Canto Terceiro da Sereia: O Encanto | Third Siren Corner: The Charm

The "Canto Terceiro da Sereia, o Encanto" is part of a musical trilogy inspired by "Kianda", a mythological figure of the fishermen of the Island of Luanda.
This musical-literary is set against the backdrop of the memories of a crew member on ships of the old merchant navy and his brother, a steam engine driver on the old Amboim railway line. The reason for the reunion, after a forced separation, was due to the fact that the coffee produced in the interior of the province of South Kwanza was, in the 50's, transported by Gabela / Port Amboim corridor, to, after stored in large warehouses on the coast, be exported to the world in cargo ships docked offshore, for lack of a harbor.

TECH FILE

Ciclo da terra
Voices - Toty Sa'Med, Gari Sinedima and Jay Lourenzo
Drums - Helio Cruz
Programmed drum s - DH
Percussion - Yasmane Santos
Fretless bass - Mayo Bass Guitars
, 12 string guitar and acoustic guitar - Toty Sa'Med
Keyboards, Vocoder Moog Bass - Nino Jazz
Trumpet, Flughelhorns Violin and Brass Arrangements - Christian Martinez
Flute and Tenor Sax - Thierry Farrugia
Tuba - Didier Havet
Harp - Obile Abrell
Violin - Lysiane Métry

Fire Cycle
Voices - Selda, Katiliana and Nayela Simões
Arrangements, Bass, Acoustic and Guitars - Munir Hossn
Drums - Tuur Moens
Clarinet and Alto Sax - Ricardo Toscano

Ciclo da Água
Introductory Voice - Sandra Cordeiro
Voices - Emanuel Mendes, Bruno Neto, Gomes Domingos, Ndaka Yo Wiñi
Percussion - Yasmane Santos
Electric and Fretless Bass - Mayo Bass
12 strings Guitar, Acoustic GuitarCavaquinho - Toty Sa'Med
Accordion - João Frade
Violin - Lysiane Métry
Violin Arrangements - Christian Martinez

Air Cycle
Vocals - Filipe Mukenga and Anabela Aya
Drums - Tuur Moens
Electric Bass, Synth Bass, Guitars and Guitar - Toty Sa'Med
Keyboards, Melodica and Vocoder - Nino Jazz
Trumpet, Flugelhorns and Brass Arran gements - Christian Martinez

Executive Production, Conception, Lyrics, Texts and instrumental part in "Ciclo da Água" - Filipe Zau
Music - Filipe Mukenga Music
Production and Arrangements - Nino Jazz
Sound Technicians - Waldemar Vilela (capturing and editing) and Rui Guerreiro (mixing and mastering)
Cover Illustration - Arlette Marques
Design - Ricardo Rodrigues

Recorded, between 2014 and 2019, in studios in Luanda, Paris, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Faro and Los Angeles.

CICLO DA TERRA
(O REENCONTRO)

After years of separation justified by the need to work for survival, the revisiting of the time when the brothers Augusto and Francisco, sons of a traditional Cabinda authority, spent a happy childhood and adolescence together, took place, in Porto Amboim, in a humble house located in Morro do Canivete. Augusto was a railway conductor and Francisco was a crew member on ships of the Portuguese merchant navy. Near the beach, bags of roasted coffee for export were stored, arriving from the interior in wagons hitched to a steam engine called Benguela-a-Velha. Anchored offshore, in the large bay of Porto Amboim, the holds of the freighters waited for the bags of coffee, which, for lack of a dock, would arrive from the boats, which made the connection between land and sea.

(Augusto)
In a village in Cabinda
I was born in Mandarin
I take the steam engine
To the village of Porto Amboim
Its name is Benguela-a-Velha
And I take the coffee from Gabela
To the old village Kissonde
Ex-Feitoria de Benguela
I tried life in Luanda
I tried life in Malange
I arrived in Porto Amboim
Only I took care of myself
Chiloango was far away
Only Keve was close by
I work as a machinist
With a sure course in life

(REFRISON)
In the hills a lot of chicken
And also a lot of goats
From the bush comes game meat
Of wild boar, deer or pakassa
Seafood comes from the sea
Good fish and also salt
Many people work
Many people live badly

(FRANK)
I was born in Mandarin
On the edge of a mafuma
Son of Tiaba da Costa
From the Treaty of Chinfuma
From a village in Cabinda
I went to Luanda and Malange
With permission to embark
I entered the hard life of the sea
On board I am a sailor
The cabin is my residence
The sea is my companion
It gave me resistance to the body I made facultyme the body resistance
I went to college everyday
I went from Lisbon to Bombay
We stopped at a bay
Called Porto Amboim

(REFRESH)
In the hills a lot of chicken
And also a lot of goat
From the bush comes game meat
Of wild boar, deer or pakassa
Seafood comes from the sea
Good fish and also salt
A lot of people working
A lot of people living badly

(AUGUSTO)
I hope one day to get to the station
And have news of my brother
Because destiny said yes
I am on my way to Porto Amboim

