Tcheka

Biography

Manuel Lopes Andrade, 20 July 1973, Ribeira Barca, Santa Catarina, Santiago, Cape Verde. Born into a large family, Tcheka’s father was Nho Raul Andrade, a popular musician who played violin and led bands on the Cape Verde islands. He learned guitar and from age 14 played alongside his siblings in his father’s band. He began developing a variation on traditional batuku (batuque), playing guitar in a distinctive percussive manner. He also began composing in this form, which he varied to accommodate its customary use by women. One of his compositions is ‘Man’ba Des Bes Kumida Dâ’, which Portugese singer Lura recorded on her 2005 release Di Korpu Ku Alma.

As a young man, Tcheka settled in Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, where he worked as a television cameraman. During this period he travelled extensively and met journalist Julio Rodrigues, with whom he composed and performed in bars and clubs. He began his...

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