Já Bô Corre D’Mim
After his first LP Stranger Já Catem Traboi, Tchiss decided to further experiment with reggae and funaná, inspired by the local rhythms of the island of Santiago. Gathering 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. An album that sings of a young man far from home, his unrequited love and saudade, the struggles of street life in a foreign land and a world of inequality. Recorded in just 3 days at the Pomodoro Studio in Sutri, the album fully expresses the deep and layered sound of Tchiss’ music, where upbeat tempo, powerful vocals and electrifying guitar solos tangle together in a dynamic mix of traditional melodies and cosmic reggae.
Tchiss Lopes
With music in his finger tips and football in his feet, Narciso “Tchiss” Lopes was born on the São Vicente island of Cape Verde on July 27th 1959. Surrounded by the island’s vibrant musical scene, Tchiss began playing guitar at the age of 6, and when he was not playing music, he was playing football for one of Mindelo’s best teams.
Soon enough, at the beginning of 1980, the political situation pushed Tchiss to emigrate at the age of 21. With his heart full of hope and ambition, he moved to Portugal and then to Rome, where he obtained an 11-month contract on a Greek cargo ship. As his father before him, Tchiss became a man of the sea, and his first world tour thus began: from Civitavecchia to Lagos, Nigeria to Senegal, Poland to Scotland, all the way to his dream land, Brazil. Experiencing the sounds of Brazil on his own skin, Tchiss returned to Rome, where his musical career finally exploded.
Tchiss toured Italy from north to south, playing in cities such as Milan, Rome, Naples and Palermo, and brought his music all over Europe: in the Netherlands, France, Portugal, Luxembourg and Germany, to name a few. He defines himself a musical communicator and never stops spreading his music and love all around the globe.