(AUGUSTO)
I want to see maiaka at the table
I want to see tchikuanga at the table
I want to see gingibre and cola
And music in grafonola
Call people from my homeland
To sit at the table with us
You have already arrived in Porto Amboim
My brother after me
I want a jinguinga on the table
And a broth of dried fish
I want palheto wine on the table
From Mr. Barreto's shop
I want washed and combed
To see children and grandchildren at the table
He has already arrived in Porto Amboim
My brother after me my brother is following me
He is mooring offshore
But the boat will pick him up
Today we will speak Ibinda
Our Cabinda language

(FRANCISCO)
It was written in the stars
That if I looked for you so much
You would be right by the sea
In a village vila ou cidade
Que te abraço de verdade
It was written in the stars
That we would meet
To talk again
About the clear and hidden things
That make up our lives
It was written in the stars
That on our different routes
We would have victories and defeats
Wherever the ship would dock
Or the train would stop
It was written in the stars
That the right or wrong path
Is one's own marked destiny
Once owners of land and ivory
Today living a bad life
I want to meet the sister-in-law
I want to hug the nephews and nieces
From the ship I brought cookies
And sweets for the children

(AUGUSTO)
I fell in love with Domingas
Mother of my first children
With her I made Isabel
Chico, ana and Edith
Another younger daughter
With her mother then died
There was a lightning from the sky
And everything at home soon burnt down
I liked a lady
Who lived in Gabela
And it was in a escapade
That with her I made Elisa
Later in Porto Amboim
I saw Maria da Cruz
With her I dated yes
But she died giving birth
Your sister-in-law is Tina
And the naughty boy
Naughty and possessive
He is my youngest Ivo


(FRANCISCO)
I peeped through the ship's porthole
I immediately imagined the good signs
What will the women be like here
The land in sight and the quay there
There is beer all over the bar and lots of wine
Whisky, cognac and good champagne
Instead of getting lost here all alone
May there be someone to accompany me
When I'm on the high seas
I'm a day-to-day slave
When I come ashore
I own a lot of Mary
Every expense is very close
In the cabaret dance music and whores
I call one of them to me
For my foot
And in one night we are happy

(A Sailor)
A more insistent look
A happier smile
From the middle of the bar
Near her I'll come
A subject without a subject
A wanting to approach
An invitation to dance
With her I'll stay
My head spins
We spin
A glass of ice and whisky
It goes doping my mind
If the confusion is great
The greater my loneliness
Without art or magic
I sleep in an empty bed


CYCLE OF FIRE
(AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE)

The steam engine that will cross the hills between Porto Amboim and Gabela departs from the station station station. On the wooden pier, women bid farewell to the crew members who will continue their journey with the ship's holds laden with sacks of coffee. At the time of departure, the whistles blown by the train and the ship anchored offshore are anguished, as if it were a last meeting. The glowing coal shifts the Benguela-a-Velha on land, while the ingredients of the "fire soup" are cooked in the ship's engine room as it prepares to head out to sea. The women's cries are no longer stuck in their throats and are confused with the whistles of departure.


(the whore)
I'll be at the quay waiting for you
When you arrive from your trip
I'll let out my smile
When I look at your image
For you I'll cook
I'll caress your back
And in the evening I'lli will offer you
The kitutes you like the best
When I am in bed
And you come to me
I want to smell your perfume
That jasmine smell of yours

(the consort)
I am your wife
And the man of the house
I am your companion
For life
I work at home
And sometimes out
Your salary is little
And you spend like crazy
I am your wife
I know you well And I accompany you to your home you well
And I follow you from a distance
Your comings and goings
I am the mother of your son
Of others I am a stepmother
Of what you do on the outside
I keep quiet when it is enough
I am desire inside
A boiling kettle
I live the cycle of fire
At every sunset
I am a jealous woman
And I tie you to my knot
I am your wife
And I belong to only one man

(THE Lover)
I am with you in a colored friendship
Or if you want, in an unassuming relationship
There are those who say I'm an unhappy
That I resemble a harlot
I'm with you in a secret way
one midnight or mid-afternoon
I know that you arrive late
Back to your shelter
But your best ruse
Is to go out with a friend
Some people say that I am unhappy
That I resemble a harlot
In the mouth of these people I represent a danger
But my greatest sin
Is to like being with you
Until always my love


WATER CYCLE
(Of the sea and the kianda)

Don't talk to me about myths and realities when, in the middle of the open sea, the water cycle causes the ocean waves to beat mercilessly against the ship's hull. Whether she exists or not, what is certain is that I see her among the waves of the sea, without the certainty of being half fish and half woman. Under the moonlight, there is indeed a part woman, with long hair covering her breasts. From the smell of the sea air and sensual singing there is, however, only one certainty: the charm of Kianda comes from Luanda.

