Francisco Xavier da Cruz (B.Léza)

Francisco Xavier da Cruz [B. LÉZA] was born in the city of Mindelo, são Vicente island, on December 3, 1905. Very early expressed cultural appetite, creativity, independent and decidedly pedagogical spirit. Certainly one of the great musical references as an author and performer of enormous relevance; leaving us more than four hundred compositions of various types: from guitar solos, coladeiras, waltzes, boleros, sports and carnival marches, mazurcas, polkas, sambadas, gallops, fados. Versatile in the development of warm-fado, warm-tango and, particularly warm; as much as for this, he purposely had [his favorite guitar] built in Lisbon, which he named "Bronze". However, where he most noted himself as a composer was in the construction and modification of Morna, by introducing to him the halftone, today, arguably rich heritage of Cape Verde: it gave him more life, color, dreams, essence, own character. He died on June 14, 1958 on the same island where he was born.