Mandrágora

DISCOGRAPHY:
2008
Mandrágora "ESCARPA" Portuguese urban folk music - Heptatrad



SOPA DA PEDRA - best Portuguese trad./folk album of 2008



A TROMPA - Best album of World Music 2008



2005 Mandrágora "MANDRÀGORA" Portuguese urban folk music
zounds records



Galardoado com:
Prémio Carlos Paredes 2006 -atribuído anualmente ao melhor disco português de música instrumental não erudita



Carlos Paredes 2006 award - Awarded annually to the best Portuguese instrumental music



PRESS:
"Cuántas alegrías nos está dando la música portuguesa últimamente! Podríamos intentar describirlos, describir cómo suenan a inspiración en el folk de su país, pero con una actitud progresiva, como hermanan con naturalidad saxofón y zanfona, como tras unas notas introspectivas del buzuki explota un arrebato que no deja respiro!" Mapamundi
" «Escarpa», dos Mandrágora, eleva este grupo portuense ao patamar dos grandes grupos folk europeus da actualidade. E é justo que eles lá estejam!"
Antonio Pires | Raizes e Antenas
"Escarpa», by Mandrágora, elevates the group and brings them closer to the great European folk groups of today. And it is fair that they are there! " Antonio Pires | Raizes e Antenas Blog
"Um dos grandes albuns do ano de um dos grandes projectos portugueses da actualidade."
João Torgal - Artesanato Sonoro
"One of the great albums of the year, one of Portugal's current major projects."



João Torgal - Artesanato Sonoro



"uma visita guiada a uma "Escarpa" que os coloca muito acima daquilo que se chama muito simplesmente de música tradicional portuguesa."
Luis Rei - Cronicas da Terra
a tour to "Escarpa" that raises the band far above what is simply called the traditional Portuguese music."
Luis Rei - Cronicas da Terra



BIOGRAPHY:



Mandrágora is a name of a plant that possesses fertilizing and aphrodisiac virtues, a medicinal root whose fruit, identical to a small apple, exhales a strong and fetid odour. The root of the plant has the form of a human being and in the popular belief, the mandrágora cries out as people when it is pulled out of the land



Mandrágora is also the name of young band of OPorto, that distinguish themselves for the creativity of their original compositions, evoking the Portuguese musical tradition, and exploring the meeting with other cultures and still revealing a great diversity of influences of modern music.



The band preformed with different formations throughout Portugal and abroad. It was also chosen to represent Portugal at 2nd European Meeting of Young Traditional Musicians (Eurofolk 2002, Parthenay - France).



The CD "Mandrágora" was released in 2005 and was well received by the press and online community, winning also the "Carlos Paredes 2006" award, awarded annually to the best Portuguese instrumental music.



The group made a musical residence Langonnet (France) with the musical direction of Jacky Molard, which followed a tour in the region of Brittany with the musical guests Simone Alves on vocals and Guilhaume Le Guernne in bass and soprano clarinet.
The 2nd album "Escarpa" was released in May 2008 and once again receive the critical praise. The nacional musical guests are: Helena Silva on vocals and Francisco Madeira on vocals and guitars. The international music guests are: Matteo Dorigo (sanfona) and Simone Botasso (diatonic accordion)



Most relevant shows:



Festival Intercéltico de Sendim - Sendim



Eurofolk - European Meeting of Young Traditional Musicians - France



Festival de Música Tradicional , Casa da Música - Porto



Festival Raízes do Atlântico, Funchal - Madeira



Plaza Mayor de Salamanca - Espanha



Festival de Inverno - Serpa
Festival Med, Loulé - Loulé
Festa do Avante, palco 1º de Maio - Seixal



Festival Maré de Agosto - Açores
Musical Residence, Britanny - France - with Jacky Molard, Guillaume le Guern and Simone Alves
Porto Bairro a Bairro - Porto



Ethno.ambient - Salona - Crocia



FMM Sines - Mandrágora + Special Guests