(1st sea)
In the sea is my life
My life is in the sea
In the sea is my life
Which is more suffered than lived
In the sea is my life
My life is in the sea
Of the sea I have no fear
Of this I make no secret
From the immense sea comes my salary
And I earn less than proletarian
I am only afraid of Kianda
And of the calemas in Luanda
But if one day the mermaid calls me
If she wants to take me to the depths
I leave my melancholy to my family
I leave my joy to the cabarets
My life is at sea
My life is at sea
My life is at sea
Sorry, i'm leaving now
My life is at sea
My life is at sea
I'm not afraid of the sea
I treat it like a toy
My salary comes from the immense sea
And I earn less than a proletarian
The only thing I'm afraid of is unemployment
That one, yes, it takes my mind off things
But if one day the siren calls me
If she wants to take me to the depths
I leave my melancholy to my family
I leave my joy to the cabarets
My life is at sea
My life is at sea

(2nd Seafarer)
I have sailed many miles
In large sea and river ports
In the face of fear I only took courage
On coasting ships de cabotagem
Suporto muito o calor e frios
Onde navegam os grandes navios
Suporto muitas ondas infernais
Filhas twins dos tempais
Há o desafio que vem da própria morte
E uma presença grande da Kianda
Há um jogo de azarar or sorte
Em águas longe de Luanda

(3º Marítimo)
Não estou nobre nem burguês
Mas também não sou gentio
More than once
I have beaten the ship
Whoever wants to bother me
Whether on land or at sea
Will see that I am not small
Will taste my poison
Son of a traditional chief
Servant on a colonial ship
Worn out in winds and tides
King of the finest cabarets
I have already received a lot of tickets
To disembark soon
I go to the captaincy
I have to present myself
When I run out of high seas
I own Cais Sodré
I own Bairro Alto
I am night in the cabaret
Son of a traditional chief
Servant on a colonial ship
Hardened in winds and tides
King of the finest cabarets


(4th Maritime)
I climbed the ship's bridge
Quis, at night to look at the moon
And the twinkling brightness of the stars
Challenging the pitch black shade
That dominates the vastness of the sky
I pray to God who is in heaven
I pray to Kianda who is in the sea
There is no quay or islet nearby
How much I long to moor
I climbed the ship's bridge
I wanted to look the immensity of the sea
There was salt and colossal waves
Made of unnatural winds
All to torment us
I pray to God who is in heaven
I pray to Kianda who is in the sea
There is no quay or islet nearby
How long I wish I could dock


AIR CYCLE
(RECORDING TIME)

The wind brings to the scenery of our memory the best and worst memories that the air cycle can blur. Only the great passions resist the erosion of time, which leaves in our body the inevitable rust of age, in the fruitful and libidinous action of the cycle of the earth.

(MAN)
Now it's time
To put an end to this story
You come looking for me soon after
You want to go away
Any whim that is
Has its time to end
Otherwise, how am I going to fall in love
Oh, creature
In me there's a great desire to have you
Yes, there is!
We'll see what happens afterwards
You must tell me what you're up to
If it's just for fun
Then leave me alone
Friendship, you must know, does not give way to seduction
At my age one doesn't play with passion
When we dance, your slender body is glued to me
And if you're going to run away, don't ever dance with me like that
I have a great desire to have you
Yes, I do!
We'll see later what's going to happen
You must tell me what you're up to
If it's to entertain you
Then leave me alone
It's time for you to say, what you want
Creature
The world is a planet full of women
You bet
Now it's time
To put an end to this story
You come looking for me soon after
You want to leave

(WOMAN)
It's Friday moonlight by the sea
Black dress on black honey-coloured skin
Nostalgia and lots of magic
By the water's edge
There's a woman who was left alone
She lost her beauty, drowned -she drowned in sadness
She threw everything at the ambition card
She entered into illusion
That wealth is more than everything
And that love with content is nothing
The low tide came
Loneliness also came
And lost the sense
Of passion

(MAN)
A lilac covered the evening
In the sky there was a thick mantle of gas
Gravitating
Pregnant with dreams
Laughing and youthful
An aniseed sweetened the gall
Which fell mute
In the drunkenness
grey
Of my exempt life
Of being well with myself
Iris
It's a visible rainbowVisible rainbow
Through my honey cup
A great anguish lives with me
Marked by a great will
That sometimes
It is well faked
By the betrayals of my age

(MAN AND WOMAN)
Tender was the shy landing
Of your gaze
Which for an instant
Crossed mine
Tender was as before
The soft squeeze
Of our embrace
For another reunion
But more than the honey
Of your gaze
Was, this time
The soft caress of silk
Of your beautiful hands

(MAN)
I looked at you in the deepest of your eyes woman
When you stared at my
I don't know if you ran away out of fear or shame
Everything happened in the end
I snuck into your well-guarded space
I risked losing everything
I am a mere pawn in a chess game where you are the queen
Only through passion will I win
My arms wrapped around your body
At the time we went dancing
Softly I came to your face
In the time we found each other
Your perfume intoxicates me
Only by bad luck does it not go
A new saga was born
From a pleasure that does not leave me
We fled to a world that is only ours
No one else's
We wrapped ourselves in the same flame
We ended up sleeping in the same bed
Warmth that we have
My arms wrapped around your body
When we went dancing
Softly I came to your face
When we found each other
Your perfume intoxicates me
It is only by bad luck that it does not go
Thus was born a new saga
Of a pleasure that does not leave me