality of this country. It seems unavoidable.

The celebration on past 11th June of the National Day of Portugal, however, served to erase some labels and discover the most modern and actual side of our neighbour. By third consecutive year the organizers chose the high zone of Passeig de Gràcia, Els Jardinets de Salvador Espriu, to organize  a party in the open air with places of food, handmade samples of young’s artisans and childish games, that finished turning into a “fiesta” with performances in direct of DJ’s and Portuguese groups.

Definitely, the discovery of the day was Deolinda, a young group of Portuguese traditional music who has proposed break with all the commonplaces of the fado. Far of the fatalism and of the rigorous black, his cheerful letters, melodies, dancing melodies and the jovial and colorist style of his four components, specially of his soloist Ana Bacalhau, connected with a young public ready to amusement.

Although his music is inspired by the one of other Portuguese authors like José Afonso, Sérgio Godinho, Madredeus or Amália Rodrigues, his style has marked influences of the samba, the Hawaiian music, the Greek rebético, the jazz and the pop. It was a joy for the ears and a blow of fresh air for the music made in Portugal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxv9s3ptizy