Carmen Souza Band performs on Radio Heartland

by Dale Connelly, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — It's difficult to pin down Carmen Souza's background. She grew up in Portugal with her family from Cape Verde. Her main language at home was Creole, but also speaks several other languages.

Her musical influences are jazz, gospel, soul, world music from Europe, the U.S., the Mediterranean and Africa. She now lives in London.

Souza was discovered after singing in a gospel choir by her producer and music director Theo Pas'cal, who helped develop her unique talent and her musical background into what she is now.

Carmen Souza and her band now tour all over the world, bringing a mix of world music and jazz to the stage.

Souza was in the Twin Cities recently for a concert at the Cedar Cultural Center, as part of a symposium at the University of Minnesota for Popular Music Studies. She and her band mates stopped by the Radio Heartland studio to chat with Dale Connelly.

Songs performed: "Afrika'", "Sem Valor" and "Levanta' No Bai"

Guests

• Carmen Souza Band