Arcenio remains firmly attached to his roots and is constantly fighting for the promotion and the revival of traditional music from Mozambique, little known to the general audience.
This approach amounts to a new dimension throughout his encounter in the city of Marseilles, France with Anichka Banichka, a Bulgarian singer, composer, dancer and writer. Fascinated as much by traditional music and folklore as by Funk (her philosophy of life!), she combines these inspirations in a unique and dynamic style. Whether in music or in writing, she delivers engaging and poignant messages, full of poetry and humour, evoking the return to the source and the knowledge of one's own roots.
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Arcenio De Almeida is an author, composer and musician from Quelimane, Mozambique. He started performing only at the age of 9 with one of the country's most influential groups of the time, "1 de Maio", and pursued his musical career with the band "Saldicos" (an emblematic group of traditional music in the Zambezi region), to become a recognized artist in Mozambique. After a move to France he autoproduced his first solo album '' Djay '', then formed his own band who met a great success in large concert halls and festivals playing alongside the big names of the international scene - Manu Dibango, Salif Keita and many more.
The meeting between Arcenio & Anichka was meant to groove - besides the fact that they were born on the same day and are both under the sign of Gemini, the two artists discovered many similarities in the musical traditions of Southern Africa and Eastern Europe, no matter the distance and the boundaries - maybe because their countries also happen to be bound by the Greenwich meridian!
They combine in a surprising duo rich in colors, mixing for the first time traditional melodies and rhythms from Mozambique and Bulgaria onto catchy funky grooves. They sing in Chuabo (a Zambezian dialect), Bulgarian, Portuguese, English and French. They dance the marrabenta (traditional dance from Mozambique) and the rachenitza (traditional dance from Bulgaria), and through this unique encounter of Africa and Europe spark on a musical journey that brings the light of the rising sun.
During an artistic residence in Maputo, Mozambique Arcenio & Anichka were hosted at "Mae Studio" by Filipe Mondlane who gathered a team of some of the country's finest musicians such as Bernardo Domingos Xidiminguana (guitar), Thapelo Motshegwe (keyboard), Stelio Mondlane, Stelio Zoé (drums), Nelton Miranda (bass) and Simao Nhacule (percussions) to create powerful uplifting grooves that will not only make you want to get up and dance but also inspire with food for thought.
They were later joined by Bulgaria's top musicians Stefan Georguiev (accordeon) and Stoyan Yankulov-Stundji (drums) who brought their unique touch implementing the Bulgarian traditional rhythms and melodies. Guest appearances include Abdoulaye Kouyaté (kora, Guinea) and Haïk Gouchtchian (doudouk, Armenia).
The project was blessed with the special participation of the 85-year old living legend of Mozambican traditional music - Xidiminguana and the legendary South-African bassist Bakithi Kumalo, who performed on Paul Simon’s classic Grammy award winning “Graceland” album.
Stefan Georgiev
Stoyan Yankulov - Stundji
The project was presented for the first time at the UNESCO Africa Week in Paris, France and the Karibu Music Festival in Bagamoyo, Tanzania where Arcenio & Anichka were joined by the Mopao Swahili Jazz Band.
