A Curva da Cintura with Arnaldo Antunes, Toumani Diabaté and Edgard Scandurra, SMOD, Sany Pitbull, A Jigsaw, Miguel Araújo and Norberto Lobo are the first names already advanced for the 9th edition of the MED Festival.
The first names for the 9th edition of the MED Festival, one of the most renowned World Music events held in our country, are already closed. At the end of June, the historic center of Loulé is once again filled with the sounds and flavors of the four corners of the world, represented by the most varied artistic manifestations, with music being the central theme of this festival.
The Cerca and the Matriz are once again the main stages for the performances of the big names on the international World Music circuit. The Castelo stage, as in past editions, will be dedicated to the best that is done in Portugal. A Curva da Cintura with Arnaldo Antunes, Toumani Diabaté and Edgard Scandurra, SMOD, Sany Pitbull, A Jigsaw, Miguel Araújo and Norberto Lobo are the first names already advanced for this edition.
This year the MED Festival will stage the long-awaited world premiere of the project that brings together three great names of the genre. Arnaldo Antunes (Tribalistas), Edgard Scandurra (Ira) and Toumani Diabaté (one of the most important African musicians today) got together to record «A Curva da Cintura».
This album brings to the public the warm voices of two well-known Brazilian artists and the Malian talent on the strings of the exquisite kora, instrument that he dominates and that led him to twice win the Grammy Awards for best Traditional World Music album. A Curva da Cintura with Arnaldo Antunes, Toumani Diabaté and Edgard Scandurra will be presented at the world premiere on June 29, on the Cerca stage.
Also from Mali arrive the acclaimed SMOD. The group comprising Ousco, Donsky, and Sam, son of the famous duo Amadou & Mariam, who passed by MED in 2008, will debut in Portugal to present their latest work produced by Manu Chao. The SMOD album exudes revolutionary hip-hop and rap rhythms interspersed with Malian sounds, in which influences from the renowned French producer come together. The trio will be responsible for closing the Matriz stage on the first day of the festival.
The international Brazilian DJ Sany Pitbull will visit the MED on June 30 to present his productions that have already conquered the main European capitals, such as London, Paris, Stockholm and Berlin. His work is the strongest proof that Funk Carioca is at the forefront of world electronics. With over 20 years of experience, Sany Pitbull is appointed as one of the exponents of the style, differentiated from other producers for betting on instrumental exploration and the richness of rhythms and influences.
“Five days and a half” is the title of Miguel Araújo's debut solo album, which will be presented on the Cerca stage, on June 30th. Recorded in five and a half days, as the title indicates, the album went out on the street on May 21st and since the release date has had the initials “Os Husbands das Outros” among the five best-selling songs on digital platforms in Portugal . An unmissable debut of this Portuguese artist on Algarve soil.
On June 23, the renowned Portuguese guitarist, Norberto Lobo, takes to the Castelo stage. Acclaimed by national and international critics, the guitarist is characterized by the physical, human and popular character of his sound. Over the years he has collaborated with artists such as München, Chullage or Lula Pena, in addition to being co-founder of the Norman, Colectivo Easter and Tigrala projects. He has already shared stages or tours with a wide range of international musicians, such as Lhasa de Sela, Devendra Banhart, Larkin Grimm, Naná Vasconcelos or Rhys Chatham. With two studio albums Norberto Lobo will provide Loulé with a unique and memorable performance.
Jigsaw is the last name on this year's poster confirmed to date. This Portuguese blues-folk band, formed in Coimbra by the trio João Rui, Jorri and Susana Ribeiro, takes to the Castelo stage on June 29 to present their third record of originals and revisit some of the themes from their first albums. This group won public opinion with their first work «Letters From The Boatman», released in 2007, thanks to the originality of the voices and the combination of instruments such as guitar, harmonica, banjo, piano, double bass, castanets, traditional bass drum or violin.
Unlike past editions, this year the festival has a two-day display. As Joaquim Guerreiro, Councilor for Culture at the Loulé City Council explains, “the MED Festival has been, since its inception, a symbol of the cultural dynamism of the city and the Algarve. This event with national expression has gained an extremely important international echo for the local economy and for the promotion of our tourist offer. The ninth edition is due, above all, to the involvement and commitment of Loulé people to this event. Guided by artistic rigor, the excellence of the poster is maintained, which includes some of the best national and international artists”.
Tickets will go on sale from June 1st at Cine-Teatro Louletano and at FNAC do Algarve Shopping. The daily ticket costs 12 euros.
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