Sem Palavras (feat Iván ‘Melon’ Lewis)

‘Queen of the Portuguese Guitar’, Pereira da Costa may only be on her second album, but her trailblazing reputation as the first woman to reputedly play the instrument professionally checks the heights of international stardom. Fresh from her profile-boosting appearance on the viral live music series Tiny Desk Concerts, Pereira da Costa returns with the follow-up to her acclaimed 2016 debut. Sem Palavras (No Words) sees her guitarra portuguesa share stage with Cuban pianist Iván ‘Melon’ Lewis, whose smooth, sophisticated playing complements her potent plucking while spotlighting another of her own childhood instruments. Ambling through four self-penned compositions, she opens with a tribute to her grandmother, ‘Memórias’, also delivering a cross-cultural mix that includes songs by Cape Verdean morna songwriter Luís Rendall (‘Dr. Albertino’) and ‘Aranjuez’ by Joaquín Rodrigo, familiar melodies popping up like flowers on a vine.